Self-host Syncthing
updated Jul 2026deployed & timed by usprices checked · Aug 2026Install verified on Ubuntu 26.04 · Jul 2026 · how we test
Continuous, peer-to-peer file synchronization with no central server and no cloud — your files sync directly between your devices, end-to-end encrypted in transit.
Dropbox / yr$144
Self-hosted / yr~$55
You keep$89/yr
Pocket the difference — spin it up on a cheap VPS in minutes.Start free on Kamatera → (opens in new tab)
Key facts
CategoryFile sync & storage
LicenseMPL-2.0
StackGo
Min RAM256 MB
Dockeryes
Difficulty
What you need
- Any VPS with at least 256 MB of RAM
- A domain you control — most self-hosted setups need HTTPS in front of them
- Under an hour if you've used Docker before
Install
Run these commands on your server:
# Syncthing
docker run -d --name syncthing \
-p 8384:8384 -p 22000:22000/tcp -p 22000:22000/udp \
-v st-config:/var/syncthing \
syncthing/syncthing
# admin UI: http://SERVER_IP:8384An alternative to
Head-to-head
More self-hosted tools
File sync & storage
Nextcloud
PHPJavaScript
moderateRead guide →
File sync & storage
ownCloud
Go
moderateRead guide →
Push notifications
ntfy
Go
easyRead guide →
Photo backup & gallery
PhotoPrism
GoJavaScript
easyRead guide →