Nextcloud + Office — Microsoft 365 without Microsoft
Your own Nextcloud instance with Office functionality for collaborative work
Working on documents.
our self-managed servers in German data centers,
Completely under your own control. Get hosting.
exclusively our consulting clients — as part of a
The entire project, not as a public cloud.
Your own cloud, your own data, a fully functional office suite
Nextcloud is an open-source platform,
the functionality of Microsoft 365 / Google Workspace
access — file sharing, calendar, contacts, tasks,
Email integration. With the Office extension
(Collabora Online or OnlyOffice) allows multiple people
simultaneously in Word, Excel and PowerPoint files
Work directly in the browser, without installing any software.
We set this up independently for each customer and host it on
self-managed servers in German data centers and
We take care of maintenance, updates and backups.
What you can do with it
- File sharing & versionsLike Dropbox/OneDrive, but local. Version history, shared folders, external sharing links with expiration date + password.
- Office in the browserDOCX, XLSX, PPTX, ODT — edit directly in the browser, multiple people simultaneously (real-time cursor). Collabora or OnlyOffice depending on your needs.
- Calendar & ContactsCalDAV/CardDAV — works out-of-the-box with iPhone, Android, Outlook, and Thunderbird. Shared team calendars are possible.
- Tasks & NotesPersonal to-do lists, team tasks, notes with Markdown — all in the same login.
- Talk: Chat & VideoOptional extension: 1:1 chat, group chats, video conferences — servers managed in-house, no third-party providers.
- Mobile AppsiOS and Android apps for file access, photo backup, contact sync — all officially from Nextcloud.
Where Nextcloud wins — and where it doesn't
Nextcloud wins: Data sovereignty, no
Cloud Act risk, predictable costs without per-user surcharge,
Full data export at any time.
Microsoft 365 wins: Outlook integration
in corporate environments, depth of Excel function at very
complex models, Teams telephony for large organizations.
For 80 % the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises, associations and administration
Nextcloud is the better choice — for specific situations
For enterprise requirements, we sometimes recommend Microsoft 365.
honest.
Three target groups in which Nextcloud regularly shines
Associations & Foundations
Board documents, donor notifications, member lists — sensitive and not suitable for US cloud storage. More for clubs.
Administrations & Authorities
Citizen data, meeting minutes, procurement files — data sovereignty is an obligation, not a wish. More for public administrations.
Medium-sized businesses with a focus on data protection
Consulting, legal, tax and healthcare industries — client confidentiality, professional secrecy, duty of confidentiality.
What is often asked before switching
How complicated is the migration from Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace?
Data import is standard – we provide a migration list for each service (mail, calendar, contacts, files) and perform the switch within a scheduled timeframe. Typical migrations for medium-sized businesses take place over an extended weekend.
Does it work with Outlook and iPhone?
Yes. CalDAV/CardDAV for calendars and contacts, IMAP/SMTP for email, WebDAV for files — all standards that work without special apps. Plus official Nextcloud apps for iPhone and Android.
Are real-time document editing and conflict resolution truly equivalent to MS 365?
For 90% of use cases, yes — multiple people can work on a document simultaneously and see each other's cursors and selections. However, MS 365 still has advantages with very complex Excel models containing pivot tables and VBA macros.
What happens if the server fails?
Daily off-site backups, monitoring-based alerts, and a documented recovery plan. For critical setups, a high-availability cluster with failover is optional.
Can we return later or switch to a different provider?
Full data export is built-in at any time. Nextcloud uses standard formats (DOCX, XLSX, PDF, vCard, iCal), no proprietary restrictions.
Do you want your cloud back?
15-minute initial consultation — we will provide a concrete estimate of the relocation effort and setup size.
Further information:
Hosting Germany ·
Everything from a single source ·
AV contract explained
