FileRun review

FileRun is a self-hosted file-sharing service: teams manage, share and sync files stored on their own server, rather than importing them into a separate cloud. The homepage lists storage on your own disk as unbilled, so the subscription price is for user licenses, not hosted storage.

The feature set goes beyond a basic web file browser. Teams can share files and folders with users, groups or outside guests, set link passwords and expiry dates, and limit downloads. Desktop and mobile clients sync selected folders or an account across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android. FileRun also supports document editing through compatible self-hosted office suites or online services, plus large uploads that resume after interruptions.

Sign-in options include LDAP, Active Directory, OpenID Connect, SAML, Microsoft Azure, OAuth2 and Authentik. That makes FileRun relevant to organizations that want their own storage and identity setup, but still need familiar team-sharing controls.

FileRun’s main appeal is a focused file service with team features, without requiring the files to live in a vendor-hosted cloud. The pricing page says storage on your own disk is not billed. That can make costs easier to forecast than a service charging separately for storage, though you still need to provide and maintain the server.

Sharing controls cover common team and guest workflows: permissions for users and groups, password-protected links, expiry dates and download limits. Separate controls for apps and APIs are useful when access is not limited to people using the web interface. Sync clients span desktop and mobile platforms, and large uploads can resume after an interruption. Document editing is available through supported self-hosted office suites or online services, rather than being presented as a single bundled editor.

Setup and day-to-day experience are less certain. In one Reddit thread, a user switching from Nextcloud said FileRun discovered existing files and was simpler to configure; other commenters reported very different Nextcloud experiences. Those are individual accounts, not a reliable speed comparison. Still, FileRun’s feature mix is clear: file sharing, sync, editing and access controls in a self-hosted package, with installation and support services available on business plans.

FileRun is not currently listed with a free plan in the published pricing information. Business plans are billed annually at €9.90 per user, equivalent to €0.825 per user per month. The Small business plan covers 10 or 20 accounts; Medium covers 30–90; Large starts at 100 accounts and includes nine guest accounts per paid user. That makes the paid options a poor fit if you only need a handful of named accounts.

There is a cheaper personal option, but it is marked for non-business use: Home costs €99 once, covers five user accounts, adds one account each year and includes lifetime software updates. Non-profits and public-benefit organizations can request a case-by-case reduction; it is not automatically free.

Reddit discussions mention a free version limited to three users and complaints that free licenses stopped being offered. That conflicts with the current pricing data, which lists no free plan, so check the terms directly before planning around a free tier. Support also varies by plan: Small includes installation help, while Medium lists email support and response targets of 24 hours for critical issues and 36 hours for non-critical ones. The Large plan’s free trial has no published duration.

The business plans all list the same rate: €9.90 per user per year, billed annually. That works out to €0.825 per user per month, but FileRun does not list monthly billing. Your plan choice changes the account allowance and support, not the published per-user price: Small business covers 10 or 20 accounts and installation help; Medium covers 30–90 accounts, Docker installation service, and email support; Large starts at 100 accounts and includes installation and configuration. Large also includes nine guest accounts per paid user. So the practical jumps are in team size: from the Small plan’s 20-account option to Medium’s 30-account minimum, then from Medium’s 90-account ceiling to Large’s 100-account minimum. The pricing page lists no add-ons. Home is €99 once for five accounts, with an extra account each year, but it is for personal, non-business use. There is no free plan. Storage on your own disk is not billed, according to the product information.

FileRun keeps files on your own server, so a switch does not mean importing them into a separate cloud service. But the published materials do not document a migration tool, bulk export process, or a way to carry existing permissions and links across. Treat those as migration questions to resolve before committing: map the files, users, groups, guest access, and shared links you need to preserve, then confirm how you will move or expose the data on your server. FileRun supports sync clients for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, but that does not establish that it can migrate another service’s settings or history. Leaving may be simpler if you can access the files directly on your server; whether permissions and links transfer is not published. We have no Reddit posts or comments in the published material, so we can’t responsibly say what users report as a common reason for leaving. The same gap applies to export limits. Check both before switching in either direction.