How to Self-Host Nextcloud on Contabo (2026): Free 1-Click Image on a Cloud or Storage VPS

Nextcloud is a private cloud you run yourself: file sync and sharing, calendars and contacts, and document collaboration, with an app store for extras such as online office suites. Contabo describes it as a self-hosted alternative to Google Drive or Dropbox. There are two practical ways to get it onto a Contabo server: order a VPS with Contabo’s free pre-installed Nextcloud (the 1-click add-on), or install Nextcloud’s own All-in-One (AIO) Docker setup yourself. This guide covers both, which plan to pick (Cloud VPS or Storage VPS), what it costs and what to do after the first login.

Know what you’re signing up for. Contabo’s help center says that after installation you are responsible for maintaining, updating and troubleshooting the application. Contabo provides 24/7 support for the infrastructure (the physical server, network connectivity and access to your VPS) but not application-specific support for Nextcloud; for that, Contabo points you to the official Nextcloud community forums.

Which Contabo plan for Nextcloud?

Contabo’s Nextcloud hosting page recommends four servers, two Cloud VPS and two Storage VPS. Prices are EUR before VAT; the monthly-term price is what you pay on a 1-month contract, and the 24-month rate is the effective monthly price Contabo shows “for the first 24 months” of a 24-month subscription.

What the add-on needs. Contabo’s help center lists the system requirements for its Nextcloud add-on as Ubuntu 24.04 LTS with at least 1 CPU, 1 GB RAM and 10 GB storage, and recommends 2 CPUs, 4 GB RAM and 50 GB storage. All four plans above clear the recommended figures; what really separates them is disk space and how many people will use the server.

Cloud VPS or Storage VPS?

Contabo’s Storage VPS page describes the line as suited to applications that don’t have high I/O requirements but read and write a lot of data, and names self-hosting Nextcloud as an example. If your Nextcloud is mostly a big file store (photos, video, backups), a Storage VPS gives you far more disk per euro. If you expect many active users and heavier apps, Contabo points to Cloud VPS 12. Here is the full Storage VPS lineup as listed on October 17, 2026 (Europe/Bucharest):

Contabo lists unlimited traffic on every Storage VPS, with fair usage policies applying. Storage VPS 10 and 20 are not among the four Nextcloud picks on Contabo’s Nextcloud page, although their specs meet the add-on’s recommended figures; if you want one of them with Nextcloud pre-installed, check that the Nextcloud image is offered in the order options before you pay.

See current Contabo Storage VPS prices · See current Contabo Cloud VPS prices

Option 1: Contabo’s free pre-installed Nextcloud (fastest)

Contabo’s help center says its 1-click Nextcloud add-on is a Docker-based script that runs on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS and includes Nextcloud, Caddy, Redis, MariaDB and Cron. The Nextcloud page says Contabo installs it for you free of charge, and Contabo’s price data lists the “Nextcloud Server” application add-on at €0.

1. Pick the server. Open Contabo (for example via the Storage VPS or Cloud VPS page), go to Apps & Panels > Nextcloud in the menu and pick one of the Nextcloud plans; its Get Started buttons open the order page with the Nextcloud image preselected.
2. Choose a location and set the password. Contabo notes that the password you set here is used both for the VPS and for the Nextcloud application itself, so make it a strong one.
3. Place the order. New customers fill in their personal data and payment method; existing customers log in. After “Order & Pay”, Contabo emails your login credentials (the URL and username) once the order is processed.
4. Wait for two-stage provisioning. According to Contabo, the whole process can take up to 30 minutes: the server is provisioned first and you get the login details by email (usually within a few minutes), then Nextcloud is installed and activated in the remaining time.
5. Log in. In the Customer Panel, open Servers & Hosting > VPS; once Nextcloud is installed you can open it from its logo under Quick Action. From there you start uploading files, adding users and installing apps.

Adding users. Users are added in the Users section of Nextcloud. Contabo notes that, because of server-side restrictions, new users won’t receive an activation email; set their login details yourself and send them directly (they can change the password later). Contabo’s Nextcloud page advertises unlimited users and says it doesn’t charge per user, for bandwidth or for extra features.

Already have a Contabo VPS or VDS? Contabo says you can install Nextcloud on an existing instance free of charge from the Customer Control Panel: choose the instance, open More > Reinstall, pick Application Installation, select Nextcloud and set your password. A reinstall replaces what is on that server, so back it up first.

Option 2: Nextcloud All-in-One with Docker (more control)

Nextcloud All-in-One (AIO) is the Nextcloud project’s own Docker installer: a “mastercontainer” that sets up and manages the rest of the stack and includes an optional built-in backup based on BorgBackup. The steps below follow the official README on GitHub as it was on October 17, 2026 (Europe/Bucharest); check the official page before you start. They assume there is no existing web server or reverse proxy on the server (AIO has separate reverse-proxy docs).

Before you start: a Contabo VPS with a plain Linux image (not the Nextcloud add-on, which already runs its own stack), SSH access and, if you want a valid certificate on the AIO interface, a domain pointing to the server.

1. Install Docker

Follow Docker’s official install instructions for your distribution. The AIO README says snap-based Docker installations are not supported, which mainly matters on Ubuntu.

2. Start the mastercontainer

This is the command from the official README for Linux without an existing web server or reverse proxy:

# For Linux and without a web server or reverse proxy already in place:
sudo docker run \
  --init \
  --sig-proxy=false \
  --name nextcloud-aio-mastercontainer \
  --restart always \
  --publish 80:80 \
  --publish 8080:8080 \
  --publish 8443:8443 \
  --volume nextcloud_aio_mastercontainer:/mnt/docker-aio-config \
  --volume /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro \
  ghcr.io/nextcloud-releases/all-in-one:latest

The README says not to change the container name or the nextcloud_aio_mastercontainer volume name (updates and built-in backups depend on them), and suggests the example Compose file rather than docker run for production use.

3. Open the AIO interface

Open https://<your-server-ip>:8080 by IP address, not by domain (the README warns that a domain on port 8080 is likely to break later because of HSTS), and accept the self-signed certificate. If ports 80 and 8443 are reachable and a domain points to your server, you can instead use https://your-domain:8443 with a valid certificate. Then follow the interface to enter your domain and start the containers.

4. Open the right ports

The README lists 443/TCP for the Apache container (plus 443/UDP only if you enable HTTP/3), and 3478/TCP and 3478/UDP if you enable Nextcloud Talk. Port 80 is used for the certificate challenge and 8080/8443 for the AIO interface.

Users on AIO: the AIO README says up to 100 users are free, and more are possible with Nextcloud Enterprise. Backups on AIO: backups are encrypted with a key shown in the AIO interface; the README warns you can’t restore without it, so store it somewhere safe.

Prefer a classic manual install? Contabo’s blog has a guide, How To Install Nextcloud on Ubuntu LTS (24.04).

After install: a short checklist

• Link an email to your admin account. Contabo says it doesn’t store or see your application password. If you change it and haven’t linked an email for “I forgot my password”, the only way back in is a reinstall, which means data loss.
• Back up files, database and settings. Contabo’s FAQ recommends a backup that covers all three, run manually or automated, with a copy on separate storage. Contabo also sells Auto Backup as a paid add-on; the price shows in the order options.
• Update from the admin panel. Contabo’s FAQ points to Nextcloud’s built-in updater in the admin panel, and to keeping the operating system updated too.
• Turn on the security features. Contabo highlights Nextcloud’s server-side encryption, two-factor authentication and brute-force protection, and has a Nextcloud hardening guide.

What it really costs

• The server: from €5.50 per month (Cloud VPS 4 or Storage VPS 10) on a monthly term, or €4.40 per month on a 24-month term; a 1 TB Storage VPS 30 is €14.00 per month (€11.20 on 24 months).
• VAT: these prices exclude VAT; Contabo adds your country’s rate at checkout (its site lists, for example, 19% Germany, 20% United Kingdom and 21% Romania).
• Location: the prices above are for the EU location; other regions add a monthly surcharge that depends on the plan (on Storage VPS 10, for example, Contabo’s price data on October 16, 2026 listed €1.05 for the UK or US Central up to €2.55 for Japan). Our full Contabo price guide has the regional details.
• The Nextcloud software: Contabo’s FAQ says Nextcloud itself is free and open source, and the pre-installed add-on is listed at €0. If you use AIO, mind its 100-free-users note above.
• Extras: Auto Backup and other add-ons are paid; check the order summary before you pay.

Which route should you pick?

• You want Nextcloud running today without touching Docker: Contabo’s free pre-installed image.
• You want the Nextcloud project’s own installer, with built-in Borg backups and container updates from one interface: All-in-One on a plain Ubuntu VPS.
• Mostly storing photos, video and backups: a Storage VPS. Many active users and heavier apps: a Cloud VPS such as Cloud VPS 12.

Order a Contabo Storage VPS for Nextcloud · Contabo Cloud VPS · Contabo home page

Need a home for your code and CI/CD too? Contabo offers GitLab CE as a free 1-click app as well; see our guide to self-hosting GitLab CE on a Contabo VPS.

FAQ

What is the cheapest server Contabo recommends for Nextcloud?
Cloud VPS 4 (4 vCPU, 8 GB RAM, 100 GB SSD): €5.50 per month on a monthly term or €4.40 per month on a 24-month term, before VAT. Contabo calls it “The Starter”.

Which Contabo plan is best for a large media library?
Contabo suggests Storage VPS 30 (1 TB SSD, €14.00/month) for large media libraries and Storage VPS 50 (1.4 TB SSD, 1 Gbit/s port, €37.00/month) for streaming large video collections.

Is the Nextcloud add-on really free?
Yes, according to Contabo: its Nextcloud page says it installs Nextcloud free of charge and its price data lists the “Nextcloud Server” add-on at €0. You pay for the server and any paid extras you choose.

How long does the 1-click install take?
Up to 30 minutes in total, according to Contabo: the server first (login details by email, usually within minutes), then the Nextcloud installation.

Why don’t new Nextcloud users get an email?
On Contabo’s Nextcloud image, server-side restrictions stop activation emails, according to Contabo. Set the login details yourself and send them to the user.

What are the system requirements for Contabo’s Nextcloud add-on?
Contabo’s help center lists Ubuntu 24.04 LTS with a minimum of 1 CPU, 1 GB RAM and 10 GB storage, and recommends 2 CPUs, 4 GB RAM and 50 GB storage.

Also on SiftGuide: How to self-host n8n on a Contabo VPS and our Contabo price guide.

Sources

All checked on October 17, 2026 (Europe/Bucharest).

• Contabo – Nextcloud Hosting: https://contabo.com/en/nextcloud-hosting/
• Contabo – Storage VPS: https://contabo.com/en/storage-vps/
• Contabo Help Center – Nextcloud 1-click add-on: https://help.contabo.com/en/support/solutions/articles/103000368964-can-you-provide-more-information-on-the-contabo-nextcloud-1-click-add-on-
• Nextcloud All-in-One (official GitHub README): https://github.com/nextcloud/all-in-one