Permafiles

Permafiles is managed Nextcloud cloud storage with family photo sharing, backup and collaboration tools. It suits UK and EU households that want shared storage without running a server. The free 5 GB tier is useful for trying the service, but most growing photo libraries will need a paid plan.

Overview

Permafiles pairs general file storage with shared albums and video backup, making it more versatile than a photo-only locker. Families can grant different permissions to people who view, edit or download shared photos and folders. Links can also be password-protected and set to expire, a practical safeguard when sharing beyond the household.

Managed hosting removes the need to maintain a Nextcloud server. Permafiles says its infrastructure runs in Germany and customer file data is held on third-party S3-compatible storage in the UK. It makes daily offsite backups and says it can restore a full server within a couple of hours after a complete failure. The service describes its storage as high-performance, with S3 storage designed for 99.999999999% annual data durability.

Key features

Photo and file sharing: Shared albums and permission-controlled folders suit family collections where not everyone should be able to change or download files. Video backup extends the service beyond still photos.

Office and calls: Nextcloud Office supports online document, spreadsheet and presentation editing; Nextcloud Talk handles calls with up to 10 people. This breadth is useful for households that also want shared work tools, but unnecessary overhead for someone seeking photo storage alone.

Email integration: The Nextcloud Mail app can connect to Gmail and other providers through IMAP and SMTP, adding a route to manage existing mail accounts alongside files.

Security controls: Permafiles describes HTTPS/TLS, two-factor authentication, brute-force protection and antivirus protection. Optional end-to-end encryption applies to supported folders and use cases, so it should not be assumed to cover every file or workflow.

Support: The company says it responds to contact forms within 24 hours and offers live chat during office hours, a useful mix for routine questions and time-sensitive help during those hours.

Pricing

Permafiles has a free plan and seven paid storage tiers, all including fully managed hosting, Nextcloud Talk and Office, daily offsite backups and antivirus protection. Prices are monthly:

Nextcloud Free: £0.00 /month for 5 GB. A no-cost way to try the service or store a small collection, but a restrictive ceiling for regular photo and video backup.

Nextcloud Tiny: £1.99 /month for 64 GB. The lowest-cost paid option, best for light use or a modest family library.

Nextcloud Small: £2.99 /month for 128 GB, a step up for households whose files would quickly crowd the free tier.

Nextcloud Medium: £3.99 /month for 256 GB, a more comfortable fit for larger collections.

Nextcloud Large: £4.99 /month for 512 GB, suited to users who want substantial room without moving to terabyte storage.

Nextcloud 1TB: £9.99 /month for 1 TB, appropriate for a sizeable household archive.

Nextcloud 2TB: £18.99 /month for 2 TB.

Nextcloud 3TB: £27.99 /month for 3 TB, the largest stated tier for families with extensive storage needs.

The main trade-off in choosing a cheaper tier is capacity: the core collaboration, backup and antivirus features remain included. No seat limits or trial terms are stated, so these should not be assumed when planning a household account.

Platforms

Permafiles supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows and the web. Nextcloud sync clients are available for the five named desktop and mobile platforms, letting users keep files in sync across devices rather than relying on browser access alone.

Who it's for

This is a strong fit for UK and EU households that want one managed service for family photos, videos and general files, with controlled sharing and enough collaboration tools to serve everyday document work. People who want a larger archive should compare the paid quotas with their existing library before relying on the free tier. A user interested only in photos may prefer a more focused service; someone who wants to operate their own server may find managed hosting the wrong model.

Pros and cons

Pros: All tiers include managed Nextcloud, Office, Talk, daily offsite backups and antivirus, so moving up in storage does not mean giving up core features.

Pros: Fine-grained sharing permissions, password-protected links and expiry dates suit private family collections.

Pros: UK file storage and Germany-based infrastructure align with the service's stated focus on UK and EU customers.

Cons: The free 5 GB allowance is small for photo and video backup, making paid storage likely for sustained use.

Cons: Optional end-to-end encryption is limited to supported folders and use cases, rather than being a blanket promise.

Cons: Office and calling tools may be excess complexity for a buyer who only needs a photo archive.

Alternatives

Photo Storage Services is a useful starting point for comparing services in this category.

IDrive is worth comparing if you want a freemium storage service with a free trial and plans ranging from 10 GB to paid storage; its broader plan details should guide the choice.

Ente Photos offers a 10 GB free tier, double Permafiles' allowance, and a 50 GB family plan at $2.49 per month; choose it when a photo-focused service and a larger free quota matter more than Permafiles' included Nextcloud tools.

PhotoPrism has a free self-hosted Community plan with unlimited storage and instances; it is a better fit for people willing to host and maintain their own setup.

Stingle Photos is open source under GPLv3 and offers a free 1 GB tier; consider it if open-source availability is a priority and the smaller free quota is enough.

Amazon Photos offers 5 GB free shared photo and video storage, with an unlimited full-resolution photos benefit on its Prime plan; it may suit someone already using that benefit.

Cryptee describes its software and cryptography as open source and offers 100 MB free forever; it is an alternative for readers who prioritize that approach over storage capacity.

Noodle Gallery is free, self-hosted and has no storage cap, making it an option for people prepared to supply the hardware.

PhotoCircle is another option for shared photo collections.

Verdict

Choose Permafiles if your household wants managed, cross-platform storage for photos and other files, with sharing controls, backups and Nextcloud collaboration in one subscription. Its strongest case is the combination of family-friendly sharing and included tools across every tier. Look elsewhere if 5 GB is all you will pay for, if you need photo storage without the extra suite, or if you want to host the service yourself.