OSI-licensed only · self-hostable
Alfresco is an enterprise content management platform for storing, versioning and governing documents. Its community repository code is published under LGPL-3.0, but many teams want something lighter, or aimed at a specific job like scanned archives or file sharing.
Every tool below is under an OSI-approved licence (AGPL-3.0, GPL-3.0, GPL-2.0 or Apache-2.0), checked against its repository. OpenKM and Mayan EDMS are left out: OpenKM's repository was archived and its newer Community Edition ships without source, and Mayan's licence was not named on the page we checked.
Licences checked against each repository on November 7, 2026.
| Tool | Best for | Licence | Runs as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nextcloud | File sync, sharing and collaboration | AGPL-3.0 | Server |
| Paperless-ngx | Searchable archive of scanned documents | GPL-3.0 | Docker |
| Teedy | Lightweight DMS for small teams | GPL-2.0 | Docker |
| Papermerge | Scanned files with OCR and full-text search | Apache-2.0 | Docker |
| ownCloud Infinite Scale | File sync and share platform in Go | Apache-2.0 | Docker |
| Nuxeo Platform | Content-services platform most like Alfresco | Apache-2.0 | Server |
Best for: File sync, sharing and collaboration
A self-hosted platform for storing, syncing and sharing files, calendars and contacts, with an app ecosystem.
Best for: Searchable archive of scanned documents
A document management system that turns physical documents into a searchable online archive.
Best for: Lightweight DMS for small teams
An open-source, lightweight document management system for individuals and businesses.
Best for: Scanned files with OCR and full-text search
Community-maintained, self-hosted software for managing scanned files with OCR, full-text search, tags and folders.
Best for: File sync and share platform in Go
A file sync and share platform written in Go, with clients for web, Android, iOS and desktop.
Best for: Content-services platform most like Alfresco
An open-source, customisable and extensible content management platform for building business applications, supporting document, asset, case and knowledge management.
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| If you need… | Start with |
|---|---|
| Closest enterprise content platform | Nuxeo Platform |
| Scanned paper archive | Paperless-ngx or Papermerge |
| File sharing and collaboration | Nextcloud or ownCloud Infinite Scale |
| Small team DMS | Teedy |
Quick answers to common questions
Alfresco's community repository shows an LGPL-3.0 licence. Check which edition you are running, because this page only covers the community code we checked.
Nuxeo Platform is closest in scope, as an extensible content management platform with document and case management.
Paperless-ngx and Papermerge are both built around scanned files, with search and tagging.
For file storage, sharing and collaboration, yes. It is not designed as a full records or enterprise content platform.
Its repository was archived in March 2026, and its README says version 7.0 onwards ships as a binary without source.
List it on TechLogHub and we'll review it for this page.
