Best Open Source Document Management Systems
Use-case recommendations with product evidence and clear edition boundaries
Updated Originally published
Paperless-ngx is our pick for a searchable scan archive, Mayan for active document workflows, Teedy for a lightweight team workspace, and FormKiQ Core for API-first document ownership in AWS. The other projects below suit more specific operating models.
The best open-source DMS is the one whose application scope and maintenance model fit the team. This list distinguishes source licenses from paid services and commercial editions. It does not assume that every open-source repository supplies a complete records or contract application.
We are the team behind FormKiQ, one of the options below. These are editorial recommendations based on the linked product sources and deployment fit. We have not performed a common performance benchmark or independent certification audit.
Our recommendations at a glance
| Product | Our pick for | Source license | Free / commercial boundary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paperless-ngx | a searchable scan archive | GPL-3.0 | Community software; self-hosting and support are separate |
| Mayan EDMS | active document workflows | GPL-2.0 in current documentation | Self-hosted EDMS; deployment and process administration remain work |
| Teedy | a lightweight team document workspace | GPL-2.0 | Open-source application; hosting and administration still apply |
| LogicalDOC Community | a community document repository | LGPL-3.0 | Community edition; commercial-product features are not implied |
| OpenDocMan | departmental document access and review | GPL-2.0 | Self-hosted PHP application; infrastructure and maintenance remain |
| SeedDMS | a self-hosted small-business document workspace | GPL-2.0 | No published user/document license caps; server capacity is still finite |
| Alfresco Community | teams building around an extensible content repository | LGPL-3.0 community repository | Commercial support and Governance Services are separate choices |
| Papermerge Community | OCR and full-text search over scanned documents | Apache-2.0 | Community and Papermerge Cloud have separate codebases and feature sets |
| FormKiQ Core | an API-first document foundation in your AWS account | MIT | AWS costs remain; packaged Business Solutions and advanced modules are commercial |
Why OpenKM Community is no longer in this open-source shortlist
OpenKM appeared in earlier versions of this guide. Its current repository notice states that Community 7.0 and later are free binary-only distributions; earlier releases retain their previous source licensing. Free-to-use and open source are different criteria, so current OpenKM Community is not counted among the source-available choices above. This does not assess the suitability or maintenance status of an older OpenKM deployment.
The best options by use case
Paperless-ngx: best for a searchable scan archive
Paperless-ngx is our first pick for replacing folders of scanned paperwork with a searchable archive. Its project focuses on consuming, indexing and organising documents. That focused job is a strength when the immediate need is finding receipts, correspondence or other scanned records without adopting a larger content platform.
Useful capabilities
- Document ingestion turns scanned paperwork into an organised archive.
- Indexing makes stored documents searchable.
- A self-hosted application gives the team control of its archive deployment.
Where another option makes more sense
A scan archive is not automatically a complete records-management programme or a packaged application-to-agreement workflow. Choose it for capture and retrieval, then establish separately whether the required retention, approval and business-system integrations are covered.
Product evidence: Paperless-ngx project and license.
Mayan EDMS: best for active document workflows
Mayan is a strong choice when a team needs an EDMS organised around document types, metadata, permissions and workflows. It offers a broader operational starting point than a scan-only archive. The current documentation identifies GPL-2.0 as its license; evaluate the version you will actually deploy.
Useful capabilities
- Document types and metadata provide a structure for different kinds of business files.
- Permissions control which people can work with documents.
- Workflows support active document processes beyond archiving.
Where another option makes more sense
Mayan’s workflow and access-control tools do not by themselves establish a jurisdiction-specific records policy or certification. A preservation institution should also consider RODA; a team buying vendor-operated software should compare its own administration effort with a managed service.
Product evidence: Mayan features; Current license.
Teedy: best for a lightweight team document workspace
Teedy combines OCR, metadata, versions, workflow and user/group permissions in a web application. Its documented REST API and webhooks give a small team a path to connect that workspace to other tools. It is our pick when those everyday document functions matter more than an extensive enterprise content model.
Useful capabilities
- OCR and custom metadata make documents easier to find and classify.
- Versions, workflows and user/group permissions support shared document work.
- REST APIs and webhooks connect the workspace to other applications.
Where another option makes more sense
A more specialised records programme may require retention and disposition controls beyond the workflow described by the project. Confirm those requirements directly instead of treating an audit log or version history as equivalent to formal records governance.
Product evidence: Teedy source, features and license.
LogicalDOC Community: best for a community document repository
LogicalDOC Community offers source access to a document repository for teams that want to manage a web-based system themselves. It is worth shortlisting when the community edition’s filing and access model suits the team and the organisation can support the application stack.
Useful capabilities
- A web-based document repository supports team filing and retrieval.
- User and role administration control access within the application.
- The Community source can be deployed and maintained by the organisation.
Where another option makes more sense
Keep the Community feature list separate from the wider LogicalDOC commercial range. If a purchasing decision depends on a particular connector, automation or support commitment, confirm that it exists in the selected edition before relying on it.
Product evidence: LogicalDOC Community repository.
OpenDocMan: best for departmental document access and review
OpenDocMan is a practical shortlist option for a department that needs uploads, user or departmental access and document review in a PHP-based application. Its scope is easy to relate to a conventional controlled-document process, without starting with a large extensible content platform.
Useful capabilities
- Browser uploads bring documents into a shared repository.
- User and department access controls support controlled distribution.
- Revision and review functions support a document approval process.
Where another option makes more sense
A system for distributing and reviewing documents is a different purchase from a preservation repository or a complete business workflow. Establish the needed record lifecycle and integrations rather than inferring them from the availability of review controls.
Product evidence: OpenDocMan source and features.
SeedDMS: best for a self-hosted small-business document workspace
SeedDMS is our pick for a smaller organisation comfortable operating a PHP and database application. The project supports self-hosting and describes no software-license restrictions on user or document counts. Its current release line includes workflows, scheduling and role-based operation controls.
Useful capabilities
- Workflows and a scheduler support routine document processing.
- Role controls restrict which operations users can perform.
- Self-hosting uses PHP with a supported SQL database; the project lists MySQL, SQLite3 and PostgreSQL.
Where another option makes more sense
No license cap is not a throughput guarantee. The organisation still owns hosting, backups, upgrades and capacity. Teams seeking a managed service with contractual support should price that operating responsibility alongside the software itself.
Product evidence: SeedDMS scope; Release and extension scope; Official project license listing.
Alfresco Community: best for teams building around an extensible content repository
Alfresco Community makes sense when an organisation has the skills to operate and extend a content platform. The community repository is available under LGPL-3.0, with source that can support a deliberately designed content application rather than just a fixed filing screen.
Useful capabilities
- A content repository provides the foundation for a custom document application.
- Community source access supports application extension and self-managed operation.
Where another option makes more sense
Community source availability should not be used to promise the support, governance packaging or certifications of a commercial Alfresco offering. A small department may prefer a narrower application with less platform administration.
Product evidence: Alfresco Community repository.
Papermerge Community: best for OCR and full-text search over scanned documents
Papermerge Community is a focused option for scanned-document OCR, full-text search and folder/tag organisation. Its current repository identifies Apache-2.0 licensing. It is a useful shortlist candidate when the team values a dedicated archive interface and is prepared to self-host it.
Useful capabilities
- OCR turns scanned pages into searchable text.
- Full-text search retrieves content from the archive.
- Folders and tags provide a familiar way to organise documents.
Where another option makes more sense
Papermerge’s repository explicitly distinguishes Community from the Cloud product. A feature shown for Cloud should not be assumed to exist in Community. For complex approvals or record disposition, start with the required lifecycle rather than treating OCR as the complete application.
Product evidence: Papermerge Community license and Cloud boundary.
FormKiQ Core: best for an API-first document foundation in your AWS account
FormKiQ Core is our pick when document storage and integration must live in AWS resources the customer controls. The API foundation lets an existing application use document and metadata services while the customer governs its account and deployment region. That is useful when ownership, residency and integration are architectural requirements.
Useful capabilities
- Document APIs connect storage and retrieval to an existing application.
- Metadata and tagging describe documents in the terms the application uses.
- Customer-controlled AWS resources keep deployment and access-policy decisions with the organisation.
For a business team that wants intake, approvals, document generation or agreement records in an application, the commercial Business Solutions provide a separate starting point. The edition comparison and module catalogue distinguish those capabilities from free Core.
Where another option makes more sense
Free Core is not the same package as the commercial Business Solutions, records governance or Bedrock AI modules. Buyers wanting a packaged application can start with Business Solutions. A team that wants a simple scan archive may be better served by Paperless-ngx or Papermerge.
Product evidence: Core scope; Core license; Packaged commercial applications; Customer-managed AWS.
Open source, free software and a complete document application
Open-source document management gives the organisation rights to use and modify the named project under its license. That is different from a vendor offering a free binary or a paid hosted service. An archive, an active EDMS and an extensible repository can all be open source while solving different jobs. Choose Paperless-ngx or Papermerge for scan retrieval, Mayan or Teedy for team document work, and a platform such as FormKiQ Core or Alfresco Community when integration and extension drive the project.
The license may remove a software purchase cost, but somebody still operates storage, backups, updates and user access. Commercial support and packaged business applications are separate buying decisions. This is why the recommendations distinguish the free project from the vendor’s wider product range.
Which should you choose?
Choose a focused archive for scans, an EDMS for team workflows, or a content platform for a more extensible application. FormKiQ Core fits teams that want an AWS document API; FormKiQ Business Solutions fit buyers who also want a packaged business application. Hosting, support and lifecycle requirements belong in the total decision.