Self-hosted alternatives to Google Docs
Convenient right up to the day the account is locked and every document goes with it.
Below are 10 open-source projects that cover the same ground, each scored 0–100 on how actively it is actually maintained — commit volume, release cadence and recent trend. 6 of the 10 are currently rated healthy or better. Ordering reflects that score, not sponsorship.
| Project | Health | Activity (11 mo) | Stars | Licence | Last release |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nextcloud Access and share your files, calendars, contacts, mail and more from any device, on your terms. | Thriving · 98 | 37k | AGPL-3.0 | 24 Sept 2026 | |
| Stirling-PDF Local hosted web application that allows you to perform various operations on PDF files, such as merging, spli | Thriving · 95 | 93k | Apache-2.0 | 26 Sept 2026 | |
| Paperless-ngx Scan, index, and archive all of your paper documents with an improved interface (fork of Paperless). | Thriving · 90 | 46k | GPL-3.0 | 20 Sept 2026 | |
| Docuseal Create, fill, and sign digital documents (alternative to DocuSign). | Thriving · 85 | 19k | AGPL-3.0 | 21 Sept 2026 | |
| Etherpad Highly customizable online editor providing collaborative editing in real-time. | Healthy · 81 | 19k | Apache-2.0 | 21 Sept 2026 | |
| Grist Next-generation spreadsheet with relational structure, formula-based access control, and a portable, self-cont | Healthy · 81 | 12k | Apache-2.0 | 6 Sept 2026 | |
| CryptPad Collaboration suite built to enable collaboration, synchronizing changes to documents in real time. | Steady · 64 | 8k | AGPL-3.0 | 26 May 2026 | |
| ONLYOFFICE Office suite that enables you to manage documents, projects, team and customer relations in one place. | Slowing · 44 | 7k | AGPL-3.0 | 19 May 2026 | |
| Collabora Online Development Edition Collabora Online Development Edition (CODE) is a powerful LibreOffice-based online office that supports all ma | Unrated | — | MPL-2.0 | — | |
| Digislides Create multimedia presentations in a quick and easy way. (documentation in French). | Unrated | — | AGPL-3.0 | — |
How these were picked
Every project listed here is open source and can run entirely on hardware you control. We start from the categories that match Google Docs's job — Office Suites, Document Management — then rank by health score so that a popular-but-abandoned project never appears above a smaller one that is actively shipping. The scoring method is documented in full.
The scores are recomputed from repository data on every rebuild, so this page reflects the state of these projects as of 1 Oct 2026 — not the day it was written.
Nextcloud
Access and share your files, calendars, contacts, mail and more from any device, on your terms.
Best fit: It suits individuals and organisations who want to keep their files and productivity data on their own hardware rather than relying on commercial cloud storage.
Worth knowing: Running a large PHP-based groupware suite requires careful resource tuning and regular updates to maintain security and acceptable performance.
Stirling-PDF
Local hosted web application that allows you to perform various operations on PDF files, such as merging, splitting, file conversions and OCR.
Best fit: It is well-suited for users who need a centralised tool for document manipulation without relying on external cloud-based services.
Worth knowing: The resource footprint of a Java-based web application can be heavier than native alternatives, requiring adequate memory allocation on your server.
Paperless-ngx
Scan, index, and archive all of your paper documents with an improved interface (fork of Paperless).
Best fit: It is well-suited for home users or small offices wanting to reduce physical clutter by moving invoices, receipts, and letters into a searchable digital archive.
Worth knowing: OCR processing and text extraction can be resource-intensive during initial ingestion, potentially straining lower-powered home server hardware.
Docuseal
Create, fill, and sign digital documents (alternative to DocuSign).
Best fit: This is a suitable choice for teams or individuals looking to replace third-party e-signature SaaS tools with an in-house solution operating under an AGPL-3.0 licence.
Worth knowing: You will need to review the AGPL-3.0 licence requirements carefully if you plan to modify and distribute the software or offer it as a service to external users.
Etherpad
Highly customizable online editor providing collaborative editing in real-time.
Best fit: Teams or organisations that require synchronous, multi-user text editing hosted entirely on their own infrastructure.
Worth knowing: Self-hosting involves managing real-time synchronisation state, which can increase operational overhead compared to static document storage.