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Free M-Files alternatives: 3 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

3 of the 5 M-Files alternatives we track can be used for free (free, open source, or with a free plan). Mayan EDMS, Docspell and Box rank highest, with facts last verified Nov 8, 2026.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingVerified priceOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1MaMayan EDMSOpen source—YesWeb, Self-hosted4 of 459.4
2Docspell logoDocspellOpen source—YesWeb, Self-hosted, Android5 of 557.5
3Box logoBoxFree plan + paid—NoWeb, Windows, macOS +23 of 354.4
  1. Ma

    1. Mayan EDMSTop pick

    Best for: Organisations that need document versioning, workflows and strict access control on their own servers

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    59.4

    score / 100

    Why switch from M-Files

    Open-source, self-hosted document management with metadata, OCR and workflows at no licence cost.

    Pros

    • Document versioning with per-version access control
    • Workflows and fine-grained permissions for formal processes
    • Mature project with paid support available

    Cons

    • Heavier to install and learn than home-focused tools
    • No hosted version; you run and maintain the server
    Visit Mayan EDMS Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Mayan EDMS a good M-Files alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026mayan-edms.com(opens source in a new tab)
    First released
    2010
    Checked Nov 8, 2026mayan-edms.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Versioning
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026mayan-edms.com(opens source in a new tab)
    API
    REST API
    Checked Nov 8, 2026mayan-edms.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Docspell logo

    2. Docspell

    Best for: Self-hosters and families who want automatic metadata and many ways to feed documents in

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted, Android

    57.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from M-Files

    Free self-hosted DMS with OCR and auto-tagging, suited to small teams that don't need enterprise governance.

    Pros

    • Suggests tags and metadata from document text
    • Many import paths: IMAP, upload links, CLI, Android app
    • Uploaded originals are never modified

    Cons

    • No document versioning or editing
    • No fine-grained permission management
    • Smaller community than Paperless-ngx
    Visit Docspell Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Docspell a good M-Files alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    AGPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 29, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    OCR
    Tesseract
    Checked Nov 8, 2026docspell.org(opens source in a new tab)
    API
    REST API
    Checked Nov 8, 2026docspell.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Email import
    IMAP
    Checked Nov 8, 2026docspell.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Versioning
    No
    Checked Nov 8, 2026docspell.org(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Box logo

    3. Box

    Best for: Companies that need governed file sharing, compliance and workflows

    Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android

    54.4

    score / 100

    Why switch from M-Files

    Cloud content platform with workflows and governance add-ons; simpler to roll out than a metadata-first DMS.

    Pros

    • Strong admin, retention and compliance controls
    • Deep integrations with business apps
    • Built-in e-signature and workflow automation

    Cons

    • Tiny per-file upload limit on the free plan
    • Business plans need several seats
    • Overkill for personal use
    Visit Box Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.352
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Box a good M-Files alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Free plan upload limit
    250 MB per file
    Checked Nov 8, 2026support.box.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Personal Pro upload limit
    5 GB per file
    Checked Nov 8, 2026support.box.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Business Plus upload limit
    15 GB per file
    Checked Nov 8, 2026support.box.com(opens source in a new tab)