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Mayan EDMS alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rankAll document management systems

Top picks

  • Docspell logo

    Best overall

    Docspell

    Open source

  • Pa

    Best free option

    Paperwork

    Open source

  • Nextcloud logo

    Best open source

    Nextcloud

    Enterprise price: From €71.29 per user/year (100 users)

Common reasons people leave Mayan EDMS: heavier to install and learn than home-focused tools, and no hosted version; you run and maintain the server. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Mayan EDMS, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Docspell currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingVerified priceOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Docspell logoDocspellOpen source—YesWeb, Self-hosted, Android5 of 564.8
2PaPaperworkOpen source—YesLinux, Windows4 of 461.8
3Nextcloud logoNextcloudOpen sourceFrom €71.29 per user/year (100 users)YesWeb, Windows, macOS +44 of 451.2
4Laserfiche logoLaserfichePaid$73 per user/month, billed annuallyNoWeb, Windows, iOS +25 of 542.3
5M-Files logoM-FilesPaid$65 per seat/month (Essentials)NoWeb, Windows, iOS +26 of 642.3
  1. Docspell logo

    1. DocspellTop pick

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

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted, Android

    64.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Mayan EDMS

    Simpler self-hosted archive with automatic metadata and mailbox import.

    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 ×0.387
    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 Mayan EDMS 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)
  2. Pa

    2. Paperwork

    Best for: Home users who want to scan and search their paperwork on one desktop without running a server

    Open sourceLinux, Windows

    61.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Mayan EDMS

    Desktop-only option for one person who doesn't need a server.

    Pros

    • No server needed; it's a normal desktop app
    • Stores files in open formats in one folder, easy to back up
    • Learns to apply labels to new documents automatically

    Cons

    • No macOS version
    • Single-user, with no web access or sharing
    • Fewer automation features than server-based tools like Paperless-ngx
    Visit Paperwork Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    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 Paperwork a good Mayan EDMS alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Platforms
    Linux, Windows
    Checked Nov 8, 2026openpaper.work(opens source in a new tab)
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026openpaper.work(opens source in a new tab)
    File formats
    JPEG, hOCR, PDF
    Checked Nov 8, 2026openpaper.work(opens source in a new tab)
    Automatic labelling
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026openpaper.work(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Nextcloud logo

    3. Nextcloud

    Best for: Organisations and tinkerers who want Google Drive features on their own server

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    51.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Mayan EDMS

    Self-hosted file platform with versioning, tags, retention rules and OCR apps, enough when you mostly need shared document storage.

    Pros

    • Free, open source and fully self-hostable
    • Large app ecosystem beyond files
    • Data stays wherever you choose to run it

    Cons

    • You handle updates, backups and performance
    • Can feel slow on modest hardware
    • Quality varies across community apps
    Visit Nextcloud Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.341
    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 Nextcloud a good Mayan EDMS alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026nextcloud.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026nextcloud.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Enterprise price
    From €71.29 per user/year (100 users)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026nextcloud.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Client apps
    Free
    Checked Nov 8, 2026nextcloud.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Laserfiche logo

    4. Laserfiche

    Best for: Government, education and regulated organisations needing records management plus workflows

    PaidSelf-hostableWeb, Windows, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    42.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Mayan EDMS

    Commercial option with vendor support, records management and no-code workflows when self-running gets heavy.

    Pros

    • Published per-user pricing for its cloud plans
    • Records management with retention schedules and legal holds
    • No-code process designer and electronic forms included
    • Choice of cloud or self-hosted deployment

    Cons

    • Annual billing with a five-user minimum on the entry paid plan
    • Implementation and professional services cost extra
    • Records management is reserved for the higher tiers
    Visit Laserfiche Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.312
    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 Laserfiche a good Mayan EDMS alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Starting price
    $73 per user/month, billed annually
    Checked Nov 8, 2026laserfiche.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Minimum users
    5 (Professional plan)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026laserfiche.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes (Laserfiche 12)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026laserfiche.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Records management
    Business and Business+ plans
    Checked Nov 8, 2026laserfiche.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Founded
    1976
    Checked Nov 8, 2026laserfiche.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. M-Files logo

    5. M-Files

    Best for: Mid-sized and regulated firms that want governed document management tied into Microsoft 365

    PaidSelf-hostableWeb, Windows, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    42.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Mayan EDMS

    Commercial DMS with vendor support, Microsoft 365 co-authoring and built-in AI, for firms that outgrow self-managed tools.

    Pros

    • Metadata-based filing avoids duplicate copies across folders
    • Workflows, versioning and audit trails built in
    • Runs in the vendor cloud or self-hosted
    • Deep Microsoft 365 integration with co-authoring

    Cons

    • No free plan; entry tier is billed per seat
    • Enterprise plan pricing requires a sales quote
    • Metadata setup takes planning before it pays off
    Visit M-Files Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.312
    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 M-Files a good Mayan EDMS alternative?

    Verified facts

    6 of 6 verified
    Starting price
    $65 per seat/month (Essentials)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026m-files.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes, plus cloud
    Checked Nov 8, 2026m-files.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Built-in AI
    M-Files Aino
    Checked Nov 8, 2026m-files.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Microsoft 365
    Co-authoring in Word, Excel, PowerPoint
    Checked Nov 8, 2026m-files.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Headquarters
    Tampere, Finland
    Checked Nov 8, 2026m-files.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Enterprise plan
    Custom pricing
    Checked Nov 8, 2026m-files.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Mayan EDMS alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Docspell logo

Best Mayan EDMS alternative for most people

Docspell

Simpler self-hosted archive with automatic metadata and mailbox import.

Pa

Best Mayan EDMS alternative for a free option

Paperwork

Desktop-only option for one person who doesn't need a server.

Nextcloud logo

Best Mayan EDMS alternative for open source

Nextcloud

Self-hosted file platform with versioning, tags, retention rules and OCR apps, enough when you mostly need shared document storage.

Laserfiche logo

Best Mayan EDMS alternative for self-hosting

Laserfiche

Commercial option with vendor support, records management and no-code workflows when self-running gets heavy.

Nextcloud logo

Best Mayan EDMS alternative for Mac

Nextcloud

Self-hosted file platform with versioning, tags, retention rules and OCR apps, enough when you mostly need shared document storage.

M-Files logo

Best Mayan EDMS alternative for Windows

M-Files

Commercial DMS with vendor support, Microsoft 365 co-authoring and built-in AI, for firms that outgrow self-managed tools.

Pa

Best Mayan EDMS alternative for Linux

Paperwork

Desktop-only option for one person who doesn't need a server.

Nextcloud logo

Best Mayan EDMS alternative for iPhone and Android

Nextcloud

Self-hosted file platform with versioning, tags, retention rules and OCR apps, enough when you mostly need shared document storage.

Docspell logo

Best Mayan EDMS alternative for working in the browser

Docspell

Simpler self-hosted archive with automatic metadata and mailbox import.

Mayan EDMS alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Mayan EDMS?

Docspell ranks first right now. Simpler self-hosted archive with automatic metadata and mailbox import. Paperwork and Nextcloud follow it in our ranking.

Mayan EDMS vs Docspell: what's the difference?

Both Mayan EDMS and Docspell are free and open source. Only Docspell runs on Android.

Is Mayan EDMS free?

Mayan EDMS is free and open source.

How much do Mayan EDMS alternatives cost?

Verified prices for the top-ranked Mayan EDMS alternatives: Nextcloud, From €71.29 per user/year (100 users); Laserfiche, $73 per user/month, billed annually; M-Files, $65 per seat/month (Essentials). Each price was checked on the app's own site; see each card below for the date and source.

Is there a free alternative to Mayan EDMS?

Yes. Docspell (open source), Paperwork (open source) and Nextcloud (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Mayan EDMS?

Yes: Docspell, Paperwork and Nextcloud. Docspell and Nextcloud can also be self-hosted.

Which Mayan EDMS alternatives work on Linux?

Paperwork and Nextcloud run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Mayan EDMS?

The complaints we hear most: heavier to install and learn than home-focused tools; no hosted version; you run and maintain the server.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Mayan EDMS, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.