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Free Mayan EDMS alternatives: 3 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

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

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
  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)