Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Docspell VS Paperless-ngx

Compare Docspell VS Paperless-ngx and see what are their differences

Docspell logo Docspell

Assist in organizing your piles of documents, resulting from scanners, e-mails and other sources with miminal effort.

Paperless-ngx logo Paperless-ngx

paperless-ngx has 6 repositories available. Follow their code on GitHub.
  • Docspell Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-29
  • Paperless-ngx Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-25

Docspell features and specs

  • Open Source
    Docspell is an open-source solution, allowing users to inspect, modify, and contribute to its code, fostering transparency and community-driven development.
  • Self-Hosting
    Users have the option to self-host Docspell, giving them complete control over their data and privacy without relying on third-party servers.
  • Automated Document Management
    Docspell provides automated processes for sorting and categorizing documents, which can save users time and reduce manual effort.
  • Versatile Integration
    Docspell integrates with various systems and applications, allowing seamless inclusion in existing workflows and making it highly adaptable.
  • Community Support
    Being open-source and community-driven, users often receive support and can contribute to developments and enhancements.

Possible disadvantages of Docspell

  • Technical Setup
    Self-hosting Docspell may require significant technical knowledge, potentially challenging for users without a background in server management.
  • Limited Support
    As a community-driven project, professional support may not be as robust or immediately available as some commercial alternatives.
  • Resource Intensive
    Self-hosting might necessitate significant server resources, which could be a barrier for small organizations or individual users with limited hardware.
  • User Interface Complexity
    New users might find the interface complex or less intuitive compared to mainstream document management systems, requiring a learning curve.
  • No Built-in Cloud Option
    Docspell does not provide a built-in cloud hosting option, necessitating users to either self-host or find an alternative cloud hosting solution.

Paperless-ngx features and specs

  • Open Source
    Paperless-ngx is open source, allowing users to modify the software to fit their needs and contribute to its development.
  • Document Management
    It provides a robust system for managing, categorizing, and searching through scanned documents and PDFs.
  • OCR Support
    Features built-in Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to convert scanned images into searchable text.
  • Web Interface
    Offers an easy-to-use web interface for managing documents from any device with a browser.
  • Community Support
    Being popular in the open-source community, it benefits from active community support and frequent updates.

Possible disadvantages of Paperless-ngx

  • Self-Hosting Required
    Users need to have a server or compatible device to host the software, which can be a barrier for non-technical users.
  • Technical Setup
    Initial setup and configuration can be complex, requiring familiarity with Docker and server administration.
  • Limited Integrations
    Compared to some commercial solutions, it might have fewer integrations with other software applications.
  • Resource Intensive
    Depending on the volume of documents, the system can become resource-intensive, requiring sufficient hardware.
  • No Official Support
    Being community-driven open-source software, there is no official support channel which might be a concern for some users.

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Docspell and Paperless-ngx)
Note Taking
67 67%
33% 33
Project Management
58 58%
42% 42
Task Management
55 55%
45% 45
File Manager
81 81%
19% 19

User comments

Share your experience with using Docspell and Paperless-ngx. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Docspell seems to be a lot more popular than Paperless-ngx. While we know about 14 links to Docspell, we've tracked only 1 mention of Paperless-ngx. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Docspell mentions (14)

  • Organize : file management automation tool
    Check https://docspell.org it is pretty good, if u donโ€™t mind keeping your docs in a db. Source: over 2 years ago
  • paperless-ngx alternatives?
    Docspell had some votes in this comment from a few days ago. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Self hosted document management
    Https://docspell.org/ less popular than paperless ngx and with less polished UI but better features for my use cases (folders, audio transcription, email imports ). Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Please help installing docspell in Docker
    Now I want docspell have installed in docker on my DS918+ (DSM 7.1 and latest Docker). Source: about 3 years ago
  • Is anyone using Docspell (a paperless-ngx alternative) on Unraid?
    I am trying to get Docspell working on Unraid since I prefer it over paperless-ngx in terms of functions and usability. Source: about 3 years ago
View more

Paperless-ngx mentions (1)

  • Paperless ngx - Tag by filename
    I have no idea how to ask at GitHub.. or to write am mail to hello@paperless-ngx.com? Source: almost 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Docspell and Paperless-ngx, you can also consider the following products

Mayan EDMS - Document management without the headaches.

Paperless-NG - A supercharged version of paperless: scan, index and archive all your physical documents - jonaswinkler/paperless-ng

Papermerge DMS - Open source document management system designed for archiving and retrieving your digital documents. Instead of having piles of paper documents all over your desk, office or drawers - you can quickly scan and upload them to Papermerge DMS.

TagSpaces - TagSpaces is an open source platform for personal data management. With TagSpaces you can manage and organize the files on your laptop, tablet or smart phone.

Teedy - Teedy is a lightweight document management system packed with all the features you can expect from big expensive solutions but still easy to use.

OpenKM - OpenKM is an easy to use powerful version control system that enables businesses efficiently and systematically capture, store, secure, manage, maintain and distribute corporate information assets with the goal of facilitating knowledge creation, opโ€ฆ