Open Satchel
by Open Satchel
What Open Satchel is
Open Satchel is document software for Linux, macOS, and Windows. It combines text editing, annotations, OCR, PDF conversion, and form creation. The Community Edition uses AGPL-3.0-only terms for personal, hobby, research, academic, and nonprofit use, plus company use that follows AGPL requirements. Verified schools and nonprofits can seek non-AGPL terms through an application-based plan costing $2,500 a year. Paid organization plans are sized by employee count: Small organization costs $7,500 a year for organizations under 100 employees, Mid-market costs $20,000 a year for 100–499 employees, and Large organization costs $50,000 a year for 500+ employees. Separate licensing covers PDF engine embedding, source modification, redistribution, and white-label products. Binary PDF engine SDK licensing costs $50,000 a year; Source PDF engine licensing costs $130,000 a year; OEM licensing costs $150,000 a year under a custom contract.
Who it suits
Open Satchel suits people and organizations needing document editing, OCR, PDF conversion, annotations, or forms across desktop operating systems. The Community Edition is aimed at uses compatible with its AGPL terms.
What it does well
- Runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows
- Includes OCR and PDF conversion
- Offers annotation and form tools
- Community Edition has no listed price
- Provides separate engine licensing options
What to know first
- AGPL-3.0-only Community Edition terms
- Paid organization plans start at $2,500 a year
- Enterprise pricing rises with organization size
- Some licensing requires application or custom contract
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Community Edition | AGPL-3.0-only · Personal, hobby, research, academic, nonprofit, and AGPL-compliant company use | On request |
| Nonprofit / education | For verified schools and nonprofits needing non-AGPL terms. · Non-AGPL terms · Application-based verification | $2,500 a year |
| Small organization | For organizations under 100 employees. · Under 100 employees | $7,500 a year |
| Mid-market | For organizations with 100–499 employees. · 100–499 employees | $20,000 a year |
| Large organization | For organizations with 500+ employees. · 500+ employees | $50,000 a year |
| Binary PDF engine SDK | From $50,000/year per module. · Engine embedding without source | $50,000 a year |
| Source PDF engine | From $130,000/year per module. · Private review and modification of the licensed engine · Customer-owned fork | $130,000 a year |
| OEM / redistribution / white-label | From $150,000/year; custom contract. · Customer-facing redistribution · White-label licensing | $150,000 a year |
The first 8 of 9 plans, as opensatchel.dev lists them, read 20 Sept 2026. The maker's own page has the final word. Every plan
Verdict
Open Satchel covers core document-production tasks on three desktop platforms and offers a no-price-listed Community Edition under AGPL terms. Organizations needing non-AGPL use, larger deployments, or engine licensing face separately priced plans.
Facts from Open Satchel's own pages
- Annotation tools
- Yes · opensatchel.dev, 20 Sept 2026
- Form creation
- Yes · opensatchel.dev, 20 Sept 2026
- Free plan
- Yes · opensatchel.dev, 20 Sept 2026
- Headquarters
- Kingston, Jamaica · opensatchel.dev, 28 Sept 2026
- OCR
- Yes · opensatchel.dev, 20 Sept 2026
- PDF conversion
- Yes · opensatchel.dev, 20 Sept 2026
- Supported platforms
- macOS,Windows,Linux · opensatchel.dev, 20 Sept 2026
- Text editing
- Yes · opensatchel.dev, 20 Sept 2026
Where Open Satchel stands on Freedom251
- PDF editors#33 of 102