OpenFilz

OpenFilz is a document management system for teams that want files, office editing, workflows, signatures and AI in one self-hosted platform. It is strongest for organizations that need deployment and model-choice control; its free edition is broad, but requires teams to run the software themselves.

Overview

OpenFilz organizes documents with virtual folders, metadata, version history, filters and full-text search. The result is a repository built for ongoing work, not just storage: teams can edit files, route approvals and handle signatures alongside their documents. AI assistance can answer questions from users’ files and find, summarize, file or rename documents.

Deployment options span on-premises, private or public cloud, and air-gapped environments, with Docker Compose and Kubernetes support. Local filesystem, Amazon S3 and MinIO storage are supported, as are OIDC-compatible identity providers and native Keycloak. This flexibility is valuable where infrastructure control matters, but Community is self-hosted, so the team must manage its own deployment.

Key features

Editing, AI and PDFs

OnlyOffice enables collaborative browser editing of Word, Excel and PowerPoint files. PDF tools merge, split, rotate and reorganize documents. These functions make OpenFilz a practical hub for common document tasks; teams that only need a basic file repository may find the wider toolset unnecessary.

The AI assistant works with local models or commercial model APIs. That choice lets organizations align model deployment with their own requirements, while file-aware question answering and document handling can reduce manual search and filing work.

Workflows and signatures

Workflows cover approval statuses, tasks, due dates and reminders. Enterprise adds notifications and comments, useful for teams that need more coordination around reviews. Electronic signatures support multi-signer envelopes, templates, one-time codes and PAdES seals, with no per-signature fee—a useful fit for recurring signing without a charge tied to each signature.

Integration and security

REST and GraphQL APIs, MCP, TUS uploads and webhooks provide several routes for connecting systems. Migration connectors cover SMB, SharePoint, OneDrive, Drive, Box, Dropbox and CMIS, while official SDKs include Java, Python, TypeScript and C#. Security capabilities include OIDC/JWT authentication, audit trails, WORM mode, customer keys, encrypted backups and antivirus scanning.

Pricing

Community costs nothing and is open source under AGPL-3.0. It is self-hosted and includes the core DMS, APIs, search, Office editing, e-signature, PDF tools, AI and workflows. That is an unusually complete starting point for teams able to operate their own system; it does not include Enterprise additions such as secure sharing, advanced RBAC, support and SLA, backup and disaster recovery, OCR, or scoped agent access.

Enterprise costs €12 a month, billed €12 /user/month. It adds secure sharing, migration connectors, trusted e-sign, OCR, support and SLA; records archive is an add-on. The per-user term matters as teams grow, and organizations needing the archive should account for its separate add-on status. A free 15-day trial is available.

Platforms

OpenFilz supports Android, iOS, Linux, Windows, web, API and self-hosted deployment. That breadth accommodates mobile and desktop access alongside infrastructure-level control.

Who it's for

OpenFilz suits organizations that want to manage documents, collaboration and approvals in one system while choosing where it runs and which AI models it uses. Its Community edition is particularly compelling for technically capable teams with self-hosting capacity. Teams seeking secure sharing, advanced administration, OCR or vendor support should consider Enterprise; those unwilling to run a self-hosted platform should look elsewhere.

Pros and cons

• Broad free feature set: Community includes editing, signatures, AI, workflows, APIs and PDF tools, not just document storage.
• Deployment and model flexibility: Air-gapped options and local AI models serve organizations that need tighter control over infrastructure.
• No per-signature fee: Multi-signer envelopes and related signing tools support repeated signing without a charge per signature.
• Self-hosting burden: The free edition requires teams to deploy and operate the system themselves.
• Enterprise costs scale by user: The €12 /user/month billing basis can matter as more people need access, and records archive costs extra.

Alternatives

LogicalDOC is worth considering for teams seeking an open-source, freemium document management option with basic access control, advanced search and SOAP and REST APIs. DocuWare is an alternative for organizations comparing paid cloud plans with defined user and storage tiers. Foxit DMS may fit teams already using Foxit PDF Editor and eSign subscriptions, since its DMS is included with those subscriptions.

Box is a broader cloud-oriented alternative with a free Individual tier, though its stated caps include 10 GB storage, 250 MB uploads, one file version and five signature requests per month. Hyland AP Automation is the more relevant option when the need is enterprise accounts-payable automation. M-Files is a paid alternative with a $65 a month Essentials plan billed monthly per seat. OpenText Documentum Content Management is an alternative for organizations looking for document management with retention, process automation and Microsoft 365 integration. Recordsforce Cloud is another paid, web-based option.

Verdict

OpenFilz is a strong choice for technically capable teams that want a feature-rich document system without giving up control of hosting or AI model selection. Community makes the core platform accessible without a software charge, while Enterprise adds meaningful sharing, governance and support capabilities at a per-user price. Choose another product if your priority is avoiding self-hosted operations or if you need a different deployment and service model.