Open-source alternatives
Free software you can run on your own server instead of paying per seat. 36 open-source tools, matched to 51 well-known paid products. Each is listed from its own code repository, with its licence.
Accounting
Analytics
Automation
Collaboration
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Instead of
Miro
Communication
CRM
Customer support
Design
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Instead of
Figma
DevOps
Documents
E-commerce
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Instead of
Shopify
File storage
Forms
HR & payroll
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Instead of
BambooHR
Office suite
Productivity
Project management
Social media
Website builders
Writing
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Instead of
Grammarly
Before you switch
- Free to use, not free to run. The licence costs nothing, but self-hosting needs a server (often $5 to $40 a month) and someone to install updates and keep backups.
- Open core means the main product is open source but some features, usually for larger teams, need a paid licence.
- Hosted versions exist for many of these, run by the makers. They cost money but save the upkeep, and you can still move to your own server later.
- Licences differ. MIT and Apache allow almost anything. GPL and AGPL require you to share changes you make to the code; for normal business use, that rarely matters.