Etherpad
Etherpad: A modern really-real-time collaborative document editor.
18.6k GitHub stars · Apache-2.0 · last code push Oct 29, 2026 · GitHub · Website
Open-source and self-hosted alternatives to Google Docs
Documents, spreadsheets and real-time editing. ONLYOFFICE and CryptPad work in the browser; LibreOffice is the classic desktop suite.
Category: Office documents · GitHub data as of Oct 29, 2026 · FAQ · Cost & self-hosting
Google Docs price change: Business Basic $6.00 → $7.00 and Business Standard $12.50 → $14.00 per user per month. Microsoft 365 E3 $36 → $39, E5 $57 → $60, F1 $2.25 → $3.00, F3 $8 → $10. Business Premium stays $22. (effective Jul 1, 2026, details and sources)
| Project | What it is | License | GitHub stars | Last release | Runs as | Hosted plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Etherpad Active Apache-2.0 | Etherpad: A modern really-real-time collaborative document editor. | Apache-2.0 | 18.6k | Oct 28, 2026 | Self-hosted web app | Not confirmed |
| CryptPad Active AGPL-3.0 | Collaborative office suite, end-to-end encrypted and open-source. | AGPL-3.0 | 8.0k | Oct 21, 2026 | Self-hosted web app | Yes, from the project |
| ONLYOFFICE Docs Active AGPL-3.0 | An online office suite for text documents, spreadsheets, presentations and PDFs, compatible with Microsoft Office files. | AGPL-3.0 | 7.1k | Oct 22, 2026 | Self-hosted web app | Yes, from the project |
| LibreOffice Active GPL-3.0 | LibreOffice, the free desktop office suite (Writer, Calc, Impress and more). This GitHub repo is a read-only mirror; development happens on Gerrit. | GPL-3.0 | 4.6k | Oct 27, 2026 | Desktop app | Not confirmed |
Are they still maintained?
4 of 4 Google Docs alternatives here had a code push or release in the last 180 days (checked Oct 29, 2026).
- Etherpad: active, last activity Oct 29, 2026 (0 days ago)
- CryptPad: active, last activity Oct 28, 2026 (1 days ago)
- ONLYOFFICE Docs: active, last activity Oct 26, 2026 (3 days ago)
- LibreOffice: active, last activity Oct 29, 2026 (0 days ago)
See every project in the "Is it still maintained?" tracker →
What switching from Google Docs costs
Google Docs: current plans and prices are on Google Docs's pricing page. Its most recent price change we track took effect on Jul 1, 2026 (see the price tracker).
| Alternative | How you run it | Software cost | What you pay for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Etherpad | Your server | $0 (Apache-2.0) | A server you rent or own, plus your time for updates and backups. |
| CryptPad | Your server, or the project's hosted plan | $0 (AGPL-3.0) | A server you rent (or own), or the project's paid hosted plan. |
| ONLYOFFICE Docs | Your server, or the project's hosted plan | $0 (AGPL-3.0) | A server you rent (or own), or the project's paid hosted plan. |
| LibreOffice | Desktop app | $0 (GPL-3.0) | Nothing to host. Install it on your own device. |
Self-hosting basics: Etherpad, CryptPad and ONLYOFFICE Docs need a server, which can be a small cloud server or a spare machine at home. For a sense of scale, DigitalOcean's price list shows a 1 GiB server at $6/month and 2 GiB at $12/month (checked Oct 29, 2026). Check each project's documented requirements before choosing a size, and budget time for updates and backups.
Don't want to run a server? CryptPad and ONLYOFFICE Docs offer a hosted plan run by the project itself. Prices change, so check each project's site.
Nothing to host: LibreOffice runs on your own computer.
The options in more detail
CryptPad
Collaborative office suite, end-to-end encrypted and open-source.
8.0k GitHub stars · AGPL-3.0 · last code push Oct 28, 2026 · GitHub · Website
ONLYOFFICE Docs
An online office suite for text documents, spreadsheets, presentations and PDFs, compatible with Microsoft Office files.
7.1k GitHub stars · AGPL-3.0 · last code push Oct 26, 2026 · GitHub · Website
LibreOffice
LibreOffice, the free desktop office suite (Writer, Calc, Impress and more). This GitHub repo is a read-only mirror; development happens on Gerrit.
4.6k GitHub stars · GPL-3.0 · last code push Oct 29, 2026 · GitHub · Website
Google Docs alternatives: common questions
What is the best open-source alternative to Google Docs?
It depends on how you use Google Docs. Of the 4 options here, Etherpad is the most followed on GitHub (18.6k stars) and is actively maintained, with its latest release on Oct 28, 2026. If you want an app on your own computer, look at LibreOffice. If you need something your whole team can log into, look at Etherpad, CryptPad and ONLYOFFICE Docs.
Is there a self-hosted Google Docs alternative?
Yes. Etherpad, CryptPad and ONLYOFFICE Docs run on a server you control, so your data stays with you. If you'd rather not run a server, CryptPad and ONLYOFFICE Docs also offer a hosted plan from the people who make them.
Is there a free alternative to Google Docs?
Yes. Every project on this page can be downloaded and used at no cost from its public repository. LibreOffice installs on your own device, so it costs nothing to run. Server apps are free software, but you pay for the server they run on.
Are these Google Docs alternatives still maintained?
As of Oct 29, 2026, 4 of 4 had a code push or release in the last 180 days. None are flagged as inactive or archived. We re-check every project weekly.
How much does it cost to switch from Google Docs?
The software itself is free. Desktop and device apps (LibreOffice) cost nothing to run. For server apps, the main cost is hosting: as a reference point, DigitalOcean lists a 1 GiB server at $6/month and a 2 GiB server at $12/month (checked Oct 29, 2026). Check each project's documented requirements before choosing a size. The hidden cost is time: moving your data and, for self-hosted apps, keeping up with updates and backups.
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