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6 self-hosted options

Open-source alternatives to Dropbox Paper

The best open-source alternatives to Dropbox Paper are HedgeDoc, Etherpad and CryptPad.

About Dropbox Paper: A lightweight collaborative document editor from Dropbox.

Every option below is free to self-host and ranked by GitHub stars, so you can move off Dropbox Paper without giving up the features you rely on.

Top picks

  1. Rank 1:

    HedgeDoc

    hedgedoc/hedgedoc

    Realtime collaborative markdown notes on all platforms, formerly known as CodiMD and HackMD CE.

    Note-taking & EditorsTypeScriptDocker
  2. Rank 2:

    Etherpad

    ether/etherpad

    Highly customizable online editor providing collaborative editing in real-time.

    Office SuitesTypeScriptDocker
  3. Rank 3:

    CryptPad

    cryptpad/cryptpad

    Collaboration suite built to enable collaboration, synchronizing changes to documents in real time.

    Office SuitesJavaScriptDocker

Why switch

Why teams move off Dropbox Paper

Self-hosting is not only about saving money. These are the reasons people make the switch.

  • Own your data

    Your data lives on a server you control, not on Dropbox Paper's infrastructure. No surprise policy changes and no lock-in.

  • No per-seat pricing

    Open-source alternatives to Dropbox Paper are free to run for as many users as your server can handle. A small VPS often costs less than a single subscription.

  • Customize and extend

    Read the code, add plugins, connect it to your own tools and automate it through open APIs. When you need a feature, you can build it or fund it.

Full ranking

All 6 Dropbox Paper alternatives

Ranked by GitHub stars. Open any app for live stats, license details and a deploy option.

  1. 1

    HedgeDoc

    Realtime collaborative markdown notes on all platforms, formerly known as CodiMD and HackMD CE.

  2. 2

    Etherpad

    Highly customizable online editor providing collaborative editing in real-time.

  3. 3

    CryptPad

    Collaboration suite built to enable collaboration, synchronizing changes to documents in real time.

  4. 4

    Outline

    Extensible wiki for your team.

  5. 5

    Docs

    Collaborative note taking, wiki and documentation platform that scales.

  6. 6

    AFFiNE

    Privacy-first workspace that combines docs, whiteboards and databases, an open-source Notion alternative.

FAQ

Dropbox Paper alternatives: FAQ

Still curious? Email info@appsgit.com.

What is the best open-source alternative to Dropbox Paper?

HedgeDoc is the most popular open-source alternative to Dropbox Paper, with 7,461 GitHub stars. Etherpad and CryptPad are also strong choices. Compare features, license and recent activity to find the best fit for your team.

Is there a free alternative to Dropbox Paper?

Yes. All 6 apps on this page are open source and free to self-host, so you can run a Dropbox Paper replacement without per-user fees. You only pay for the server, and a small VPS is usually enough for personal use or a small team.

Can I self-host an alternative to Dropbox Paper?

Yes. HedgeDoc, Etherpad and CryptPad ship a Docker image, so you can run them on a home server or VPS with Docker Compose in a few minutes. Your data then stays on hardware you control.

How do I migrate from Dropbox Paper?

Start by exporting your data from Dropbox Paper, then check the import options of the app you pick, since many projects ship importers for popular formats. Run both side by side for a week before you switch so nothing is lost.