Scan, index, and archive all of your paper documents with an improved interface (fork of Paperless).
- GPL-3.0
- Python
- Docker
- Actively maintained
Document Management comparison
Paperless-ngx vs Docspell: which should you self-host in 2026?
Pick Paperless-ngx if you want the most popular, easiest-to-run scanned document archive; pick Docspell if you want richer metadata, email import and a JVM-based stack.
Both are open source and run on your own server. Below: a side-by-side of license, stack and features, live GitHub activity, and our verdict on who should pick which.
Auto-tagging document organizer and archive.
- AGPL-3.0
- Elm
- Docker
- Actively maintained
Head-to-head
Paperless-ngx vs Docspell, side by side
Hand-checked differences first, then live numbers from GitHub, refreshed with every catalog update.
| Aspect |  Paperless-ngx |  Docspell |
|---|---|---|
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language/stack | Python (Django) backend with an Angular web UI | Scala backend services with an Elm web UI, runs on Java 17+ |
| Database | PostgreSQL (recommended), MariaDB or SQLite, plus a Redis-compatible broker | PostgreSQL, MariaDB or embedded H2; optional Apache Solr for full-text search |
| Standout features | OCR via OCRmyPDF, automatic matching of tags, correspondents and document types, consumption folder | Stanford CoreNLP suggestions for correspondents, tags and dates, IMAP email import, REST API |
| Mobile apps | No official app; responsive web UI and community-built mobile clients | Official Android app for uploading files; mobile-friendly web app |
| Learning curve | Low: one Compose file and a consume folder get you started | Moderate: separate REST server and job executor to configure |
| GitHub stars | 46,308 | 2,333 |
| Commits, last 12 months | 1,625 | 77 |
| Last commit | Oct 6, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
| Latest release | v3.3.0Oct 6, 2026 | v0.43.0Mar 15, 2025 |
| Main language | Python | Elm |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| Repository | paperless-ngx/paperless-ngx | eikek/docspell |
Swipe the table sideways to see both apps. GitHub figures come from the public API. Highlighted values are the higher of the two.
Verdict
Paperless-ngx is the default choice for a home or small-office paperless setup: it has the larger community, a polished web UI and a simple Docker Compose install. Docspell suits people who want more structured metadata (correspondents, custom fields, NLP-based suggestions) and strong email integration, and who do not mind running Java services.
Best for
Choose Paperless-ngx for
Households and small offices that want a polished, well-supported OCR archive.
Best for
Choose Docspell for
Power users who want NLP metadata suggestions and deep email import.
Deploy either in minutes
Not sure yet? Spin up a small VPS or a managed instance, try both for a week, and keep the one that fits.
- Hetzner Cloud (sponsored link, opens in a new tab)from €3.79/moBest price-to-performance VPS in Europe and the US. Ideal for Docker-based apps.
- DigitalOcean (sponsored link, opens in a new tab)from $4/moOne-click Docker droplets, a friendly dashboard and predictable pricing.
- Vultr (sponsored link, opens in a new tab)from $2.50/moHourly-billed cloud servers in 30+ regions with one-click Docker and app images.
- Contabo (sponsored link, opens in a new tab)from €4.50/moVery cheap VPS and storage boxes with generous RAM and disk, popular with home-labbers.
Sponsored links: we may earn a commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. It never affects rankings.
Is Paperless-ngx better than Docspell?
For most home users, yes: Paperless-ngx is simpler to install and has a much larger community. Docspell is the better fit if you need its NLP-based metadata suggestions or heavy email import.
Do Paperless-ngx and Docspell both do OCR?
Yes. Paperless-ngx runs OCR through OCRmyPDF and Tesseract, and Docspell runs OCR when a document has no text layer, then makes the text searchable.
Can I run either on a Raspberry Pi?
Paperless-ngx publishes ARM Docker images and is commonly run on a Pi. Docspell runs on the JVM, so it needs more memory, but its Docker images also work on capable ARM boards.
Which is more popular on GitHub, Paperless-ngx or Docspell?
Paperless-ngx has 46,308 GitHub stars against 2,333 for Docspell. Over the last twelve months Paperless-ngx received 1,625 commits and Docspell received 77, so Paperless-ngx is the more actively developed of the two right now. Stars measure interest, not fit, so weigh them against the differences above.