🩺 Vitals
- Version: v2.20.1 (Released 2025-12-01)
- Velocity: Active (Last commit 2025-12-08)
- Community: 34.7k Stars · 2.2k Forks
- Backlog: 17 Open Issues
🏗️ Profile
- Official: paperless-ngx.com
- Source: github.com/paperless-ngx/paperless-ngx
- License: GPL-3.0
- Deployment: Docker
- Data Model: Postgres / SQLite
- Complexity: Moderate (3/5) - Docker stack with OCR
- Maintenance: Moderate (3/5) - Container updates, DB backups
- Enterprise Ready: High (4/5) - Multi-user, granular access, audit trails
1. The Executive Summary
What is it? Paperless-ngx is a powerful open-source document management system (DMS) that automates the processing of physical and digital documents. It scans your incoming files, performs OCR, and uses machine learning to classify, tag, and title them, creating a fully searchable, intelligent archive.
The Strategic Verdict:
- 🔴 For Cloud-Only Shops: Caution. Requires self-hosting; no SaaS option (currently).
- 🟢 For Data Sovereignty: Strong Buy. Transforms chaotic network drives into a secure, searchable system of record. Excellent for GDPR and internal compliance.
2. The "Hidden" Costs (TCO Analysis)
| Cost Component | Proprietary (DocuWare) | Paperless-ngx (Self-Hosted) |
|---|---|---|
| License Fee | $$$$ | $0 (GPLv3) |
| Manual Filing | High | Near Zero (AI Automation) |
| Data Privacy | Vendor Cloud | 100% Owned |
3. The "Day 2" Reality Check
🚀 Deployment & Operations
- Installation: Docker Compose is the recommended path, bundling web server, database (Postgres or SQLite), message queue (Redis), and OCR (Tesseract).
- Integrations: Monitors "consume" folders for scanner integration and can pull email attachments.
🛡️ Security & Governance
- Compliance: Full control over your documents ensures GDPR and other regulatory compliance.
- AI Extension: An optional "Paperless AI" extension (separate project) enables natural language querying of your document archive.
4. Alternatives & Ecosystem
- Alternative: Mayan EDMS is a more feature-rich, enterprise-grade DMS, but also more complex to deploy and manage.
- Alternative: DocuWare and other proprietary DMS solutions offer similar features at a significant cost and with vendor lock-in.