ONLYOFFICE vs Collabora Online
Both are alternatives to Microsoft 365. Here's how they stack up — verified facts, no spin.
Also searched as Collabora Online vs ONLYOFFICE — same comparison, one verdict.
ONLYOFFICE and Collabora Online are closely matched on ownership (97 vs 95) — this one comes down to pricing and to which trade-offs below you can live with.
ONLYOFFICE
Open-source suite with the closest Microsoft-format fidelity and real-time co-editing.
ONLYOFFICE is an open-source office suite whose editors use Office Open XML (DOCX, XLSX, PPTX) as their native formats, which gives it some of the best fidelity with Microsoft files of any alternative here. It comes in two parts: the free ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, an offline app for Windows, macOS, and Linux; and ONLYOFFICE Docs (Document Server), a self-hostable engine that adds real-time co-authoring, comments, track changes, and version history in the browser. Both are AGPL-3.0 licensed. It is a strong fit for teams that want Microsoft-like documents plus self-hosted collaboration on infrastructure they control. The vendor also sells hosted cloud and enterprise editions.
Collabora Online
Self-hosted, browser-based collaborative editing built on the LibreOffice engine.
Collabora Online is a self-hostable, browser-based office suite from Collabora that brings real-time co-authoring to the LibreOffice engine, so multiple people can edit the same Writer, Calc, or Impress document at once through a web browser. The free Collabora Online Development Edition (CODE) is a rolling release aimed at home use, testing, and small teams, while the supported Collabora Online product targets organizations that need stability and vendor support. It is the natural way to add Google-Docs-style collaboration on your own server, and it is what powers Nextcloud Office (the richdocuments app) inside a Nextcloud instance. It is MPL-2.0 licensed.
Side by side
10 points of comparison, every one read from a verified field. Green marks the side that wins a row outright. A dash means we do not hold that fact — never that it is zero.
| ONLYOFFICE | Collabora Online | |
|---|---|---|
| Sovereignty ScoreOur transparent 0–100 composite for data ownership and exit cost. | 97 | 95 |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hostable | Yes | Yes |
| Local-first data | Yes | Yes |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Pricing | Free desktop apps and self-hosted Community server; paid cloud and enterprise editions available | Free self-hosted CODE edition; paid supported edition and hosting available |
| RAM to run it wellThe figure that actually matters, not the vendor's minimum. | 6 GB for the Document Server with a handful of concurrent editors | 4 GB, and roughly 1 GB per 20 concurrent documents |
| Realistic running costWhat the box costs each month if you run it yourself. | $25–40/mo on a VPS for a small team | $20–35/mo on a VPS alongside Nextcloud |
| Setup timeHonest first-install estimate, not the marketing quickstart. | 2–3 hours for the Document Server | 2 hours, most of it on the reverse proxy |
| Ongoing maintenanceThe part nobody budgets for. | Moderate. It is a Java service and it wants its memory. | Moderate. The proxy configuration is the fragile part. |
ONLYOFFICE edges it on the Sovereignty Score, but the right pick depends on the trade-offs below.
Weighing both against staying on Microsoft 365? Is Microsoft 365 free? What it actually costs →
ONLYOFFICE
Strengths
- +AGPL-3.0 licensed and genuinely open, for both the desktop editors and the Docs server
- +Uses DOCX/XLSX/PPTX as native formats, giving very high fidelity with Microsoft files
- +Self-hostable Docs server adds real-time co-authoring, comments, and track changes on your own infrastructure
- +Free offline desktop apps for Windows, macOS, and Linux for users who do not need collaboration
- +Actively developed with a regular release cadence and integrations for Nextcloud, ownCloud, and others
Trade-offs
- −Real-time collaboration requires running and maintaining the Docs server, which needs a capable server
- −The free self-hosted Community edition is intended for smaller deployments; heavier or enterprise use points to the paid editions
- −Some advanced features and official support sit behind the paid cloud/enterprise tiers
- −As a newer suite, it has a smaller extension ecosystem than the most established desktop suites
Collabora Online
Strengths
- +Fully open-source under MPL-2.0, an OSI-approved license
- +Real-time, in-browser co-authoring of documents, spreadsheets, and presentations on a server you control
- +Built on the mature LibreOffice engine, so format handling matches LibreOffice closely
- +Powers Nextcloud Office, giving an easy path for people already running Nextcloud
- +Supports ODF and Microsoft formats, keeping documents portable
Trade-offs
- −Requires running a server; setup and maintenance are more involved than a desktop install
- −The free CODE edition is a rolling release the vendor does not recommend for production; production use points to the paid supported edition
- −Best used alongside a file backend such as Nextcloud, rather than as a standalone suite
- −Browser-based editing depends on the server being available, so it is less 'offline-first' than a desktop app
Which one fits you
The trade-offs above, turned into a decision. Find the line that describes your team.
Choose ONLYOFFICE
if a lower exit cost matters more to you than any single feature, and aGPL-3.0 licensed and genuinely open, for both the desktop editors and the Docs server.
Choose Collabora Online
if fully open-source under MPL-2.0, an OSI-approved license.
Neither, yet
if both carry a real cost you should weigh first — real-time collaboration requires running and maintaining the Docs server, which needs a capable server, and requires running a server; setup and maintenance are more involved than a desktop install. If either of those is a dealbreaker for your team, the shortlist is wrong rather than the choice.
What it takes to run these yourself
Real requirements and honest running costs, not the vendor quickstart.
Self-hosting ONLYOFFICE
6 GB for the Document Server with a handful of concurrent editors RAM · 2–3 hours for the Document Server
$25–40/mo on a VPS for a small team
Self-hosting Collabora Online
4 GB, and roughly 1 GB per 20 concurrent documents RAM · 2 hours, most of it on the reverse proxy
$20–35/mo on a VPS alongside Nextcloud
ONLYOFFICE vs Collabora Online — common questions
Is ONLYOFFICE a better fit than Collabora Online for office & productivity suites?
It depends on what you are optimising for, and the honest split is this: ONLYOFFICE scores 97 to Collabora Online's 95 on data ownership and exit cost, so it is the safer choice if you care about being able to leave. Collabora Online earns its place on a different axis — fully open-source under MPL-2.0, an OSI-approved license. Neither is a wrong answer for every team; the table above is the actual comparison.
What happens if we want to switch later?
ONLYOFFICE keeps its data local or in open formats, so leaving is an export rather than a negotiation. Collabora Online is still self-hostable, so the files stay on your server either way — but it is not local-first by design, so check what its export produces before you rely on it.
Can I self-host ONLYOFFICE or Collabora Online?
Both can be self-hosted. The difference is what it costs you in time rather than whether it is possible — see the setup and maintenance rows above.
Are ONLYOFFICE and Collabora Online both alternatives to Microsoft 365?
Yes — both appear in our Microsoft 365 comparison, which is why they are worth putting side by side. People usually arrive here already having decided to move off Microsoft 365 and now choosing between the two replacements, which is a narrower and much easier question.
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Facts verified 2026-07-06. Licenses and pricing change — spotted something out of date? That's a correction we want.