Layer 5 · self-hosting reality check
What it actually takes to self-host LibreOffice
The docs say 512 MB. In practice you want 2 GB with a large spreadsheet open. Here is the honest version — real requirements, real monthly cost, what you will be maintaining, and the one thing that catches people out.
Usually reached from Microsoft 365 alternatives, where LibreOffice is one of the picks.
| RAM — documented minimum | 512 MB |
|---|---|
| RAM — what it really needs | 2 GB with a large spreadsheet open |
| CPU | Any modern CPU |
| Disk | 1.5 GB installed |
| Monthly cost | $0 — it runs on the machine you already own |
| Setup time | 15 minutes |
| How you install it | Platform installer, or your distribution's package manager |
| Ongoing maintenance | Low. Update on the Still branch unless you need new features. |
| Where it stops scaling | Any single-user workload. There is no server component to scale. |
The thing that catches people out
Round-tripping a complex .docx or .xlsx through LibreOffice and back is where the trouble is, not opening it. Tracked changes, embedded charts and conditional formatting survive a read but can shift on save, and the person who receives it sees the damage rather than you. For documents that go back to Office users, export to PDF or keep the original format authority elsewhere.
When not to self-host LibreOffice
Your work is collaborative editing of Office files with people who use Microsoft 365. Fidelity is good, not perfect, and the failures are silent.
Every guide here carries this section. A site that only ever tells you to self-host is selling something — the useful answer is sometimes no.
Other Layer 5 self-hosting guides
- Self-hosting ONLYOFFICE6 GB for the Document Server with a handful of concurrent editors
- Self-hosting Collabora Online4 GB, and roughly 1 GB per 20 concurrent documents
- Self-hosting CryptPad2 GB for a small instance
- Self-hosting Mattermost4 GB for a team of 50 with PostgreSQL on the same box
- Self-hosting Rocket.Chat6 GB with MongoDB on the same machine
- Self-hosting Zulip4 GB for a small organisation
Common questions
- How much RAM does LibreOffice actually need?
- 2 GB with a large spreadsheet open in practice. The documented minimum is 512 MB, which is the figure at which the process starts rather than the figure at which it works under real use. Any modern CPU alongside it.
- What does self-hosting LibreOffice cost per month?
- $0 — it runs on the machine you already own This is commodity VPS pricing and excludes your time, which is the larger cost for most people — budget for low. Update on the Still branch unless you need new features.
- How long does it take to set up LibreOffice?
- 15 minutes, via Platform installer, or your distribution's package manager.
- When should I NOT self-host LibreOffice?
- Your work is collaborative editing of Office files with people who use Microsoft 365. Fidelity is good, not perfect, and the failures are silent.
- What is the most common mistake when self-hosting LibreOffice?
- Round-tripping a complex .docx or .xlsx through LibreOffice and back is where the trouble is, not opening it. Tracked changes, embedded charts and conditional formatting survive a read but can shift on save, and the person who receives it sees the damage rather than you. For documents that go back to Office users, export to PDF or keep the original format authority elsewhere.