Layer 5 · self-hosting reality check
What it actually takes to self-host ONLYOFFICE
The docs say 2 GB. In practice you want 6 GB for the Document Server with a handful of concurrent editors. 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 ONLYOFFICE is one of the picks.
| RAM — documented minimum | 2 GB |
|---|---|
| RAM — what it really needs | 6 GB for the Document Server with a handful of concurrent editors |
| CPU | 2 vCPU, 4 with real concurrency |
| Disk | 40 GB including the document cache |
| Monthly cost | $25–40/mo on a VPS for a small team |
| Setup time | 2–3 hours for the Document Server |
| How you install it | docker compose, or the Nextcloud ONLYOFFICE connector app |
| Ongoing maintenance | Moderate. It is a Java service and it wants its memory. |
| Where it stops scaling | 20–30 concurrent editors on a well-sized box; horizontal scaling is an Enterprise feature. |
The thing that catches people out
ONLYOFFICE has the best OOXML fidelity of the open suites because it uses the Office formats natively rather than converting — but the Document Server is a heavyweight Java application, not a plugin. People install it expecting the Nextcloud connector to be the whole thing, then find a separate container that wants 4–6 GB on its own before anyone opens a file.
When not to self-host ONLYOFFICE
You have one or two users and no Nextcloud. The desktop editors are free and need none of this infrastructure.
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 LibreOffice2 GB with a large spreadsheet open
- 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 ONLYOFFICE actually need?
- 6 GB for the Document Server with a handful of concurrent editors in practice. The documented minimum is 2 GB, which is the figure at which the process starts rather than the figure at which it works under real use. 2 vCPU, 4 with real concurrency alongside it.
- What does self-hosting ONLYOFFICE cost per month?
- $25–40/mo on a VPS for a small team This is commodity VPS pricing and excludes your time, which is the larger cost for most people — budget for moderate. It is a Java service and it wants its memory.
- How long does it take to set up ONLYOFFICE?
- 2–3 hours for the Document Server, via docker compose, or the Nextcloud ONLYOFFICE connector app.
- When should I NOT self-host ONLYOFFICE?
- You have one or two users and no Nextcloud. The desktop editors are free and need none of this infrastructure.
- What is the most common mistake when self-hosting ONLYOFFICE?
- ONLYOFFICE has the best OOXML fidelity of the open suites because it uses the Office formats natively rather than converting — but the Document Server is a heavyweight Java application, not a plugin. People install it expecting the Nextcloud connector to be the whole thing, then find a separate container that wants 4–6 GB on its own before anyone opens a file.