Paperless Alternatives

Paperless is described as 'Digital documents manager. Remember when everyone talked about how we would soon be a paperless society? Now it seems like we use paper more than ever. Let's face it - we need and we use paper' and is an app in the office & productivity category. There are more than 25 alternatives to Paperless for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Web-based and Android apps. The best Paperless alternative is Trilium Notes, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Paperless are DEVONthink, Paperwork, Paperless-ngx and Idea Notebook.

Paperless iconPaperless
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Paperless is a digital documents manager. Remember when everyone talked about how we would soon be a paperless society? Now...

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Paperless alternatives page was last updated Mar 17, 2025
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Alternatives
  1. Trilium Notes icon

    Trilium Notes

     94 likes
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    Trilium Notes is a hierarchical note taking application.

    353 Trilium Notes alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Self-Hosted
    • Google Chrome
    • Cloudron
    • Mozilla Firefox
    Trilium Notes screenshot 1
    Discontinued

    Trilium transitions into maintenance mode and don't plan adding any new major functionality. You can take a look at this community fork: https://github.com/TriliumNext

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Distraction-free
    3.  Customizable

    Features

    1.  Tree of notes
    2.  Knowledge base
    3.  Note organization
    4.  Dark Mode
    5.  No Tracking
    6.  Encrypted Notes
    7.  Works Offline
    8.  End-to-End Encryption
    9.  Ad-free
    10.  Cloud Sync
    11.  REST API
    12.  Web Clipper

    Trilium Notes VS Paperless

     
    Comments about Trilium Notes as an Alternative to Paperless
    DarkestLove
    Negative •Mar 17, 2025
    0

    Not the same kind of program at all! One is a document manager while the other is a notes app...

    kuyachris
    Negative •Nov 30, 2022
    0

    Paperless is a digital documents manager while Trilium Notes is a note taking app. Different types of apps.

    Paperless Icon
    Trilium Notes icon

    • Trilium Notes is the most popular Windows, Mac, Linux & Self-Hosted alternative to Paperless.

    • Trilium Notes is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Paperless.

    • Trilium Notes is Free and Open SourcePaperless is Paid and Proprietary
    • Trilium Notes is Privacy focusedPaperless is not according to our users
  2. DEVONthink icon

    DEVONthink

     129 likes
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    DEVONthink is a solution to the digital age conundrum. It is your second brain, the one and only database for all your digital files, be they PDFs, emails, Word docs or even multimedia files.

    156 DEVONthink alternatives

    License model

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    DEVONthink screenshot 1

    Top DEVONthink Features

    1.  File Tagging
    2.  Indexed search
    3.  File Organizer
    4.  Built-in viewer
    5.  Reminders
    6.  Works Offline
    7.  Full-Text Search
    8.  Support for MarkDown
    9.  Split PDF files
    10.  Recurring Tasks
    11.  OCR
    12.  Support for scripting

    DEVONthink VS Paperless

     

    • DEVONthink is the most popular iPhone & iPad alternative to Paperless.

    • DEVONthink is the most popular commercial alternative to Paperless.

    • DEVONthink is Paid and ProprietaryPaperless is also Paid and Proprietary
  4. Paperwork icon

    Paperwork

     36 likes
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    Paperwork is a personal document manager for scanned documents (and PDFs).

    29 Paperwork alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • FR flagFrance
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    Paperwork screenshot 1

    Paperwork Features

    1.  Portable
    2.  OCR
    3.  Document structure management
    4.  Scanner
    5.  Scan to PDF
    6.  Gtk
    7.  Indexed search

    Paperwork VS Paperless

     
  5. Paperless-ngx icon

    Paperless-ngx

     18 likes
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    Paperless-ngx is a document management system that transforms your physical documents into a searchable online archive so you can keep, well, less paper. Paperless-ngx forked from paperless-ng.

    17 Paperless-ngx alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    Dashboard

    Top Paperless-ngx Features

    1.  OCR
    2. Docker icon  Support for Docker
    3.  Full-Text Search
    4.  DMS
    5.  Built-in viewer
    6.  File Tagging
    7.  Dark Mode
    8.  Ad-free
    9.  PDF compression
    10.  No Tracking
    11.  Comments and metadata saving
    12.  PDF OCR

    Paperless-ngx VS Paperless

     

    • Paperless-ngx is the most popular Web-based alternative to Paperless.

    • Paperless-ngx is Free and Open SourcePaperless is Paid and Proprietary
  6. Idea Notebook icon

    Idea Notebook

     7 likes
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    Never forget another brilliant idea. Log, organize and track your ideas and more with the Idea Notebook.

    288 Idea Notebook alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Android
    Idea Notebook screenshot 1
    Idea Notebook screenshot 2
    Idea Notebook screenshot 3

    Idea Notebook Features

    1.  Idea

    Idea Notebook VS Paperless

     

    • Idea Notebook is the most popular Android alternative to Paperless.

    • Idea Notebook is Free and ProprietaryPaperless is Paid and Proprietary
  7. fileee icon

    fileee

     4 likes
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    With fileee you can scan, organize and access your documents anywhere, anytime. fileee analyzes your documents, automatically recognizes important content and sorts your documents accordingly. Thanks to fileee, you always have your documents at hand and can find what you need in...

    61 fileee alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    fileee screenshot 1
    fileee screenshot 2
    fileee screenshot 3

    fileee Features

    1.  Mobile Scanner
    2.  Reminders
    3.  Full-Text Search
    4.  File Tagging
    5.  Export to PDF
    6.  Document Sharing
    7. Dropbox icon  Dropbox integration
    8. Google Drive icon  Google Drive integration

    fileee VS Paperless

     

    • fileee is the most popular Android Tablet alternative to Paperless.

    • fileee is Freemium and ProprietaryPaperless is Paid and Proprietary
  9. PDFKeeper icon

    PDFKeeper

     4 likes
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    PDFKeeper is free, open source document management software that integrates with a compatible, relational database to provide a centralized storage and management solution for PDF documents.

    18 PDFKeeper alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • .NET Framework
    PDFKeeper screenshot 1

    PDFKeeper Features

    1.  Full-Text Search
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  Indexed search
    4.  Integrated Search

    PDFKeeper VS Paperless

     
  10. Teedy icon

    Teedy

     1 like
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    Teedy is a lightweight document management system packed with all the features you can expect from big expensive solutions but still easy to use.

    14 Teedy alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • FR flagFrance
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Self-Hosted
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    Teedy screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  OCR
    2.  DMS
    3.  File Tagging
    4.  PDF annotation
    5.  Hierarchical Structure
    6.  Built-in viewer
    7.  Combine PDF
    8.  Real time collaboration
    9.  Full-Text Search
    10.  File Versioning
    11.  Works Offline
    12.  Portable

    Teedy VS Paperless

     

    • Teedy is the most popular SaaS alternative to Paperless.

    • Teedy is Free and Open SourcePaperless is Paid and Proprietary
    • Teedy is LightweightPaperless is not according to our users
  11. Somnote icon

    Somnote

     5 likes
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    Record and save important information, brilliant ideas, and moments of everyday life easily and securely with SomNote.

    234 Somnote alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Google Chrome
    Somnote screenshot 1
    Somnote screenshot 2
    Somnote screenshot 3

    Somnote Features

    1.  Cloud Sync

    Somnote VS Paperless

     
    Comments about Somnote as an Alternative to Paperless
    DarkestLove
    Negative •Mar 17, 2025
    0

    Document management vs note taking application... not similar

    Paperless Icon
    Somnote icon
    • Somnote is Freemium and ProprietaryPaperless is Paid and Proprietary
  12. Receipts Space icon

    Receipts Space

     14 likes
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    Smart document collection for macOS.

    181 Receipts Space alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    Receipts Space screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Works Offline
    2.  File Tagging
    3.  Mobile Scanner
    4.  No registration required
    5.  Support for multiple currencies
    6.  Multiple Account support
    7.  Real time collaboration
    8.  Reminders
    9.  Ad-free
    10.  Currency Conversion
    11.  Full-Text Search
    12.  Receipt management

    Receipts Space VS Paperless

     
    Comments about Receipts Space as an Alternative to Paperless
    DarkestLove
    Negative •Mar 17, 2025
    0

    Finance app/expense tracker vs Document Management.... closer than most that I've seen, though, unfortunately.

    Guest
    Positive •Jan 12, 2019
    0

    Seems to have the most similar feature set.

    Paperless Icon
    Receipts Space icon
    • Receipts Space is Freemium and ProprietaryPaperless is Paid and Proprietary
    • Receipts Space is Privacy focusedPaperless is not according to our users
  13. FileCenter icon

    FileCenter

     14 likes
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    FileCenter is easy-to-install, easy-to-use paperless office software which helps home and professional users scan, archive, organize, and find computer files. FileCenter is filled with time-saving features, giving you a complete solution within a single, simple interface.

    45 FileCenter alternatives

    License model

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Self-Hosted
    Manage & organize files from a single, unified interface

    Top FileCenter Features

    1.  Split PDF files
    2.  Combine PDF
    3.  Full-Text Search
    4.  Fill PDF Forms
    5.  OCR
    6.  DMS
    7.  Bates numbering
    8.  Scan to PDF
    9.  PDF OCR
    10.  File preview
    11.  Export to PDF
    12.  File Organizer

    FileCenter VS Paperless

     
    Comments about FileCenter as an Alternative to Paperless
    Guest
    Positive •Aug 22, 2015
    0

    It allows PDF files to be imported, folders on drives to be watched then for the files to be organised. As long as the PDFs are in the app you will find them. Built in scan support too.

    Paperless Icon
    FileCenter icon
    • FileCenter is Paid and ProprietaryPaperless is also Paid and Proprietary
  14. vim-pad icon

    vim-pad

     3 likes
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    a quick notetaking plugin. Contribute to fmoralesc/vim-pad development by creating an account on GitHub.

    242 vim-pad alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    vim-pad screenshot 1

    vim-pad Features

    1.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions

    vim-pad VS Paperless

     
    Comments about vim-pad as an Alternative to Paperless
    Guest
    Negative •Oct 29, 2024
    0

    Vim-pad is a note-taking tool, while Paperless is a scanning/document management/receipt management tool. Not intended for the same use at all.

    Paperless Icon
    vim-pad icon
    • vim-pad is Free and Open SourcePaperless is Paid and Proprietary
12 of 25 Paperless alternatives