# Collabora Online: Free Open Source Alternative to Microsoft 365, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office

Canonical: https://caniforkit.com/fork/collabora-online
Last updated: 2026-11-07

Collabora Online (Open Source, Open Source) replaces Microsoft 365, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Word. Powerful online document editor with Microsoft Office compatibility. Integrate into your infrastructure or use trusted hosting partners for secure team collaboration.

## Tool Specifications
- **Tool Name**: Collabora Online
- **Type**: Open Source Project
- **License**: Open Source
- **Official Website**: https://www.collaboraonline.com
- **GitHub Repository**: https://github.com/collaboraonline/online
- **GitHub Stars**: ★ 3.4k
- **Runs On**: Self-host
- **Maintenance Status**: nov 2026
- **Platforms**: web, self-hosted, docker to self-host
- **Data Storage**: All application data and configuration live on your own server or local database.
- **Installation**: Clone https://github.com/collaboraonline/online or deploy with Docker Compose
- **Setup Requirements**: Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
- **The Catch / Limitation**: Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed Microsoft 365.

## Paid SaaS Applications Replaced (5)
Replacing these paid tools with Collabora Online saves up to $55/mo ($660/yr) in software subscriptions:

| Replaced Software | Category | SaaS Price | Comparison Guide |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Microsoft 365](https://caniforkit.com/microsoft-365) | [notes & knowledge](https://caniforkit.com/category/notes-knowledge) | $10/mo | [Compare Microsoft 365 vs Collabora Online](https://caniforkit.com/vs/microsoft-365-vs-collabora-online) |
| [Microsoft Excel](https://caniforkit.com/excel) | [forms](https://caniforkit.com/category/forms) | $15/mo | [Compare Microsoft Excel vs Collabora Online](https://caniforkit.com/vs/excel-vs-collabora-online) |
| [Microsoft Office](https://caniforkit.com/microsoft-office) | [notes & knowledge](https://caniforkit.com/category/notes-knowledge) | $10/mo | [Compare Microsoft Office vs Collabora Online](https://caniforkit.com/vs/microsoft-office-vs-collabora-online) |
| [Microsoft Word](https://caniforkit.com/microsoft-word) | [notes & knowledge](https://caniforkit.com/category/notes-knowledge) | $10/mo | [Compare Microsoft Word vs Collabora Online](https://caniforkit.com/vs/microsoft-word-vs-collabora-online) |
| [Office Online](https://caniforkit.com/office-online) | [notes & knowledge](https://caniforkit.com/category/notes-knowledge) | $10/mo | [Compare Office Online vs Collabora Online](https://caniforkit.com/vs/office-online-vs-collabora-online) |

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is Collabora Online free and open source?
Collabora Online is an open source tool licensed under Open Source that runs on self-host. Powerful online document editor with Microsoft Office compatibility. Integrate into your infrastructure or use trusted hosting partners for secure team collaboration.

### What is the trade-off or limitation of using Collabora Online?
Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed Microsoft 365.

## Related

- [Self-Hosted Open Source Directory](https://caniforkit.com/self-hosted)
- [All Paid SaaS Alternatives Index](https://caniforkit.com/alternatives)
- [Software Categories Directory](https://caniforkit.com/categories)
- [Homepage](https://caniforkit.com)