Free picks · Web · Open source
Best free open-source online file management tools (2026)
Every pick is listed under File Management in our directory, runs in a web browser and is free to use and tagged open source. We rank them by our rating and popularity, then favour tools made mainly for file management and apps built for the browser.
Short answer
The best free open-source online file management tools are Squoosh, Paperless-ngx and BentoPDF, the top three of 25 matches in our directory. All 10 are tagged open source in our directory. 8 of the 10 picks are completely free and the other 2 have a free plan.
Updated
Built with love by Shushant Lakhyani. Building bestproductivityresources.com
At a glance
Counted from the top 10 picks, except the total.
- Matching tools
- 25
- Completely free
- 8
- Open source
- 10
- Browser-only
- 3
- Also have apps
- 7
Comparison table
“Free plan” means a free tier with paid upgrades. A dash in Licence means our directory does not list the tool as open source.
| # | Name | Pricing | Platforms | Licence | Why pick it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Squoosh | Free | Web, Offline | Open source | Compress and resize images in your browser without losing visible quality. |
| 2 | Paperless-ngx | Free | Web, Linux | Open source | A self-hosted document manager that scans, reads and files your paperwork. |
| 3 | BentoPDF | Free | Web | Open source | A privacy-first PDF toolkit that works entirely in your browser. |
| 4 | Immich | Free | Web, iOS, Android | Open source | A fast, self-hosted home for all your photos and videos. |
| 5 | Stirling PDF | Free plan | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux | Open source | An open-source PDF toolkit with 60+ tools you can host yourself. |
| 6 | SVGOMG | Free | Web, Offline | Open source | A free web app for shrinking SVG files with live previews. |
| 7 | Ente | Free plan | Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux | Open source | Encrypted photo storage, a 2FA app and a private locker in one project. |
| 8 | Nextcloud | Free | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS | Open source | Open-source, self-hosted file sync and sharing: your own Dropbox. |
| 9 | VERT | Free | Web | Open source | A free file converter that does most of its work in your browser. |
| 10 | OmniTools | Free | Web | Open source | Everyday image, PDF, text and video tools in one private web app. |
Why each pick made the list
Every reason is taken from the tool's own listing: its categories, platforms, features, rating and pricing.
Our top web pick, rated 4.7/5. Use it in the browser, or on Offline. Its listing says it is privacy-focused (10 of 10 here) and is easy to pick up (5 of 10 here). On the wider free web list, open source or not, it is number 4.
Watch out for: One image at a time
Number 2 of 10 for web, rated 4.7/5. Use it in the browser, or on Linux. Its listing says it is privacy-focused (10 of 10 here). On the wider free web list, open source or not, it is number 5.
Watch out for: Needs Docker or a server to set up
Number 3 of 10 for web, rated 4.7/5. It runs in the browser only, so there is nothing to install. Its listing says it is privacy-focused (10 of 10 here) and is easy to pick up (5 of 10 here). On the wider free web list, open source or not, it is number 7.
Watch out for: Very large files depend on your device's memory
Number 4 of 10 for web, rated 4.8/5, the highest here. Use it in the browser, or on iOS and Android. Its listing says it syncs through the cloud (3 of 10 here), is privacy-focused (10 of 10 here) and has AI features (the only one here). On the wider free web list, open source or not, it is number 8.
Watch out for: Needs your own server and storage
Number 5 of 10 for web, rated 4.6/5. Use it in the browser, or on Windows, macOS and Linux. Its listing says it is privacy-focused (10 of 10 here). On the wider free web list it ranks 12th, outside the top 10.
Watch out for: Self-hosting takes some setup
Number 6 of 10 for web, rated 4.7/5. Use it in the browser, or on Offline. Its listing says it is privacy-focused (10 of 10 here). On the wider free web list it ranks 13th, outside the top 10.
Watch out for: Aggressive settings can break some SVGs
Number 7 of 10 for web, rated 4.7/5. Use it in the browser, or on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and 1 more platform. Its listing says it syncs through the cloud (3 of 10 here), is privacy-focused (10 of 10 here) and is easy to pick up (5 of 10 here). On the wider free web list it ranks 16th, outside the top 10.
Watch out for: Ente Photos is a paid service after the free storage
Number 8 of 10 for web, rated 4.4/5. Use it in the browser, or on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and 1 more platform. Its listing says it syncs through the cloud (3 of 10 here) and is privacy-focused (10 of 10 here). On the wider free web list it ranks 17th, outside the top 10.
Watch out for: Running your own server takes time and skill
Number 9 of 10 for web, rated 4.6/5. It runs in the browser only, so there is nothing to install. Its listing says it is privacy-focused (10 of 10 here) and is easy to pick up (5 of 10 here). On the wider free web list it ranks 19th, outside the top 10.
Watch out for: Video conversion uses a server
Number 10 of 10 for web, rated 4.6/5. It runs in the browser only, so there is nothing to install. Its listing says it is privacy-focused (10 of 10 here) and is easy to pick up (5 of 10 here). On the wider free web list it ranks 20th, outside the top 10.
Watch out for: Individual tools are fairly basic
Running these on Web
Counted from each pick's listing type and platforms.
- By listing type, the 10 web picks are 10 web apps (Squoosh, Paperless-ngx, BentoPDF, Immich and 6 others).
- Browser only, nothing to install: BentoPDF, VERT and OmniTools.
- 7 picks also have an app listed for another platform, and 3 of 10 have a phone app (iPhone or Android).
How this list compares
The same search on other platforms, and the other price filter. Only the differences are named.
- Free online file management tools
Fine with closed source? The wider free web list ranks 50 tools that run in a web browser, open source or not, led by Google Drive, TinyPNG and PDF24 Tools.
More matches
15 more free open-source online file management tools in our directory, in ranked order.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best free open-source online file management tool?
- Squoosh is our first pick. Compress and resize images in your browser without losing visible quality. Yes. Squoosh is free to use.
- Are these file management tools really free?
- Yes, every pick is free to start. Squoosh, Paperless-ngx, BentoPDF, Immich and 4 others are completely free. Stirling PDF and Ente have free plans with paid upgrades.
- Do these open-source file management tools work on other platforms too?
- 7 picks of 10 also run elsewhere, including Squoosh (Offline), Paperless-ngx (Linux) and Immich (iOS and Android).
- Which are easiest for beginners?
- Squoosh, BentoPDF and Ente are rated beginner-friendly, along with 2 other picks. 5 picks take more time to learn.
- How many free open-source online file management tools are in the directory?
- 25 match: listed under File Management, available in a web browser and free to start, and tagged open source. This page ranks the top 10 and names up to 20 more under More matches. The File Management category page has every listing, paid ones included.
Keep exploring
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