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GPL-3.0

22 self-hostable open-source tools licensed under GPL-3.0 · across 19 categories

Strong copyleft: any redistributed modification must ship as GPL-3.0. Adds an explicit patent grant and the anti-tivoization clause over GPL-2.0. Network use without redistribution does not trigger source disclosure (unlike AGPL-3.0).

One-line plain-English summary above — not legal advice. Confirm with the project's LICENSE file before commercial use.

Async video messaging

  • Screenity alive ★ 18.2k replaces Loom
    Browser extension only — no server · $0 (host the resulting MP4s anywhere — S3, R2, your own NGINX).

Audiobook subscription / playback

  • Audiobookshelf alive ★ 12.7k replaces Audible
    10min docker run · $5 VPS or run on a NAS; storage scales with library (audiobooks are 200-500MB each).
  • Booksonic-air dead ★ 225 replaces Audible
    20min docker-compose (Java app) · $5 VPS or home server.

Bookmark manager / collection-organized

  • Buku alive ★ 7.13k replaces Raindrop.io
    2min `pip install buku` or distro package · $0 — runs locally as a CLI; sync via Syncthing or git on the SQLite file.

Community / forum hosting

Creator email marketing

  • Mautic alive ★ 9.65k replaces ConvertKit (Kit) +2
    30min docker-compose (PHP + MariaDB + Cron) · $10/mo VPS; SMTP relay separately.

CRM + marketing automation

  • EspoCRM alive ★ 2.96k replaces HubSpot +2
    15min (PHP + MySQL) · $5 VPS for a small team — very efficient PHP app.

Ecommerce platform

  • WooCommerce alive ★ 10.3k replaces Shopify
    20min (WordPress install + plugin) · $5-10 VPS for low-volume stores; LiteSpeed or NGINX + PHP-FPM is fine to mid-traffic.

External uptime / availability monitoring

Large file transfer / one-off send

  • OnionShare alive ★ 6.96k replaces WeTransfer
    5min installer (desktop app) · $0 — runs on your laptop or desktop; no VPS needed.

Music streaming

  • Navidrome alive ★ 21.1k replaces Spotify
    10min single-binary or docker run · $5 VPS; storage scales with library (FLAC needs ~600MB/album, MP3 ~80MB).

Online course platform

  • Chamilo alive ★ 949 replaces Teachable
    20min docker-compose (PHP + MariaDB) · $5-10/mo VPS.
  • Moodle alive ★ 7.08k replaces Teachable
    30min docker-compose (PHP + MariaDB/PostgreSQL + Redis) · $10/mo VPS for a small course; storage scales with video uploads.

Online surveys

  • OhMyForm dead · archived ★ 2.89k replaces SurveyMonkey +1
    15min docker-compose (Node + MongoDB) · $5-10/mo VPS.

Project + task management

  • OpenProject alive ★ 15.1k replaces Asana +2
    20min docker-compose · $10 VPS for a 25-person team.

RSS feed reader

  • Tiny Tiny RSS unknown ★ — replaces Feedly
    20min docker-compose (PHP + Postgres + nginx) · $5-10 VPS; Postgres footprint matters above ~500 feeds.

Scheduling / booking links

Search-as-a-service

  • Typesense alive ★ 25.8k replaces Algolia +1
    10min docker-compose · $5-10 VPS — RAM-bound, plan ~1GB per million records.

Small business accounting

  • Akaunting alive ★ 9.80k replaces QuickBooks
    20min docker-compose (Laravel + MySQL/MariaDB) · $5-10/mo VPS; paid apps add ~$20-50 each (one-time) for advanced features.
  • ERPNext alive ★ 33.8k replaces QuickBooks
    1h docker-compose (Frappe + MariaDB + Redis + workers) · $15-30/mo VPS — Frappe stack is heavy.

Time tracking

  • TimeTagger alive ★ 1.72k replaces Toggl Track
    10min single-binary or docker run · $3/mo VPS — SQLite-backed and tiny.

Web analytics

  • Matomo alive ★ 21.5k replaces Google Analytics
    30min (PHP + MySQL stack) · $10 VPS for moderate-traffic sites; MySQL is the tightest constraint.