Awesome open-source alternatives to SaaS
Awesome list of open-source startup alternatives to established SaaS products. Maintained by folks at
Also checkout our ROSS index: fastest-growing open-source startups, every quarter.
Criteria
Open-source company is added to the list if:
- Its product is strongly based on an open-source repo
- It has a well-known closed-source competitor, solving a similar business problem
- It is a private for-profit company, founded in the last 10 years
- Its repo has 100+ stars on GitHub
Things change really fast in the startup world, so this list can neither be fully complete, nor 100% up to date.
Don't hesitate to contribute and add new startups. Let's build the most comprehensive list together.
Any questions or suggestions? Feel free to DM project maintainer @garrrikkotua
Startup List
All startups in the list are sorted by categories and sorted in alphabetical order. If you click on the stars badge you will get to the product's repo. Have a good search!
| Category | Company | Description | GitHub Stars | Alternative to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| API Gateway | Apache APISIX | Cloud Native API Gateway under the Apache Software Foundation |  |
apigee |
| API Platform | Fusio | API management platform |  |
Postman |
| API Platform | Hoppscotch | API development ecosystem |  |
Postman |
| Auth & SSO | BoxyHQ | Enterprise Readiness made simple |  |
Auth0 |
| Auth & SSO | Cerbos | Granular access control |  |
Okta, Auth0 |
| Auth & SSO | FusionAuth | User authentication and session management framework |  |
Okta, Auth0 |
| Auth & SSO | Hanko | Passkey-first authentication framework |  |
Okta, Auth0 |
| Auth & SSO | Keycloak | User authentication and session management framework |  |
Okta, Auth0 |
| Auth & SSO | OPAL (Permit.io) | Authorization administration framework (Open Policy) |  |
Okta, Auth0 |
| Auth & SSO | Ory | Identity platform |  |
Okta, Auth0 |
| Auth & SSO | Oso | Authorization building framework |  |
Okta, Auth0 |
| Auth & SSO | Supertokens | User authentication and session management framework |  |
Okta, Auth0 |
| Auth & SSO | Zitadel | User authentication and session management framework |  |
Okta, Auth0 |
| Backend as a service | AceBase | Backend server with REST APIs to manage core backend needs |  |
Firebase |
| Backend as a service | Amplication | Backend server with REST and GraphQL APIs to manage core backend needs |  |
Firebase |
| Backend as a service | Appwrite | Backend server with REST APIs to manage core backend needs |  |
Firebase |
| Backend as a service | Encore | Backend Development Engine for cloud-based apps, APIs, and distributed systems |  |
Firebase |
| Backend as a service | Kuzzle | Backend server with REST APIs to manage core backend needs |  |
Firebase |
| Backend as a service | Nhost | Backend server with GraphQL |  |
Firebase |
| Backend as a service | Supabase | Backend server with REST APIs to manage core backend needs |  |
Firebase |
| Business Intelligence | Metabase | Business intelligence software |  |
Tableau, Power BI, DataStudio |
| Business Intelligence | Preset | Modern BI platform powered by Apache Superset |  |
PowerBI, Tableau, Mode Analytics |
| CMS | Builder | Drag and drop page builder and CMS |  |
Contentful |
| CMS | Concrete | CMS for teams |  |
Contentful |
| CMS | Directus | Data platform which wraps any database with an intuitive app |  |
Contentful |
| CMS | Netlify CMS | Git-based CMS for static site generators |  |
Contentful |
| CMS | Plasmic | The headless page builder for singe-page frameworks |  |
Contentful |
| CMS | Strapi | Node.js Headless CMS to build customisable APIs |  |
Contentful |
| CMS | Sulu | Modern Symfony based CMS |  |
Contentful |
| CMS | Tina | Visual editor for React websites |  |
Contentful |
| CMS | Webiny | Enterprise serverless CMS |  |
Contentful |
| Cloud Data Warehouse | Databend | Elastic and Workload-Aware Modern Cloud Data Warehouse |  |
Snowflake |
| Cloud Development Environment | Gitpod | Automated provisioning of cloud development environments with multiple git providers & IDEs |  |
Codespaces |
| Cloud Storage | Minio | S3 compatible object storage |  |
Amazon S3 |
| Cloud Storage | Storj | Decentralized cloud storage |  |
Amazon S3 |
| Communication | Fonoster | APIs for SMS, voice and video |  |
Twilio |
| Communication | Novu | Components and APIs for email, sms, direct and push |  |
Courier, MagicBell, Knock |
| Customer Data Platform | Jitsu | Fully-scriptable data ingestion engine for modern data teams |  |
Segment |
| Customer Data Platform | Rudderstack | Customer data platform for developers |  |
Segment |
| Customer Data Platform | Tracardi | Customer Data Platform with Consumer Journey automation engine |  |
Segment, Zapier |
| Customer Engagement | Chaskiq | Live chat widget |  |
Intercom, Zendesk |
| Customer Engagement | Chatwoot | Live chat widget |  |
Intercom, Zendesk |
| Customer Engagement | Papercups | Live chat widget |  |
Intercom, Zendesk |
| Cybersecurity | CloudQuery | Assess, audit, and evaluate the configurations of your cloud assets. |  |
AWS Config, GCP Cloud Asset Inventory, AWS GuardDuty |
| Cybersecurity | CrowdSec | Collaborative IPS able to analyze visitor behavior and to provide an adapted response to all kinds of attacks. |  |
GreyNoise |
| Cybersecurity | Firezone | VPN Server & Firewall for teams |  |
OpenVPN Access Server |
| Cybersecurity | Gravitl | WireGuard virtual networking platform (VPN) |  |
Tailscale, OpenVPN |
| Cybersecurity | LunaTrace | Dependency Vulnerability Scanner and SBOM Inventory |  |
GitHub Dependabot, Snyk.io, SonaType Nexus |
| Cybersecurity | NetBird | Zero Configuration Mesh VPN for Business |  |
Tailscale, OpenVPN |
| Cybersecurity | Nuclei | Vulnerability scanner based on simple YAML based DSL |  |
Tenable Nessus |
| Design | Modulz | Code-based tool for designing and prototyping |  |
Figma |
| Design | Penpot | Design & prototyping platform |  |
Figma |
| E-commerce | Bagisto | Headless e-commerce platform |  |
Shopify, Ecwid |
| E-commerce | Medusa | Headless e-commerce platform |  |
Shopify, Ecwid |
| E-commerce | Saleor | Headless e-commerce platform |  |
Shopify, Ecwid |
| E-commerce | Shuup | Headless e-commerce platform |  |
Shopify, Ecwid |
| E-commerce | Sylius | Headless e-commerce platform |  |
Shopify, Ecwid |
| E-commerce | Vendure | Headless e-commerce platform |  |
Shopify, Ecwid |
| E-commerce | Vue Storefront | Frontend for e-commerce platform |  |
Shogun |
| ELT / ETL | Airbyte | Data integration platform |  |
Fivetran |
| ELT / ETL | Dagster | Orchestration platform for data assets |  |
Fivetran |
| ELT / ETL | Kestra | orchestration and scheduling platform |  |
Fivetran |
| ELT / ETL | Orchest | No-code data pipelines builder |  |
Fivetran |
| ELT / ETL | Prefect | Data orchestration platform for a modern data stack |  |
Fivetran |
| ERP | DoliCloud | Business management suite (ERP and CRM) |  |
Oracle Fusion ERP Cloud,Odoo,Microsoft Dynamics |
| ERP | ERPNext | Agile, modern, module based Business management suite |  |
SAP Business One, Odoo |
| Email marketing | Keila | Email newsletter tool |  |
Mailchimp, Sendinblue |
| Enterprise Search | AppBase | Search UI components for React and Vue |  |
Algolia |
| Enterprise Search | Jina.ai | Neural search framework for 𝙖𝙣𝙮 kind of data (including images) |  |
Algolia |
| Enterprise Search | Manticore Search | Easy to use open source fast database for search |  |
Elastic Cloud |
| Enterprise Search | Meilisearch | Typo tolerant search engine |  |
Algolia |
| Enterprise Search | Qdrant | Vector similarity search engine with extended filtering support |  |
Google Vertex AI, Algolia |
| Enterprise Search | SeMI's Weaviate | Real-time vector search engine |  |
Google Vertex AI, Algolia |
| Enterprise Search | TypeSense | Typo tolerant fuzzy search engine |  |
Algolia |
| Enterprise Search | Zilliz's Milvus | Vector database for AI applications |  |
Google Vertex AI |
| Enterprise Search | Zinc Labs's Zinc | Cloud native full text search |  |
Elastic Cloud |
| Enterprise Search | deepset | NLP platform to build enterprise-grade semantic search |  |
AWS Kendra, QnA Maker |
| Feature flag and toggle management | FlagSmith | Feature Flag & Remote Config Service |  |
LaunchDarkly |
| Feature flag and toggle management | GrowthBook | Feature flags and A/B testing |  |
LaunchDarkly |
| Feature flag and toggle management | Unleash | Feature flags platform |  |
LaunchDarkly |
| File Hosting | Filestash | A file manager that let you manage your data anywhere it is located |  |
Dropbox, Google Drive |
| File Hosting | Nextcloud | A personal cloud which runs on your own server |  |
Dropbox, Google Drive |
| File Hosting | Owncloud | A personal cloud which runs on your own server |  |
Dropbox, Google Drive |
| File Hosting | Spacedrive | Cross-platform file manager, powered by a virtual distributed filesystem (VDFS) written in Rust |  |
Dropbox, Google Drive |
| Financial Service | Lago | Open Source Billing API |  |
Stripe Billing, Chargebee |
| Financial Service | OpenBB Terminal | Investment research for everyone |  |
Bloomberg |
| Form Building | FormKit | A software to help build attractive forms |  |
Vueform,Typeform |
| Form Building | snoopForms | Build forms and receive & manage submission data in one platform |  |
Typeform, Google Forms, React Hook Form |
| Forum Software | Discourse | A platform for community discussion |  |
Tribe, Circle |
| Forum Software | Vanilla | A platform for community discussion |  |
Tribe, Circle |
| Graph database | ArangoDB | Graph database and document store |  |
TigerGraph, Amazon Neptune |
| Graph database | Memgraph | In-memory graph database |  |
TigerGraph, Amazon Neptune |
| Graph database | Neo4j | Graph database platform |  |
TigerGraph, Amazon Neptune |
| Graph database | TerminusDB | Knowledge graph and document store |  |
TigerGraph, Amazon Neptune |
| Helpdesk Solution | Peppermint | Ticket Management & Helpdesk system |  |
Zendesk |
| Helpdesk Solution | UVDesk | Ticket Management & Helpdesk system |  |
Zendesk |
| Internal Tools | AppSmith | Low-code platform for internal tools |  |
Retool |
| Internal Tools | Budibase | Low-code platform for internal tools |  |
Retool |
| Internal Tools | Lowdefy | YAML-based low-code platform for internal tools |  |
Retool |
| Internal Tools | Tooljet | Low-code framework for internal tools |  |
Retool |
| Internal Tools | Windmill | Company-wide apps and automations from minimal python or typescript scripts |  |
Retool |
| Log Management | Graylog | Log management platform |  |
Splunk |
| Log Management | Quickwit | Cloud-native log management & analytics |  |
Elastic Cloud |
| ML Ops | Cortex | Production infrastructure for machine learning |  |
AWS SageMaker |
| ML Ops | MindsDB | In-database machine learning platform |  |
BigQuery ML |
| ML Ops | Ploomber | YAML-based pipeline builder for ML models |  |
AWS SageMaker |
| ML Ops | Seldon | Deployment & monitoring for machine learning at scale |  |
AWS SageMaker, Google Vertex AI |
| ML Ops | Zilliz's Towhee | Platform for generating embedding vectors |  |
AWS SageMaker |
| Messaging | Element | Enterprise communication platform |  |
Slack |
| Messaging | Mattermost | Enterprise communication platform for developers |  |
Slack |
| Messaging | Rocket.chat | Enterprise communication platform |  |
Slack |
| Messaging | Tinode | General instant messaging |  |
WhatsApp, Telegram |
| Messaging | Zulip | Team chat |  |
Slack |
| Metrics store | Cube.js | Headless business intelligence suite |  |
Looker |
| Metrics store | Evidence | Lightweight BI using SQL and markdown |  |
Looker |
| Metrics store | LightDash | Low-code metrics layer, alternative to Looker |  |
Looker |
| Metrics store | MLCraft | Low-code metrics layer, alternative to Looker |  |
Looker |
| Metrics store | MetriQL | Headless business intelligence suite |  |
Looker |
| No-code database | Baserow | No-code database and Airtable alternative |  |
AirTable |
| No-code database | NocoDB | No-code database and Airtable alternative |  |
AirTable |
| No-code database | Rowy | Extendable Airtable-like spreadsheet UI for databases |  |
AirTable |
| No-code database | Totum | Business database for non-programmers |  |
AirTable |
| Notetaking | AppFlowy | Open-source alternative to Notion |  |
Notion |
| Notetaking | Athens Research | Knowledge graph for research and notetaking |  |
Roam Research |
| Notetaking | Bangle.io | A rich note note taking web app that works on top of your locally saved Markdown files |  |
Notion |
| Notetaking | Boost Note | Collaborative workspace for developer teams |  |
Notion |
| Notetaking | Dendron | Knowledge base plugin for VS Code |  |
Roam Research |
| Notetaking | Joplin | Secure, Cross-platform, Open-Source Markdown Note Taking App |  |
Evernote, Onenote, Roam Research |
| Notetaking | Logseq | Knowledge base manager |  |
Roam Research |
| Notetaking | Notabase | Powerful and easy-to-use note-taking app for networked thinking |  |
Notion, Roam Research |
| Notetaking | Outline | Wiki and knowledge base |  |
Notion |
| Notetaking | Trilium.cc | Personal knowledge base |  |
Evernote, Onenote |
| Observability and monitoring | Chaos Genius | ML powered analytics engine for outlier/anomaly detection and root cause analysis |  |
AWS Lookout, Anodot, Sisu Data, Outlier |
| Observability and monitoring | Grafana | Observability and data visualization platform |  |
DataDog, NewRelic |
| Observability and monitoring | Netdata | Application monitoring and observability platform |  |
DataDog, NewRelic |
| Observability and monitoring | Sentry | Application monitoring with a focus on error reporting |  |
DataDog, NewRelic |
| Observability and monitoring | Signoz | Application monitoring and observability platform |  |
DataDog, NewRelic |
| Observability and monitoring | Uptrace | Application monitoring and observability platform |  |
DataDog, NewRelic |
| Observability and monitoring | VictoriaMetrics | Application monitoring and observability platform |  |
DataDog, NewRelic |
| Password manager | BitWarden | Password manager for teams and individuals |  |
1Password |
| Password manager | Padloc | Password manager for teams and individuals |  |
1Password |
| Password manager | Passbolt | Password manager for teams and individuals |  |
1Password |
| Platform as a service | Coolify | Self-hostable Heroku alternative |  |
Heroku |
| Platform as a service | Otomi | Self-hosted PaaS for Kubernetes |  |
Heroku |
| Platform as a service | Porter | Kubernetes powered PaaS that runs in your own cloud |  |
Heroku |
| Platform as a service | Pulumi | Universal Infrastructure as Code |  |
Heroku |
| Platform as a service | Qovery | Kubernetes powered PaaS that runs in your own cloud |  |
Heroku |
| Platform as a service | Space Cloud | Serverless cloud deployment platform |  |
Heroku |
| Product Analytics | Objectiv | Product analytics infrastructure |  |
Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel |
| Product Analytics | PostHog | Product analytics platform |  |
Amplitude, MixPanel |
| Project Management | Focalboard | Alternative to Trello, Notion, and Asana |  |
Trello, Notion, Asana |
| Project Management | OpenProject | Project management software |  |
Asana, Trello |
| Project Management | Taiga | Project management software |  |
Asana, Trello, Jira |
| Project Management | Vikunja | The to-do app to organize your next project. |  |
Todoist, Trello, Asana |
| Relational database | PingCAP | NewSQL database that supports HTAP workloads |  |
Amazon Aurora, Google Cloud Spanner |
| Relational database | Yugabyte | High-performance distributed SQL database |  |
Amazon Aurora, Google Cloud Spanner |
| Remote Desktop Application | RustDesk | Open source virtual / remote desktop infrastructure for everyone |  |
TeamViewer |
| Reverse ETL | Castled | Data synchronization framework focused on external apps |  |
Hightouch, NewRelic |
| Reverse ETL | Grouparoo | Data synchronization framework |  |
Hightouch |
| Robotic Process Automation (RPA) | RoboCorp | Set of tooling that allows to create automation packages |  |
UiPath |
| Scheduling | Cal.com | Scheduling infrastructure, alternative to Calendly |  |
Calendly |
| Session replay software | OpenReplay | Session replay stack for developers |  |
LogRocket, FullStory |
| Signer | LibreSign | Digital document signer |  |
DocuSign |
| Streaming | Glimesh | Live streaming platform |  |
Twitch |
| Timeseries database | InfluxDB | Database designed to process time series data |  |
Kdb+ |
| Timeseries database | QuestDB | Database designed to process time series data |  |
Kdb+ |
| Timeseries database | TDengine | Database designed to process time series data |  |
Kdb+ |
| Timeseries database | TimescaleDB | Database designed to process time series data |  |
Kdb+ |
| VPN as a Service | OmniEdge | No-code P2P layer-2 mesh VPN for enterprise with zero config |  |
OpenVPN, Ngrok, Oray, AWS VPC |
| Video Conferencing | Jitsi | Video conferences platform and SDK |  |
Zoom |
| Video Conferencing | LiveKit | SFU and SDKs for high-performance, scalable WebRTC |  |
Twilio, Agora |
| Video Conferencing | OpenVidu | Platform and SDKs to build on-premises WebRTC video conferences |  |
Twilio |
| Website analytics | GoatCounter | Google Analytics alternative |  |
Google Analytics |
| Website analytics | Matomo | Google Analytics alternative |  |
Google Analytics |
| Website analytics | Plausible | Google Analytics alternative |  |
Google Analytics |
| Website analytics | Swetrix | Google Analytics alternative |  |
Google Analytics |
| Website analytics | Umami | Google Analytics alternative |  |
Google Analytics |
| Workflow automation | N8N | Node-based workflow automation tool for developers |  |
Zapier |
| Workflow automation | Pipedream | Workflow automation and API integration platform |  |
Zapier, Integromat |
| Workflow automation | Temporal | Workflows as code platform |  |
Zapier |
Useful Links
- Great article on open-source challengers by Rajko Radovanovic