| Job | Free / open source | Low-cost hosted alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Video meetings | Jitsi Meet Free, 100% open source; self-hostable | Microsoft Teams Essentials 10 people: $480/yr |
| Team chat | Element (Matrix) Free app; self-hosted, open-source Matrix backend | Zoho Cliq 10 people: $216/yr |
| Office documents | LibreOffice Free and open source desktop office suite | Microsoft 365 Business Basic 10 people: $840/yr |
| File storage | Nextcloud Open-source server software you can self-host | OneDrive (in Microsoft 365 Business Basic) 10 people: $0/yr |
| Project management | OpenProject Community edition free (open source). Cloud Basic €5.95/user/mo (recommended 5+ users) | Trello 10 people: $600/yr |
| CRM | Twenty Pro $9/user/mo, Organization $19/user/mo; open-source self-hosting | Zoho CRM 10 people: $1,680/yr |
| Email newsletters | listmonk Free and open source (AGPLv3), self-hosted | MailerLite 10 people: $144/yr |
| E-signature | Documenso Free (5 docs/mo). Individual $25/mo, Teams $40/mo billed yearly incl. 5 users (+$8/user/mo) | Zoho Sign 10 people: $1,200/yr |
| Forms & surveys | Formbricks Open source; self-hosting available; free cloud start | Tally 10 people: $288/yr |
| Async video | Cap Open source. Pro $12/user/mo monthly or $8.16/mo billed annually. Desktop license $29/yr (local only) | Cap 10 people: $979.20/yr |
| Design | Penpot Professional $0; Unlimited $7/editor/mo capped at $175/mo; self-host option | Canva Free 10 people: $0/yr |
| Passwords | KeePassXC Free and open source (GPLv3), offline | Bitwarden Teams 10 people: $480/yr |
"10 people" costs use verified list prices, Oct 14, 2026. Plans priced per organization or with included seats are calculated as such.
What the free stack really costs
- Hosting: you need a server or managed hosting for the self-hosted apps. We haven't priced hosting here, so check your provider.
- Admin time: plan for regular updates, backups and security patches. Someone has to own this.
- Email sending: listmonk needs an SMTP or email-sending provider.
- Business email: there's no simple free, hosted business-email equivalent in this stack. Most teams still pay for Microsoft 365, Google Workspace or Zoho Workplace (from US$3/user/mo billed annually).
Our recommendation
For most 10-person businesses, a hybrid works best: pay for one suite (email, docs, meetings, storage), add free plans where they're genuinely enough (Cal.com, Tally, Zoho CRM's free plan for 3 users, Canva Free), and self-host only what someone on your team will maintain.
Frequently asked questions
Can a small business run entirely on open-source software?
Technically yes, but someone must host and maintain it. Most small teams do better with one paid suite plus free plans.
What's the best free open-source video meeting tool?
Jitsi Meet is free, 100% open source, and self-hostable.