14 Best Document Management Software for 2026

Document management software (a DMS) stores, organises, secures and tracks an organisation’s documents through their whole life: capture, editing, approval, sharing, retention and eventual disposal. Unlike a shared drive, a DMS keeps every version, controls who can see each file, records every action in an audit trail, and makes documents findable by content and metadata, not just by folder.

So, what is the best document management software? It depends on where your documents live today and who must control them. Microsoft 365 organisations often start with SharePoint. Law firms choose between iManage and NetDocuments. Regulated and public-sector bodies frequently need an on-premise option. Small teams want something simple and cheap. Below we compare 14 tools across all of those needs.

Document management vs records management vs file sharing

How we evaluated these tools

Document management software at a glance

14 best document management tools reviewed

1. Microsoft SharePoint

Best for: organisations already standardised on Microsoft 365.

SharePoint is the default document platform for most Microsoft 365 customers. Document libraries provide versioning, check-in and check-out, metadata columns, retention labels and permissions inherited from Entra ID, and files can be edited in Office apps with co-authoring. SharePoint Server Subscription Edition remains available for organisations that must host on-premise.

Key features

• Libraries with versioning and metadata
• Retention and sensitivity labels through Microsoft Purview
• Co-authoring in Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• On-premise option through SharePoint Server

Deployment: cloud (Microsoft 365) or on-premise (SharePoint Server Subscription Edition).

Pricing: included in most Microsoft 365 business and enterprise plans.

Pros

• Often already licensed
• Deep Office integration

Cons

• Needs strong governance to avoid sprawl
• Advanced records features need higher licences

Not for: organisations outside the Microsoft ecosystem.

2. M-Files

Best for: organisations that want to file documents by what they are, not where they are saved.

M-Files organises content by metadata instead of folders, so a contract can be found by client, date or status regardless of where it is stored. Its connectors can also index content left in other repositories such as network drives and SharePoint. Workflows, version control and AI-assisted classification are built in, and M-Files has acquired Ment, a no-code document automation company.

Key features

• Metadata-driven filing and search
• Connectors to existing repositories
• Workflow and approval states
• Document automation and AI classification

Deployment: cloud, on-premise or hybrid [VERIFY current on-premise availability].

Pricing: on request.

Pros

• Finds documents without folder hunting
• Works across existing storage

Cons

• Metadata design needs upfront effort
• No public pricing

Not for: teams that just want a simple shared drive.

3. OpenText Content Management

Best for: large, regulated enterprises with complex records requirements.

OpenText is one of the largest enterprise content management vendors, with deep records management, archiving and integration with systems such as SAP and Microsoft 365. It is common in government, utilities and heavily regulated industries. In January 2026 OpenText sold its eDOCS legal DMS to NetDocuments as part of a focus on its core platforms.

Key features

• Enterprise records management and legal hold
• Integration with SAP, Salesforce and Microsoft 365
• Archiving and capture
• Cloud or on-premise deployment

Deployment: cloud or on-premise.

Pricing: on request.

Pros

• Proven at very large scale
• Strong records and compliance features

Cons

• Long, costly implementations
• Complex for smaller organisations

Not for: small and mid-size businesses.

4. Box

Best for: organisations that share documents heavily with partners and clients.

Box is a cloud content platform with strong external sharing controls, version history, retention and governance add-ons, and integrations with over a thousand business apps. Box Shield adds classification-based security, and Box AI can summarise and answer questions about documents.

Key features

• Secure internal and external sharing
• Version history and retention policies
• Classification and threat detection (Box Shield)
• Large integration ecosystem

Deployment: cloud only.

Pricing: per user per month by plan [VERIFY current Business pricing].

Pros

• Excellent external collaboration
• Easy for users

Cons

• No on-premise option
• Advanced governance costs extra

Not for: organisations that must keep documents on their own servers.

5. Laserfiche

Best for: organisations that want document management combined with process automation.

Laserfiche combines capture, document management, records management and a strong workflow and forms engine. Public sector bodies, education and finance teams use it to digitise paper-heavy processes such as applications, approvals and invoices.

Key features

• Capture and OCR
• Forms and workflow automation
• Records management
• Cloud or self-hosted options

Deployment: cloud or self-hosted

Pricing: on request.

Pros

• Strong automation alongside storage
• Popular in government

Cons

• Interface can feel dated
• Pricing not published

Not for: teams that only need simple file storage.

6. DocuWare

Best for: finance and HR teams digitising invoices, employee files and approvals.

DocuWare focuses on document-driven workflows, with intelligent indexing that extracts data from invoices and forms, approval routing and secure archiving. Prebuilt solutions cover accounts payable and HR document management.

Key features

• Intelligent capture and indexing
• Invoice and HR workflow templates
• Audit-ready archive
• Cloud or on-premise

Deployment: cloud or on-premise [VERIFY].

Pricing: on request.

Pros

• Quick wins in finance and HR
• Good mid-market fit

Cons

• Less suited to engineering or legal content
• Pricing not published

Not for: large enterprises needing complex records schemes.

7. Hyland OnBase

Best for: healthcare, insurance, banking and government organisations.

OnBase is Hyland’s enterprise content platform, with case management, workflow, capture and records management on a low-code base. It is especially common in hospitals, where it integrates with electronic health records, and in insurance and public administration.

Key features

• Low-code case and workflow management
• Healthcare and EHR integrations
• Capture and records management
• Cloud or on-premise

Deployment: cloud or on-premise.

Pricing: on request.

Pros

• Deep vertical solutions
• Very configurable

Cons

• Requires skilled administrators
• Enterprise pricing

Not for: small businesses.

8. Hyland Alfresco

Best for: organisations that want an open-standards content platform they can host themselves.

Alfresco is an open-core content services platform, now owned by Hyland. It offers document and records management, workflow and APIs, and can run in your own data centre or cloud. A free Community Edition exists alongside the supported Enterprise Edition.

Key features

• Open APIs and open standards
• Document and records management
• Workflow engine
• Self-hosted or cloud deployment

Deployment: self-hosted or cloud.

Pricing: Community Edition free; Enterprise Edition on request.

Pros

• Self-hosting and open standards
• Strong developer platform

Cons

• Needs technical resources
• Community Edition lacks enterprise support

Not for: teams without in-house technical skills.

9. iManage

Best for: law firms, accounting firms and corporate legal departments.

iManage Work is the leading DMS for law firms, organising documents and emails by client and matter, with strict security walls, email filing from Outlook and strong search. It is available in the cloud or on-premise.

Key features

• Matter-centric filing
• Email management from Outlook
• Ethical walls and security policies
• Cloud or on-premise

Deployment: cloud (iManage Cloud) or on-premise.

Pricing: on request.

Pros

• The legal industry standard
• Strong security model

Cons

• Built for professional services
• Enterprise pricing

Not for: organisations outside legal and professional services.

10. NetDocuments

Best for: law firms and legal departments that want a cloud-native DMS.

NetDocuments is a cloud-native DMS for legal work, with matter-centric organisation, Microsoft 365 integration and AI features. In January 2026 it completed its acquisition of OpenText’s eDOCS for $163 million, and says it will keep supporting on-premise eDOCS customers while building tools to migrate them to the cloud.

Key features

• Cloud-native legal DMS
• Microsoft 365 and Outlook integration
• AI-assisted search and drafting
• On-premise path through eDOCS

Deployment: cloud; on-premise for existing eDOCS customers.

Pricing: on request.

Pros

• No infrastructure to run
• Growing footprint in government and corporate legal teams

Cons

• Primarily for legal use
• eDOCS integration still in progress

Not for: non-legal organisations.

11. Revver

Best for: small and mid-size businesses that want simple, secure document storage.

Revver, formerly eFileCabinet, offers cloud document management with automated filing templates, workflows, e-signature and client portals. It is designed to be set up without IT specialists.

Key features

• Automated filing templates
• Workflow and e-signature
• Secure client portals
• Retention policies

Deployment: cloud.

Pricing: on request.

Pros

• Easy for small teams
• Client portal included

Cons

• Limited for large enterprises
• Cloud only

Not for: complex, global organisations.

12. Nuxeo (Hyland)

Best for: development teams building custom content applications.

Nuxeo is a cloud-native content services platform, owned by Hyland, designed for building content-heavy applications such as digital asset management and case files. It offers flexible data models, APIs and AI enrichment.

Key features

• Flexible content data model
• APIs and low-code studio
• Digital asset management
• AI enrichment

Deployment: cloud.

Pricing: on request.

Pros

• Very flexible for developers
• Handles rich media well

Cons

• Not an out-of-the-box DMS
• Requires development effort

Not for: teams that want a ready-made product.

13. Paperless-ngx

Best for: small organisations that want a free, self-hosted archive for scanned documents.

Paperless-ngx is a popular open-source document archive. It ingests scanned files and PDFs, runs OCR, applies tags and correspondents automatically using rules and machine learning, and makes everything full-text searchable.

Key features

• OCR and full-text search
• Automatic tagging and matching rules
• Email ingestion
• Runs on modest hardware

Deployment: self-hosted.

Pricing: free and open source.

Pros

• No licence cost
• Fully under your control

Cons

• No vendor support
• Limited workflow features

Not for: organisations that need approvals and records management.

14. Mayan EDMS

Best for: teams that want a free, self-hosted DMS with workflows.

Mayan EDMS is an open-source electronic document management system with OCR, metadata, workflows, access control lists and versioning. It is more structured than simple archives and suits teams that need basic process control on their own servers.

Key features

• Workflows and states
• OCR and metadata
• Access control lists
• Versioning and audit logging

Deployment: self-hosted.

Pricing: free and open source.

Pros

• Workflows without licence fees
• Self-hosted

Cons

• Administration requires technical skills
• Smaller community

Not for: teams without Linux and Docker experience.

Best on-premise and self-hosted document management systems

If documents must stay on infrastructure you control, for data sovereignty, classification or contractual reasons, these options support on-premise or self-hosted deployment:

Self-hosting gives you control over location, encryption keys and access, but you also take on patching, back-ups and availability.

Picks by sector

Sharing documents in conversation without losing control

A DMS controls documents once they are filed. The weak point is often what happens next: someone downloads a confidential file and drops it into a chat thread so a colleague can look quickly. The copy now sits outside the DMS, with none of its permissions, versioning or audit trail, and often on a third-party cloud.

Two habits close that gap. First, share links to the DMS record rather than file copies. Second, make sure the chat tool itself meets the same standard as the DMS. A self-hosted messaging platform such as Troop Messenger, deployed on-premise, keeps files shared in conversation on your own servers, with admin controls over who can share and download them. For more on this, see our guide to secure file sharing tools.

How to choose document management software

• Inventory your content: volume, document types, paper versus digital, and where it lives today.
• Decide where documents may be stored: cloud, a specific region, or on your own servers.
• Map the workflows you need, such as approvals, invoices, contracts or HR files.
• Check records requirements: retention schedules, legal hold and disposal.
• Test search with real queries and scanned documents.
• Confirm integrations with email, Microsoft 365, ERP and e-signature.
• Plan migration from shared drives, including metadata and permissions.
• Compare three-year cost, including implementation, storage and add-ons.

Frequently asked questions

1. What is the best document management software?

It depends on your environment. SharePoint suits Microsoft 365 organisations, M-Files suits teams that want metadata-driven filing, iManage and NetDocuments lead in legal, DocuWare and Laserfiche are strong for finance and process automation, and OpenText and Hyland suit large regulated enterprises. Paperless-ngx is a good free self-hosted option.

2. Does Microsoft 365 have a document management system?

Yes. SharePoint, included in most Microsoft 365 plans, provides document libraries with versioning, metadata, permissions and retention labels, and OneDrive and Teams store their files in it. Many organisations use it as their DMS, sometimes adding specialist tools for legal, records or workflow-heavy needs.

3. What is the difference between document management and records management?

Document management controls documents while they are being created, edited and shared, with versioning and workflows. Records management governs final, official records: how long they must be kept, legal holds, and secure disposal. Many DMS platforms include records features, but regulated organisations should check them carefully.

4. What document management systems do law firms use?

Most large law firms use iManage or NetDocuments, which organise documents and emails by client and matter and enforce ethical walls. Smaller firms also use practice management systems with built-in document storage, or general platforms such as SharePoint with legal add-ons.

5. Can document management software be hosted on-premise?

Yes. SharePoint Server, OpenText, Hyland OnBase and Alfresco, and iManage all offer on-premise deployment, and open-source tools such as Paperless-ngx and Mayan EDMS are self-hosted by design. Check with M-Files, Laserfiche and DocuWare whether on-premise is still offered to new customers.