egroupware Review, Pricing & Features

EGroupware is an open-source groupware platform for email, calendar, files, and collaboration. Compare Community Edition, cloud, and enterprise pricing for…

Category
Collaboration
Pricing
Freemium / Open Source, from Free (Community Edition); paid cloud plans from EUR 21.90/month
Verified
Not yet
Last updated
July 18, 2026
Founded
2003
Headquarters
Kaiserslautern, Germany
Web AppiOSAndroidAPIOpen SourceAIFreemiumSelf-Hosted

Overview

EGroupware is an open-source groupware suite that bundles email, calendaring, contacts, file storage, project tracking, and team chat into one collaboration platform. It can be self-hosted for free under the GPLv2 or run as a paid, German-hosted cloud service.

The project traces back to 1996 and was relaunched as an independent GPL fork of phpGroupWare in 2003. EGroupware GmbH, headquartered in Kaiserslautern, Germany, has operated the commercial side of the project since taking over from Stylite AG in 2016.

Key Features

Core modules cover shared calendars, an address book, InfoLog for task and lightweight CRM tracking, a file manager, and a project manager, all accessible from one web interface and synced to mobile devices via CalDAV and CardDAV. Real-time collaborative document editing is available through a Collabora Online integration, and video calls run through bundled Jitsi or BigBlueButton connectors.

The platform is modular, letting administrators enable only the applications a team needs, and it supports team chat through Rocket.Chat integration. A helpdesk and ticketing module is also available for organizations that want to manage internal or customer support requests inside the same system.

Pricing

The Community Edition is free and unlimited under the GPLv2, with paid hourly support available separately. Hosted cloud plans start at EUR 21.90 per month for nonprofits (eCloud NGO) and EUR 24.90 per month for standard use (eCloud), both with a two-user minimum, plus metered add-ons for Collabora and Rocket.Chat.

Self-hosted enterprise customers can license EPL Smart from EUR 62.50 per month for a ten-user minimum, with additional users at EUR 4.95 per month, while schools can choose a flat EUR 1,295 per year unlimited-user plan. The largest Universal and eFlat tiers are custom-quoted. All prices exclude VAT.

Key Features

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Fully-featured Community Edition is free and open source under the GPLv2 with no artificial limits
  • Can be self-hosted for full data control, or run as EU-hosted cloud SaaS
  • Broad feature set covering email, calendar, files, projects, and helpdesk in one suite
  • Modular design lets organizations enable only the apps they need

Cons

  • User interface feels dated compared to newer SaaS collaboration tools
  • Self-hosting requires ongoing server administration and update management
  • Enterprise-tier and cloud pricing require contacting sales or reading tiered per-user documentation
  • Smaller ecosystem and community than larger open-source rivals like Nextcloud

Pricing

Frequently Asked Questions

Is EGroupware really free?

Yes. The Community Edition is released under the GPLv2 and can be downloaded and self-hosted at no cost, with the full core feature set and no artificial usage limits.

What is the difference between Community Edition and EPL?

Community Edition (CE) is the free, open-source core. The Enterprise Professional Line (EPL) adds extra applications, administration tools, and paid vendor support, licensed per user on an annual or monthly basis.

Where is EGroupware hosted for cloud customers?

EGroupware's cloud plans, such as eCloud and eCloud NGO, are hosted in German data centers, which appeals to organizations with EU data-residency requirements.

Can EGroupware sync with my phone's calendar and contacts?

Yes, EGroupware supports CalDAV and CardDAV synchronization with Apple and Android devices, and also offers dedicated mobile apps.

Does EGroupware support real-time document editing?

Yes, through an integration with Collabora Online, which enables collaborative editing of office documents directly in the browser.

Who is behind EGroupware?

EGroupware GmbH, based in Kaiserslautern, Germany, has developed and commercially supported the open-source EGroupware project since taking over the business from Stylite AG in September 2016.

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