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Libraries · head to head

ArchivesSpace vs CollectiveAccess

ArchivesSpace logo

ArchivesSpace

Libraries

Open source archives information management application

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
C

CollectiveAccess

Libraries

Open source collections management and presentation

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ArchivesSpace requires Java 17 or 21 (or Java 11/17 for older versions), adding infrastructure complexity; CollectiveAccess requires technical knowledge to install and configure on web servers
  • They diverge on capability: ArchivesSpace covers Accession management, CollectiveAccess covers Configurable cataloging.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ArchivesSpace and CollectiveAccess actually diverge.

Attributes where ArchivesSpace and CollectiveAccess differ
AttributeArchivesSpaceCollectiveAccess
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsUbuntu Linux, macOS, WindowsWeb
Founded20132003

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Libraries).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in ArchivesSpace

  • Accession management
  • Resource description
  • Digital object management
  • Agent and subject authorities
  • Location management
  • Assessment module
  • Public user interface
  • EAD/MARCXML export

Only in CollectiveAccess

  • Configurable cataloging
  • Digital asset management
  • Relationship mapping
  • Provenance tracking
  • Loan management
  • Exhibition management
  • Web publishing (Pawtucket)
  • Import/export tools

Both cover

  • Role-based access
  • LDAP
  • Self-hosted deployment
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

ArchivesSpace

  • Digital archive managementnot CollectiveAccess
  • Repository managementnot CollectiveAccess
  • Cultural heritage preservationnot CollectiveAccess

CollectiveAccess

  • Museum collection managementnot ArchivesSpace
  • Archival descriptionnot ArchivesSpace
  • Digital asset managementnot ArchivesSpace
  • Exhibition developmentnot ArchivesSpace

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

ArchivesSpace

  • Requires Java 17 or 21 (or Java 11/17 for older versions), adding infrastructure complexity
  • Mandatory Solr 9 (or 8 for older versions) for all production deployments since v3.2.0
  • Production deployments must use external MySQL 5.x or 8.x; embedded database only for testing
  • Minimum 1 GB RAM required, 2 GB recommended; Docker installation recommended as of v4.0.0 due to complexity

CollectiveAccess

  • Requires technical knowledge to install and configure on web servers
  • Limited commercial support compared to proprietary alternatives

Pricing, plan by plan

ArchivesSpace

Free
  • Very Small$300/year
    • Academic/Public Library tier (JSTOR/Artstor Very Small, etc.)
    • Non-Academic: 0-50 FTE staff
  • Small$1000/year
    • Academic/Public Library tier (JSTOR/Artstor Small, etc.)
    • Non-Academic: 51-150 FTE staff
  • Medium$3000/year
    • Academic/Public Library tier (JSTOR/Artstor Medium, etc.)
    • Non-Academic: 151-300 FTE staff
  • Large$5000/year
    • Academic/Public Library tier (JSTOR/Artstor Large, etc.)
    • Non-Academic: 301-400 FTE staff

CollectiveAccess

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the CollectiveAccess review.

Which should you pick?

Choose ArchivesSpace if

  • You need accession management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ubuntu Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want resource description.
ArchivesSpace review

Choose CollectiveAccess if

  • You need configurable cataloging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want digital asset management.
CollectiveAccess review

Questions people ask

Is ArchivesSpace or CollectiveAccess better?
Neither clearly leads. ArchivesSpace starts at Free and CollectiveAccess at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ArchivesSpace or CollectiveAccess?
ArchivesSpace starts at Free and CollectiveAccess at Free.
Does ArchivesSpace or CollectiveAccess run on more platforms?
ArchivesSpace runs on Ubuntu Linux, macOS, Windows. CollectiveAccess runs on Web.
Can I use ArchivesSpace for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is ArchivesSpace best used for?
ArchivesSpace is most often used for digital archive management, repository management, cultural heritage preservation. Of those, digital archive management and repository management are not what CollectiveAccess is typically brought in for.
What can ArchivesSpace do that CollectiveAccess cannot?
ArchivesSpace covers Accession management, Resource description, Digital object management, Agent and subject authorities. CollectiveAccess covers Configurable cataloging, Digital asset management, Relationship mapping, Provenance tracking. Both handle Role-based access, LDAP, Self-hosted deployment, Cloud deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ArchivesSpace: Is ArchivesSpace free to use?

ArchivesSpace application is free to download and use. However, community membership is required and costs $300-$7,500 annually depending on organization type and size.

Source
CollectiveAccess: Is CollectiveAccess free?

Yes, CollectiveAccess is completely free and open-source software licensed under the GNU Public License version 3, with no commercial licensing model.

ArchivesSpace: How much does ArchivesSpace membership cost?

Membership costs range from $300/year (Very Small institutions) to $7,500/year (Very Large institutions). Costs are based on FTE staff size for non-academic archives (0-50 staff: $300; 400+ staff: $7,500) or JSTOR/Artstor classification for academic institutions.

Source
CollectiveAccess: What does CollectiveAccess do?

CollectiveAccess is web-based collections management software for cataloguing and publishing museum and archival collections, with multi-user support allowing collaboration on metadata entry and collection organization.

ArchivesSpace: When does the ArchivesSpace membership year run?

ArchivesSpace membership runs from July 1 to June 30 each year and renews annually. New members joining outside this period receive prorated fees for their initial term.

Source
CollectiveAccess: Who uses CollectiveAccess?

CollectiveAccess is used by hundreds of institutions from national museums to local history consortia, highly specialized archives, and catalogues raisonnés, including the Munich City Museum which manages over 200,000 objects.

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