Library & Archives · head to head
Evergreen ILS vs DSpace
Evergreen ILS
Library & Archives
Highly scalable open source library software
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
DSpace
Library & Archives
The software of choice for academic and research repositories
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Evergreen ILS server installation is supported only on Debian 10, 11, 12 and 13 and Ubuntu 22.04 and 24.04; DSpace self-hosting means running and maintaining the repository; managed hosting comes from third-party service providers such as Atmire, 4Science and DSpaceDirect rather than the project
- They diverge on capability: Evergreen ILS covers Circulation management, DSpace covers Self-submission workflows.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Evergreen ILS and DSpace actually diverge.
| Attribute | Evergreen ILS | DSpace |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Web, Desktop, Api | Web |
| Founded | 2006 | 2002 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (open-source), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Library & Archives).
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 Evergreen ILS
- Circulation management
- MARC cataloging
- Acquisitions
- Serials management
- OPAC with faceted search
- Patron management
- Offline circulation
- Consortia support
Only in DSpace
- Self-submission workflows
- Configurable metadata schemas
- Persistent identifiers (DOI, Handle)
- OAI-PMH support
- Full-text search
- Statistics and reports
- SWORD deposit
- ORCID integration
Both cover
- LDAP
- Shibboleth
- LDAP
- Shibboleth
- Self-hosted deployment
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Evergreen ILS
- Running a consortium-scale library catalogue and circulation systemnot DSpace
- Self-hosting an open source integrated library system across multiple branchesnot DSpace
DSpace
- Institutional repositories for universities and research librariesnot Evergreen ILS
- Subject-based and dataset repositoriesnot Evergreen ILS
- Long-term preservation of mixed digital formats including PDF, image and audio-videonot Evergreen ILS
- Group-based access control over restricted collectionsnot Evergreen ILS
- Exposing records to ORCID and OpenAIREnot Evergreen ILS
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Evergreen ILS
- Server installation is supported only on Debian 10, 11, 12 and 13 and Ubuntu 22.04 and 24.04
- PostgreSQL 14 is the minimum supported version
- OpenSRF 3.3.0 or later must be installed separately before Evergreen itself
- Installation is a manual multi-service process requiring a dedicated PostgreSQL superuser account and shell access
DSpace
- Self-hosting means running and maintaining the repository; managed hosting comes from third-party service providers such as Atmire, 4Science and DSpaceDirect rather than the project
- Aimed at institutional repositories, so it assumes library metadata practice rather than general file storage
Pricing, plan by plan
Evergreen ILS
Free- Self-HostedFree
- Full ILS functionality
- Circulation system
- OPAC
- Hosted (via partners)$200/month
- Everything in Self-Hosted
- Managed hosting
- Professional support
DSpace
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the DSpace review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Evergreen ILS if
- You need circulation management.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Desktop, Api.
- You also want marc cataloging.
Choose DSpace if
- You need self-submission workflows.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want configurable metadata schemas.
Questions people ask
- Is Evergreen ILS or DSpace better?
- Neither clearly leads. Evergreen ILS starts at Free and DSpace at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Evergreen ILS or DSpace?
- Evergreen ILS starts at Free and DSpace at Free.
- Does Evergreen ILS or DSpace run on more platforms?
- Evergreen ILS runs on Web, Desktop, Api. DSpace runs on Web.
- Can I use Evergreen ILS for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Evergreen ILS best used for?
- Evergreen ILS is most often used for running a consortium-scale library catalogue and circulation system, self-hosting an open source integrated library system across multiple branches. Of those, running a consortium-scale library catalogue and circulation system and self-hosting an open source integrated library system across multiple branches are not what DSpace is typically brought in for.
- What can Evergreen ILS do that DSpace cannot?
- Evergreen ILS covers Circulation management, MARC cataloging, Acquisitions, Serials management. DSpace covers Self-submission workflows, Configurable metadata schemas, Persistent identifiers (DOI, Handle), OAI-PMH support. Both handle LDAP, Shibboleth, LDAP, Shibboleth.