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Evergreen ILS vs Potree

Evergreen ILS logo

Evergreen ILS

Libraries

Highly scalable open source library software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Potree logo

Potree

Maps

Open source WebGL viewer for publishing very large point clouds in a browser

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; Potree there is no vendor, no support contract and no service level, so anything you build on Potree is your organisation’s responsibility to maintain when a browser update breaks rendering.
  • They diverge on capability: Evergreen ILS covers Circulation management, Potree covers Octree streaming.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Evergreen ILS and Potree actually diverge.

Attributes where Evergreen ILS and Potree differ
AttributeEvergreen ILSPotree
Pricing modelopen-sourceOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, ApiWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux
CategoryLibrariesMaps
Founded2006Unknown

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

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 Potree

  • Octree streaming
  • Large dataset rendering
  • Measurement tools
  • Clipping and profiles
  • Annotations
  • Attribute colouring
  • PotreeDesktop
  • Self-hosting

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 Potree
  • Self-hosting an open source integrated library system across multiple branchesnot Potree

Potree

  • A drone survey firm delivering a point cloud to a client who has no desktop software, by publishing a browser viewer link instead of a 40 GB LAZ filenot Evergreen ILS
  • A heritage or archaeology project publishing a scanned site for public access without paying per-gigabyte hosting to a commercial platformnot Evergreen ILS
  • An engineering consultancy embedding a point cloud viewer inside its own client portal without licensing a commercial web viewernot Evergreen ILS
  • A university or research group that needs measurement and profiling in a shareable viewer for a dataset too large to emailnot 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

Potree

  • There is no vendor, no support contract and no service level, so anything you build on Potree is your organisation’s responsibility to maintain when a browser update breaks rendering.
  • Conversion is a separate manual step with PotreeConverter, and building an automated publishing pipeline around it is engineering work the project does not provide.
  • Rendering quality and performance depend on the client machine and WebGL support, so a client on a locked-down corporate laptop with poor graphics may see a viewer that stutters or fails outright.
  • A WebGPU rewrite, Potree-Next, is in progress and is not a drop-in upgrade, so current integrations face an eventual migration with no vendor to manage it.
  • There is no access control, user management or audit layer; anyone with the URL sees the data unless you build authentication around the static files yourself, which is a real problem for confidential sites.

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

Potree

Free
  • PotreeFree
    • BSD-style open source licence
    • Unlimited datasets and viewers
    • Self-hosted on any static web server

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.
Evergreen ILS review

Choose Potree if

  • You need octree streaming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want large dataset rendering.
Potree review

Questions people ask

Is Evergreen ILS or Potree better?
Neither clearly leads. Evergreen ILS starts at Free and Potree at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Evergreen ILS or Potree?
Evergreen ILS starts at Free and Potree at Free.
Does Evergreen ILS or Potree run on more platforms?
Evergreen ILS runs on Web, Desktop, Api. Potree runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
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 Potree is typically brought in for.
What can Evergreen ILS do that Potree cannot?
Evergreen ILS covers Circulation management, MARC cataloging, Acquisitions, Serials management. Potree covers Octree streaming, Large dataset rendering, Measurement tools, Clipping and profiles.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Evergreen ILS: Is Evergreen ILS free?

Yes, Evergreen ILS is a free open source library management system. The software is available at no cost for libraries and organizations to install, deploy, and customize according to their needs.

Source
Potree: Does Potree cost anything?

No. It is open source and free. You supply the hosting, which for a static viewer is inexpensive.

Evergreen ILS: Does Evergreen ILS offer commercial support or hosting?

Evergreen ILS website does not list commercial hosting or support services. As an open source project, it relies on community contributions and institutional deployments. Libraries may arrange custom support through integrators or consultants, but no official commercial offerings are detailed on the website.

Source
Potree: Is there commercial support?

No. There is no vendor and no support contract. Support is GitHub issues and the community.

Potree: Who maintains it?

It originated at TU Wien and is maintained principally by Markus Schütz, with community contributions.

Potree: Can it handle very large clouds?

Yes, hundreds of millions of points, because PotreeConverter builds a multi-resolution octree that streams only what is visible.

Potree: Is my data private?

Only if you make it so. Potree serves static files with no built-in authentication, so access control is entirely your responsibility.

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