Library & Archives · head to head
Koha vs CollectiveAccess
Koha
Library & Archives
The world's first free and open source library system
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
CollectiveAccess
Library & Archives
Open source collections management and presentation
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Koha no official vendor exists; hosting, support and development come only from third-party providers in a community directory that explicitly carries no official status; CollectiveAccess requires technical knowledge to install and configure on web servers
- They diverge on capability: Koha covers Circulation management, CollectiveAccess covers Configurable cataloging.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Koha and CollectiveAccess actually diverge.
| Attribute | Koha | CollectiveAccess |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | open-source | Unknown |
| Platforms | Web, Api | Web |
| Founded | 1999 | 2003 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 Koha
- Circulation management
- MARC21/UNIMARC cataloging
- Acquisitions
- Serials management
- Patron management
- OPAC with faceted search
- Reports and statistics
- Z39.50 support
Only in CollectiveAccess
- Configurable cataloging
- Digital asset management
- Relationship mapping
- Provenance tracking
- Loan management
- Exhibition management
- Web publishing (Pawtucket)
- Import/export tools
Both cover
- LDAP
- LDAP
- OAuth
- Role-based access
- Self-hosted deployment
- Cloud deployment
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Koha
- Libraries self-hosting an open source integrated library system for cataloging and circulation without vendor licensing feesnot CollectiveAccess
CollectiveAccess
- Museum collection managementnot Koha
- Archival descriptionnot Koha
- Digital asset managementnot Koha
- Exhibition developmentnot Koha
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Koha
- No official vendor exists; hosting, support and development come only from third-party providers in a community directory that explicitly carries no official status
CollectiveAccess
- Requires technical knowledge to install and configure on web servers
- Limited commercial support compared to proprietary alternatives
Pricing, plan by plan
Koha
Free- Self-HostedFree
- Full ILS functionality
- Circulation management
- Cataloging (MARC21/UNIMARC)
- Hosted (via partners)$150/month
- Everything in Self-Hosted
- Managed hosting
- Professional support
CollectiveAccess
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the CollectiveAccess review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Koha if
- You need circulation management.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Api.
- You also want marc21/unimarc cataloging.
Choose CollectiveAccess if
- You need configurable cataloging.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want digital asset management.
Questions people ask
- Is Koha or CollectiveAccess better?
- Neither clearly leads. Koha 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, Koha or CollectiveAccess?
- Koha starts at Free and CollectiveAccess at Free.
- Does Koha or CollectiveAccess run on more platforms?
- Koha runs on Web, Api. CollectiveAccess runs on Web.
- Can I use Koha for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Koha best used for?
- Koha is most often used for libraries self-hosting an open source integrated library system for cataloging and circulation without vendor licensing fees. Of those, libraries self-hosting an open source integrated library system for cataloging and circulation without vendor licensing fees is not what CollectiveAccess is typically brought in for.
- What can Koha do that CollectiveAccess cannot?
- Koha covers Circulation management, MARC21/UNIMARC cataloging, Acquisitions, Serials management. CollectiveAccess covers Configurable cataloging, Digital asset management, Relationship mapping, Provenance tracking. Both handle LDAP, LDAP, OAuth, Role-based access.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
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.
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.
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.