Library & Archives · head to head
OCLC WorldShare Management Services vs Omeka
OCLC WorldShare Management Services
Library & Archives
Cloud-based library management built on WorldCat
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Omeka
Library & Archives
Publish collections and create rich digital experiences
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Omeka has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: OCLC WorldShare Management Services pricing is not published for WorldShare Management Services; the site routes buyers to a Library Services Consultant rather than listing figures; Omeka omeka Classic designed for individual projects rather than large institutional deployments
- They diverge on capability: OCLC WorldShare Management Services covers WorldCat cataloging, Omeka covers Item and collection management.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which OCLC WorldShare Management Services and Omeka actually diverge.
| Attribute | OCLC WorldShare Management Services | Omeka |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | open-source |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, Mobile, Api | Web |
| Founded | 1967 | 2007 |
Identical on both: 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 OCLC WorldShare Management Services
- WorldCat cataloging
- Circulation management
- Acquisitions and invoicing
- License management
- Analytics and reporting
- Interlibrary loan
- WorldCat Discovery
- Mobile circulation
Only in Omeka
- Item and collection management
- Dublin Core metadata
- Online exhibitions
- Plugin architecture
- Theme customization
- Simple workflow
- File management
- Tag and search
Both cover
- Cloud deployment
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
OCLC WorldShare Management Services
- Libraries relying on the shared WorldCat catalog for cataloging and resource sharingnot Omeka
Omeka
- Academic and research institutions creating digital collections with Dublin Core metadatanot OCLC WorldShare Management Services
- Museums and archives publishing heritage collections with semantic web capabilitiesnot OCLC WorldShare Management Services
- Individual projects and educators creating media-rich online exhibitsnot OCLC WorldShare Management Services
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
OCLC WorldShare Management Services
- Pricing is not published for WorldShare Management Services; the site routes buyers to a Library Services Consultant rather than listing figures
Omeka
- Omeka Classic designed for individual projects rather than large institutional deployments
- Requires self-hosting and technical setup; no managed hosting option in Classic version
- Omeka S pricing not publicly disclosed, available only for download or sandbox testing
- Limited scalability for institutions managing multiple extensive collections
Pricing, plan by plan
OCLC WorldShare Management Services
On request- WMS Standard$undefined/year
- WorldCat cataloging
- Circulation management
- Acquisitions
- WMS Premium$undefined/year
- Everything in Standard
- License Manager
- Advanced analytics
Omeka
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Omeka review.
Which should you pick?
Choose OCLC WorldShare Management Services if
- You need worldcat cataloging.
- You work on Web, Mobile, Api.
- You also want circulation management.
Choose Omeka if
- You need item and collection management.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want dublin core metadata.
Questions people ask
- Is OCLC WorldShare Management Services or Omeka better?
- Neither clearly leads. OCLC WorldShare Management Services starts at On request and Omeka at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, OCLC WorldShare Management Services or Omeka?
- Omeka has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for OCLC WorldShare Management Services and Free for Omeka.
- Does OCLC WorldShare Management Services or Omeka run on more platforms?
- OCLC WorldShare Management Services runs on Web, Mobile, Api. Omeka runs on Web.
- Can I use Omeka for free?
- Yes. Omeka has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. OCLC WorldShare Management Services starts at On request.
- What is OCLC WorldShare Management Services best used for?
- OCLC WorldShare Management Services is most often used for libraries relying on the shared worldcat catalog for cataloging and resource sharing. Of those, libraries relying on the shared worldcat catalog for cataloging and resource sharing is not what Omeka is typically brought in for.
- What can OCLC WorldShare Management Services do that Omeka cannot?
- OCLC WorldShare Management Services covers WorldCat cataloging, Circulation management, Acquisitions and invoicing, License management. Omeka covers Item and collection management, Dublin Core metadata, Online exhibitions, Plugin architecture. Both handle Cloud deployment, Web support.