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Omeka vs Evergreen ILS

Omeka logo

Omeka

Software

Publish collections and create rich digital experiences

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Evergreen ILS logo

Evergreen ILS

Software

Highly scalable open source library software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Omeka omeka Classic designed for individual projects rather than large institutional deployments; Evergreen ILS server installation is supported only on Debian 10, 11, 12 and 13 and Ubuntu 22.04 and 24.04
  • They diverge on capability: Omeka covers Item and collection management, Evergreen ILS covers Circulation management.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Omeka and Evergreen ILS differ
AttributeOmekaEvergreen ILS
PlatformsWebWeb, Desktop, Api
Founded20072006

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (open-source), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Omeka

  • Item and collection management
  • Dublin Core metadata
  • Online exhibitions
  • Plugin architecture
  • Theme customization
  • Simple workflow
  • File management
  • Tag and search

Only in Evergreen ILS

  • Circulation management
  • MARC cataloging
  • Acquisitions
  • Serials management
  • OPAC with faceted search
  • Patron management
  • Offline circulation
  • Consortia support

Both cover

  • Role-based access
  • Self-hosted deployment
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Omeka

  • Academic and research institutions creating digital collections with Dublin Core metadatanot Evergreen ILS
  • Museums and archives publishing heritage collections with semantic web capabilitiesnot Evergreen ILS
  • Individual projects and educators creating media-rich online exhibitsnot Evergreen ILS

Evergreen ILS

  • Running a consortium-scale library catalogue and circulation systemnot Omeka
  • Self-hosting an open source integrated library system across multiple branchesnot Omeka

Where each one falls short

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

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

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Omeka

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Omeka review.

Evergreen ILS

Free
  • Self-HostedFree
    • Full ILS functionality
    • Circulation system
    • OPAC
  • Hosted (via partners)$200/month
    • Everything in Self-Hosted
    • Managed hosting
    • Professional support

Which should you pick?

Choose Omeka if

  • You need item and collection management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want dublin core metadata.
Omeka review

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

Questions people ask

Is Omeka or Evergreen ILS better?
Neither clearly leads. Omeka starts at Free and Evergreen ILS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Omeka or Evergreen ILS?
Omeka starts at Free and Evergreen ILS at Free.
Does Omeka or Evergreen ILS run on more platforms?
Omeka runs on Web. Evergreen ILS runs on Web, Desktop, Api.
Can I use Omeka for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Omeka best used for?
Omeka is most often used for academic and research institutions creating digital collections with dublin core metadata, museums and archives publishing heritage collections with semantic web capabilities, individual projects and educators creating media-rich online exhibits. Of those, academic and research institutions creating digital collections with dublin core metadata and museums and archives publishing heritage collections with semantic web capabilities are not what Evergreen ILS is typically brought in for.
What can Omeka do that Evergreen ILS cannot?
Omeka covers Item and collection management, Dublin Core metadata, Online exhibitions, Plugin architecture. Evergreen ILS covers Circulation management, MARC cataloging, Acquisitions, Serials management. Both handle Role-based access, Self-hosted deployment, Cloud deployment.
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