Kohavs
ArchivesSpace
ArchivesSpace: Open source archives information management application
Koha
The world's first free and open source library system
As of 30 August 2026, Koha is free to use. Koha is a full-featured, scalable library management system. Softwr lists it under Libraries. Koha is made by Koha Community, launched in 1999, available on Web, API.
Overview
What Koha does
Koha is a full-featured, scalable library management system. It includes modules for circulation, cataloging, acquisitions, serials, reserves, patron management, and more. Being open source, Koha is used by thousands of libraries worldwide. It supports MARC 21 and UNIMARC standards, making it suitable for libraries of all sizes.
What people use it for
- Libraries self-hosting an open source integrated library system for cataloging and circulation without vendor licensing fees
Related searches
The honest half
Where it falls short
Concrete and checkable, so you can decide whether any of them matter to you. This is the half of a review a vendor will not write about Koha.
- No pricing published; Koha is free and open source with no commercial licensing fee
Cross-shopped
What people choose instead of Koha
Each pairing was judged by two reviewers asking whether a buyer would genuinely weigh the two against each other. The ones that failed were deleted rather than published.
- KohavsOmeka
Omeka: Publish collections and create rich digital experiences
- KohavsCONTENTdm
CONTENTdm: Build, showcase, and preserve digital collections
- KohavsDSpace
DSpace: The software of choice for academic and research repositories
Pricing
What Koha costs
Taken from the vendor's own pricing page. Prices move, so check before you buy.
Self-Hosted
Free
- Full ILS functionality
- Circulation management
- Cataloging (MARC21/UNIMARC)
- Acquisitions module
- Serials management
- OPAC
Hosted (via partners)
$150 /mo
- Everything in Self-Hosted
- Managed hosting
- Professional support
- Regular updates
- Data migration assistance
- Training services
Capabilities
Features
Circulation management
MARC21/UNIMARC cataloging
Acquisitions
Serials management
Patron management
OPAC with faceted search
Reports and statistics
Z39.50 support
SIP2 integration
LDAP
Integration with LDAP
SIP2
Integration with SIP2
Z39.50
Integration with Z39.50
Answered, with sources
Questions people ask
Each answer names the page it came from, so you can check it rather than take our word for it.
How much does Koha cost?
Koha is free and open source. There is no software licensing fee. Development is sponsored by libraries, volunteers, and support companies worldwide.
SourceAre there paid support options available?
While no specific pricing is detailed on the main site, Koha mentions paid support options available from support companies, but exact costs require contacting providers directly.
SourceBehind it
Who makes Koha
- Company
- Koha Community
- Based in
- Global (Community-driven)
Keep looking
Where to go from Koha
- Koha alternativesEvery product people weigh against it
- Koha pricingPlans, floors and what the tiers exclude
- Koha badgesWhich rules it meets, and the figure behind each
- All Libraries softwareThe full category
- Best Libraries softwareThe shortlist, and how it was cut
Best Libraries software for
Compare Koha with
- ArchivesSpace
- CONTENTdm
- Omeka
- DSpace
- VuFind
- SirsiDynix Symphony
- Evergreen ILS
- Axiell Collections
- Libby
- CollectiveAccess
- Hoopla
- Vuetify
- Base UI
- daisyUI
- Ex Libris Alma
- FOLIO
- OCLC WorldShare Management Services
- Axiell Collections
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7 researched notes
Softwr does not host reviews and shows no star rating for Koha, because a rating we did not collect is not ours to publish. What is here is the pricing and platform detail from the vendor’s own pages, limitations we could state concretely, and alternatives a reviewer confirmed people weigh against it. Tell us if any of it is wrong.
More on Koha
Koha alternatives
What people switch to, and what they give up
Koha pricing
Every tier, and where the cost actually lands
Compare Koha
Put it head to head with anything we hold
Koha badge
Its rating, and an embed for your own site
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