EtherCalc vs LanguageTool server
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted office suites options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
EtherCalc
Real-time collaborative spreadsheet editor
VS
LanguageTool server
Multilingual grammar, style, and spell checker (API)
| Feature | EtherCalc | LanguageTool server |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Office Suites | Office Suites |
| License | CPAL-1.0 | LGPL-2.1-only |
| Language | TypeScript | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 800 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,041 | ★ 14,775 |
| First released | 2013 | 2023 |
| Replaces | Google Sheets | — |
Why pick each one
Choose EtherCalc if…
- Released under the CPAL-1.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3k GitHub stars)
Choose LanguageTool server if…
- Released under the LGPL-2.1-only license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 14.8k GitHub stars
- Written in Java
Frequently asked questions
Is EtherCalc or LanguageTool server better?
Neither is universally better. LanguageTool server has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are EtherCalc and LanguageTool server free and open-source?
Yes. EtherCalc is licensed under CPAL-1.0 and LanguageTool server under LGPL-2.1-only. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run EtherCalc and LanguageTool server with Docker?
EtherCalc: yes. LanguageTool server: check the project docs for container support.