EGroupware vs Tine
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted groupware options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | EGroupware | Tine |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 77 · Good | 69 · Good |
| Category | Groupware | Groupware |
| License | GPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | HTML |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 297 | ★ 22 |
| First released | 2003 | 2007 |
| Replaces | Microsoft 365, Google Workspace | Microsoft 365, Google Workspace |
What are EGroupware and Tine?
EGroupware
EGroupware is a browser-based groupware suite that includes calendar, address book, email, project management, and file sharing. It supports CalDAV, CardDAV, and ActiveSync for client synchronization.
- Integrated calendar, mail and contacts
- Project management and timesheets
- CalDAV/CardDAV and ActiveSync
- Video conferencing module
Tine
Tine, formerly Tine 2.0, is a web-based groupware and CRM platform combining email, calendar, contacts, tasks, and customer relationship management. It targets small and medium businesses.
- Integrated groupware and CRM
- ActiveSync support
- Shared calendars and addressbooks
- Modular application structure
EGroupware vs Tine: key differences
EGroupware is written in PHP, while Tine is built with HTML. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for EGroupware versus AGPL-3.0 for Tine. EGroupware is the more established project (first released 2003), while Tine arrived in 2007. EGroupware has the considerably larger community, at 297 GitHub stars versus 22.
Why pick each one
Choose EGroupware if…
- Broad feature set
- Long-established project
Watch out for
- Interface feels dated
- Many modules to configure
Choose Tine if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in HTML
Watch out for
- Smaller community
- Documentation mostly in German
Frequently asked questions
Is EGroupware or Tine better?
Neither is universally better. EGroupware has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are EGroupware and Tine free and open-source?
Yes. EGroupware is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Tine under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run EGroupware and Tine with Docker?
EGroupware: yes. Tine: yes.