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Deep Dive: Free Collaboration Tools for Small Teams – ONLYOFFICE, Trello & WeKan
1. Introduction
For micro-teams of five or fewer, budgets are tight, needs are focused, and speed is everything. How can you build a zero-cost collaboration stack that covers both document co-editing and task management? This article compares three leading free solutions—ONLYOFFICE Docs (Collaborative Space), Trello (Free Plan) and WeKan (Open-Source Kanban)—across five dimensions: feature set, deployment options, data sovereignty, ease of use, and extensibility.
| Dimension | ONLYOFFICE Docs | Trello | WeKan |
|---|---|---|---|
| User Limit | 5 users forever free | Unlimited members & boards | Unlimited members & boards |
| Document Collaboration | Real-time co-editing, comments, version history | Card attachments (view-only) | Card attachments (view-only) |
| Task Management | Boards, Gantt (via add-on) | Boards, Calendar, Timeline | Boards, Calendar |
| Deployment | Cloud Free / Self-hosted | Cloud Free | Self-hosted (Docker/binary) |
| Data Sovereignty | Full control when self-hosted | Data on Atlassian servers | Full control |
| Extensibility | Add-on store, REST API | Power-Ups (1 free) | Limited plug-ins |
| Learning Curve | ★★☆ (feature-rich) | ★☆☆ (ultra-simple) | ★★☆ (requires setup) |
| Best For | Deep docs + light project mgmt | Lightweight tasks + brainstorming | Tech teams + compliance |
3. Feature-by-Feature Analysis
3.1 ONLYOFFICE Docs (Collaborative Space)
Positioning: Docs + light project management in one.
Key Strengths:
• Real-time co-editing: Up to five users can edit Word/Excel/PowerPoint simultaneously with conflict resolution, comments, chat and version history.
• Granular permissions: Admin, Editor and Viewer roles—ideal for creative agencies and consultancies that need tight access control.
• Self-hosting option: Deploy on-prem or in your private cloud for full data ownership, meeting GDPR, ISO 27001 and other compliance mandates.
• Extensibility: 20+ add-ons (Gantt, forms, mail-merge) and a REST API.
Limitations: Free tier caps at five users; task management is basic without add-ons.
Case Study:
PixelLab, a four-person design studio, runs ONLYOFFICE on a local NAS. Team members co-edit proposals in real time while Trello tracks deliverables. After six months, on-time delivery improved by 30 %.
3.2 Trello (Free Plan)
Positioning: Ultra-simple Kanban + creative collaboration.
Key Strengths:
• Zero learning curve: Drag-and-drop boards, cards, labels, due dates and attachments—perfect for non-technical teams.
• Unlimited boards: Free plan supports unlimited boards, so multiple projects can run in parallel.
• Power-Ups: One free Power-Up per board (Calendar, Slack, etc.).
• Cross-platform: Web, iOS, Android and desktop apps.
Limitations: Weak document collaboration (attachments are view-only); data resides on Atlassian servers.
Case Study:
EventFlow, an event-planning team, uses Trello to manage 12 concurrent events. Each card captures owner, budget and materials; Calendar view keeps timelines visible. On-time delivery hit 95 %.
3.3 WeKan (Open-Source Kanban)
Positioning: Tech teams + data sovereignty first.
Key Strengths:
• 100 % open source: MIT license, transparent code, fork-friendly.
• Self-host ready: One-line Docker deployment; supports LDAP, OAuth2 and other auth methods.
• Lightweight: Meteor-based, single-container footprint, low resource usage.
• Customizable boards: Swimlanes, labels, colors and attachments for agile workflows.
Limitations: UI is utilitarian; smaller plug-in ecosystem than Trello; deployment requires technical know-how.
Case Study:
CodeCrafters, a startup, runs WeKan on AWS EC2. Cards automatically link to GitLab branches via webhooks. Average bug-fix cycle dropped by 40 %.
4. Recommendations
- Document collaboration first:
Combine ONLYOFFICE Docs (for docs & permissions) with Trello (for tasks & brainstorming). - Task management first:
• Non-technical teams → Trello (fastest ramp-up, rich ecosystem).
• Technical teams → WeKan (integrates with Git, CI/CD, fully self-hosted). - Data sovereignty critical:
Deploy ONLYOFFICE self-hosted + WeKan self-hosted to keep all data on-prem and audit-ready.
5. Conclusion
The sweet spot for micro-teams isn’t “all-in-one,” but “just enough + easy to use + fully controllable.”
• ONLYOFFICE fills Trello’s document gap with deep co-editing.
• Trello wins on simplicity and ecosystem breadth.
• WeKan delivers open-source transparency and on-prem control.
Match your team’s size, technical skill and compliance needs to the decision tree above, and you can build a zero-cost, secure and scalable collaboration stack today.
Get started now:
• Try ONLYOFFICE: https://www.onlyoffice.com
• Sign up for Trello: https://trello.com
• Deploy WeKan: https://github.com/wekan/wekan
May your small team collaborate smoothly and productively. Happy shipping!