How we sourced this: Daminion is hands-on tested (see our full review). We also install-tested ResourceSpace on our on-premise bench and cross-checked it against verified Capterra reviews; its 7.9 is its position in that ranking. Review figures cited are Capterra's (July 2026).
Side-by-side comparison
| Category | Daminion | ResourceSpace |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Teams cataloging NAS / file-server shares | Technical, budget-driven teams; nonprofits, universities |
| Licence cost | Budget-tier subscription | Free & open-source (BSD-style)Winner |
| Storage model | Indexes files in place — folders untouchedWinner | Ingests assets into its own repository |
| Setup time | ~Half a day (Windows install)Winner | ~Two days of LAMP config in our test |
| Platform | Windows server (web clients) | Linux/LAMP + Docker, cross-platformWinner |
| Metadata / IPTC | Full IPTC/XMP round-trip, controlled vocabularyWinner | Flexible schema; less out-of-box |
| Customization | Configurable, closed source | Unlimited — open source + public portalsWinner |
| Reviews | Hands-on tested, 4.8★Winner | ~4.3★ Capterra; support praised, UI steep |
ResourceSpace pricing, licensing and stack from resourcespace.com; rating from Capterra (small review base — treat as directional). Daminion measurements from our hands-on test cycle.
Winner by category
Daminion — in-place indexing, quick setup, IPTC fidelity, hands-on score. 4 of 8 rows.
ResourceSpace — zero licence, cross-platform, open-source customization. 4 of 8 rows.
Daminion — for most teams the half-day, files-in-place path beats two days of LAMP admin.
Cost and effort, concretely
“Free” is the headline and the trap. ResourceSpace's licence genuinely costs nothing — open-source, self-hostable via Docker or source — but the real bill is sysadmin time: our clean install to a themed, usable system took about two working days of LAMP configuration, and it assumes someone comfortable at that level. Daminion carries a budget-tier subscription but installs on a Windows box in roughly half a day and needs no PHP/MySQL expertise. Worked example: a nonprofit with in-house Linux skills and no software budget gets enormous value from ResourceSpace at zero licence cost; a 12-person firm that just wants its Synology archive searchable by next week, with no LAMP admin on staff, spends less total with Daminion once you price the setup days. And the storage models differ: Daminion leaves your files on the NAS, while ResourceSpace expects assets ingested into its repository — a real consideration if other apps and backups depend on your existing folder layout. See both in our on-premise DAM ranking and open-source roundup.
Final verdict
ResourceSpace is a genuinely great free DAM, and for a team with Linux skills and no budget it's hard to argue against zero licence cost and open-source freedom. But “free software” isn't “free project”: the two-day LAMP setup, the ingestion model, and the steeper interface all cost time that a small team feels. Daminion's premise — index the NAS you already have, keep the files where they are, be searching by lunch — is the shorter path to a working library for most teams, which is why it's our on-premise #1. Choose by what you have more of: engineering hours, or a budget line.
Choose Daminion if…
- You want files indexed in place on a NAS or file server
- You'd rather buy a licence than staff LAMP admin
- Fast setup and IPTC fidelity matter
Choose ResourceSpace if…
- Zero licence cost is a hard requirement
- You have Linux/LAMP skills in-house
- You want open-source customization and public portals
FAQ
Daminion or ResourceSpace for a self-hosted DAM?
Pick by team and skills. Daminion indexes your existing NAS or file-server shares in place, installs on Windows in about half a day, and sits in the budget price tier — ideal for teams that want files-in-place cataloging without server admin. ResourceSpace is genuinely free and open-source (PHP/MySQL), infinitely customizable and web-based, but you ingest assets into its own repository and budget real LAMP admin time. Technical, budget-driven teams lean ResourceSpace; teams wanting fast setup over a NAS lean Daminion.
Is ResourceSpace really free?
Yes — the software is free and open-source under a BSD-style license, self-hosted via source or Docker at no license cost. Montala, its maker, sells optional managed hosting and support packages on a quote-only basis. So the license is free, but budget for the sysadmin time it takes to install, theme and maintain a LAMP stack — our test build took about two days versus half a day for Daminion.
Does ResourceSpace index files in place like Daminion?
No, and this is the key architectural difference. Daminion catalogs files where they already live on your NAS or file server, leaving your folder structure untouched. ResourceSpace uses an ingestion model — assets are brought into its own managed repository. If keeping your existing folder layout and letting other apps and backups work unchanged matters, Daminion's files-in-place approach fits better.
Which is better reviewed, Daminion or ResourceSpace?
Both review well. Daminion is hands-on tested in our reviews and rates 4.8 stars there; ResourceSpace holds about 4.3 out of 5 on Capterra across a small number of reviews, where users especially praise Montala's fast support but note the interface is hard for non-technical users. Treat the numbers as directional given ResourceSpace's smaller review base.