Overview

HumHub is built for company intranets, knowledge bases, project hubs, and communities for customers or partners. Its core tools cover updates, files, search, notifications, and social interaction, while optional modules let organizations add capabilities as needed. That breadth can fit a small nonprofit or a large organization, but it also means HumHub is better for buyers willing to shape their workspace than for those seeking a narrowly defined, turnkey product.

Organizations can host it on their own infrastructure or use managed SaaS hosted on European servers. Self-hosting keeps data in the organization's environment; the SaaS service is described as GDPR-compliant and hosted under ISO 27001. Those are meaningful distinctions for organizations weighing operational control against managed hosting.

Key features

Personalized dashboards and activity streams give users a shared place for updates, while configurable notifications help them follow relevant activity. Full-text search and file management support knowledge sharing, and granular permissions help administrators control access. These capabilities make HumHub suitable for spaces where internal communication and reference material need to coexist.

More than 80 optional modules include News, Messenger, Calendar, LDAP, SAML SSO, surveys, and translation tools. Integrations include OnlyOffice, Collabora Online, LDAP, SAML SSO, and a RESTful API. The range is a strength for organizations with specific requirements, though choosing and configuring modules is part of making the platform fit. Private spaces, event hosting, and moderation tools also support member communities as well as internal networks.

HumHub is responsive on smartphones, tablets, and desktop devices, and offers Android and iOS apps. Mobile access is therefore part of the platform rather than limited to a desktop browser.

Pricing

The Community Edition is free under the AGPLv3 open-source license and is self-hosted on the organization's servers. It includes access to the Module Marketplace and free upgrades, with support through the community and GitHub. This is the clearest fit for organizations able to manage their own hosting and rely on community support; it does not include the paid editions' support arrangements.

The Professional Edition costs 144.00 EUR per month on a monthly license and is displayed for up to 100 users with SaaS hosting and no onboarding. It includes premium support by email or helpdesk, all updates and upgrades including security patches, prioritized bug fixing, and long-term maintenance of the latest two major releases. This makes it a more supported managed option for networks within that user limit, though the displayed price is tied to that configuration.

The Enterprise Edition has custom pricing. It includes a dedicated hosting cluster, a 99.5% uptime SLA, a dedicated Customer Success Manager, a custom contract, DPA and security review, and multi-site or multi-tenant deployments. Its service level and deployment options are aimed at organizations with larger operational requirements; networks with 1,000 or more users require a custom quote.

Platforms

HumHub is available on the web, Android, and iOS, and supports self-hosted deployment. An API is also available. Its responsive design extends access across phones, tablets, and desktop devices, while self-hosting gives organizations the option to keep data within their own environment.

Who it's for

HumHub is a strong fit for organizations building an intranet, knowledge base, project hub, or customer and partner community, especially when private spaces, moderation, or configurable permissions matter. Small teams and nonprofits can start with the free self-hosted edition, while organizations seeking managed hosting and premium support can consider Professional. Buyers wanting a dedicated cluster, service-level commitment, or multi-site setup should look at Enterprise. It is less compelling for teams that want a fixed, minimal setup without decisions about hosting and modules.

Pros and cons

Pros: More than 80 optional modules and integrations give organizations room to tailor intranets and communities to their needs.
Pros: Self-hosting preserves control of the data environment, while managed SaaS is hosted on European servers and described as GDPR-compliant under ISO 27001.
Pros: Free Community Edition includes marketplace access and upgrades, making self-managed adoption possible without a license charge.
Cons: Community Edition support is through community channels and GitHub rather than the paid editions' direct support.
Cons: Professional's displayed monthly price covers up to 100 users, and networks of 1,000 or more need custom pricing.
Cons: The broad module catalog and choice of hosting model mean organizations must decide how to configure and operate their workspace.

Alternatives

Consider Appspace Signage if a freemium option with a defined free allowance is a better match: its free plan covers one compatible device, two Premium Users, up to two Admins, 5GB storage, and 5GB/month bandwidth.

Akumina is a paid alternative with Android, API, iOS, self-hosted, and web platforms. Omnia is a paid option available on Android, API, iOS, and web. Consider Jalios Intranet if a free trial matters; it is paid, supports self-hosting, and its Intranet price depends on the product and employee count.

Axero is a paid alternative with a free trial but no free plan; its Standard plan includes workspaces and groups, communication tools, content management, notifications, task management, and gamification. MangoApps is another paid option with a free trial; its Communications & Intranet plan is 9.00 USD per month, starting from 200 employees, with volume pricing and a second-suite discount applied in the described pricing structure.

Blink may suit teams seeking a paid, per-user option with a free trial: its Core plan is 4.50 USD per month per user and includes company branding, internal communications, real-time collaboration, and a knowledge hub. Colibo is a paid alternative with a 16.00 EUR per month per-user starting price from 50 users; price varies by user type and decreases with more users, with one-time implementation costs.

HumHub also appears in directories for Employee Intranet Software, Social Networking Software, Online Community Platforms, Community Platforms, and Team Collaboration Software.

Verdict

Choose HumHub if your organization wants a configurable intranet or community platform and values the choice between self-hosting and managed SaaS. Its modular range, access controls, and free self-hosted edition are the strongest reasons to consider it. Look elsewhere if you need a simpler fixed setup, or if your organization requires managed support or hosting beyond the Professional edition's stated user limit without moving to a custom Enterprise arrangement.

	HumHub	Lobsters
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	No	No
Paid from	—	—
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Android, api, iOS, self-hosted, Web	Web
Free plan	Yes	—
Moderation tools	—	advanced
Direct messaging	—	Yes
Mobile apps	—	web app

HumHub vs Lobsters

HumHub

Lobsters