Quick answer: Paperless-ngx is the self-hosted filing cabinet: Docker (app + Postgres + Redis), consume folder, OCR, TLS proxy – data in Germany.
- 4–8 GB VPS · Docker Compose · PAPERLESS_URL · proxy · backup DB + media
Shorter setup note · Nextcloud
VPS & root servers: Order VPS in Germany · NexoraHost · nexorahost.com (Maincubes FRA01 Frankfurt · Ryzen · NVMe · GDPR)
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What is Paperless-ngx?
Open-source DMS: OCR-searchable PDFs, tags, correspondents, due dates. For paperwork, not photos (use Immich).
Which VPS?
4 GB RAM minimum, 8 GB if OCR runs in parallel. NVMe for media. Frankfurt for GDPR.
Paperless or Nextcloud?
Paperwork + OCR: Paperless. File sync + Office: Nextcloud. Many run both.
How do documents get in?
Web upload, consume folder, mail import.
Backup?
Postgres dump + media/data volumes. Don’t rely on a snapshot without the DB.