5 Free Digital Asset Management (DAM) Tools You Can Start Using Today

Did you know that more than half of marketers waste their investments on assets that go unused because people don’t know they exist or struggle to find them? Further, 46%Opens a new window of marketers spend too much time on an inefficient download and upload process. This is why Digital Asset Management (DAM) tools are so critical. In a world where content consumption is rapidly growing, DAM helps to organize, archive, and utilize your digital assets – particularly multimedia files – effectively. 

It’s no surprise that digital asset management software is expected to be worth $8.5 billionOpens a new window by 2025. 

But DAM Opens a new window isn’t only about expensive software meant for large Fortune 100s. There are several free and open-source DAM tools out there you can start using today. 

The five open source tools we list in this article are well-suited to a wide range of use cases, so let’s dive right in. 

Learn More: 5 Ways Digital Asset Management (DAM) Can Go Beyond Text 

5 DAM Tools You Can Use for Free 

Like any other software market, digital asset management tools come in all shapes and sizes. The slightly more expensive or premium options are a) feature-rich b) easy to implement and c) come with robust support services. If your asset requirements are limited right now, not warranting a large investment, you may want to explore free DAM tools that tick two out of three boxes. Here are our top five recommendations arranged in alphabetical order: 

1. IslandoraOpens a new window

What is it?

Islandora is a completely free, open-source software framework built on Drupal (an open-source CMS), Fedora (an open-source software development platform), and Solr (an open-source enterprise search platform). Its components have either a general public license or are licensed under MIT. It supports almost every asset type, including image, video, and PDF, and is hosted on GitHub. You can also find it on Slack, Google Groups, Twitter, and YouTube. 

Feature highlights 

Right from out of the box, Islandora offers batch ingest & migrations, sophisticated searching, flexible metadata and storage, multilingual content & interface, and detailed usage statistics. You can use Islandora as a foundation to build your own DAM capabilities. 

Cons 

It requires significant technical knowledge, and ideally, you should be an existing member of the Git Hub open-source community. 

Who’s it for? 

It’s meant primarily for educational institutions and large not-for-profit organizations. 

2. NuxeoOpens a new window

What is it? 

Nuxeo is a DAM technology provider built on an open-source foundation. The company’s source code, documentation, roadmap, etc., are all publicly available, but Nuxeo also offers superior capabilities like its own content cloud and an AI-based analytics engine. The Nuxeo platform is a cloud-native, low code DAM tool that integrates with Salesforce, OpenText, SharePoint, Box, Lotus Notes, and nearly every other content source. 

Feature highlights

Nuxeo boasts of a sophisticated Federation Framework that lets you build custom applications and interfaces. Apart from the usual file formats, Nuxeo supports 3D rendering, diagrams, and more. Nuxeo also supports content transformation, with closed captioning, optical character recognition (OCR), and paid custom services. 

Cons 

This is a freemium product and you might need paid services to utilize more advanced AI and transformation services. 

Who’s it for?

Any company with an elaborate marketing blueprint is its ideal customer – L’Oreal, Fox, and EA are some of its existing users. 

3. Pics.ioOpens a new window

What is it? 

Pics.io is a free (not open-source) digital asset management software that’s image-first. It can fetch files from Adobe, Google Drive, Slack, and Zapier, giving you a central location to store all your digital assets. It is meant primarily for designers and marketers working with digital content, with a prominent use case in today’s gig economy. 

Feature highlights 

The free version of Pics.io includes basic DAM functionalities like change tracking, structuring file storage, linked assets, and custom search. There’s also unlimited storage, commenting for in-app collaborations, daily activity logs, and 72-hour turnaround time for any support query. Most importantly, Pics.io requires little to no technical expertise. 

Cons 

The free DAM tool has a 50,000 asset limit, and you can’t onboard additional users as teammates. 

Who’s it for?

Small businesses, independent power users, and freelancers – particularly in the visual marketing sector – can gain from Pics.io. It is also easy to scale by investing in one of the paid plans between $18 and $840 per month. 

Learn More: Kick Off Digital Asset Management (DAM) Selection With 4 Tips 

4. PimcoreOpens a new window

What is it? 

Pimcore is among the leading open-source digital asset management tools out there, recognized by Gartner since 2014. It is a sophisticated solution that offers a free alternative to solutions like Adobe, Oracle, Informatica, and others, provided you are ready to invest some time and effort in building it out. Its DAM software enables a consolidated digital media repository across the enterprise. 

Feature highlights 

Pimcore is chock-full of handy features such as compatibility with 220+ formats, AI/ML-powered by Google TensorFlow, integration with other systems, and an advanced workflow engine. You can access enterprise extensions like an asset portal for images, customer management framework, object merger, custom notifications, and hundreds of others for a fee. 

Cons 

Pimcore Community Edition (a 100% free DAM tool) can be slightly limited in the face of more demanding scenarios like running an end-to-end e-commerce store. 

Who’s it for 

Digital media agencies, small online businesses, and any company with a large repository of media assets spread across platforms can use Pimcore for free, provided you have some degree of technical expertise. 

5. ResourceSpaceOpens a new window  

What is it? 

ResourceSpace is an open-source-based digital asset management tool that has both free and paid options. The company also offers hosting & support services if you want to augment your installation. ResourceSpace caters to large and commercial enterprises through its Premium offerings and service capabilities, while its free DAM tool is used by nonprofits, educational institutions, and the public sector. 

Feature highlights 

ResourceSpace Free includes 100 GB of free storage compared to Pics.io, which has a storage limit of 50,000 assets. Also, it supports unlimited users for in-app collaboration. ResourceSpace boasts secure asset access, workflow and version control, open-source analytics, flexible metadata, content conversion, and powerful search functionality. 

Cons 

Like most open-source DAM tools, ResourceSpace requires significant effort during setup. The more advanced capabilities like asset backup and next-gen security are paid. 

Who’s it for? 

ResourceSpace Free is excellent for organizations with 100 GB or less in content and those who are at a mature stage on their growth trajectory. It also supports basic content publishing automation (a little like a CMS) for social media, suitable for small brands. 

Learn More: Top 10 Digital Asset Management (DAM) Software Solutions for 2020 

Closing Thoughts: Can Free Files Storage Replace a DAM? 

The short answer is, no – it can’t. 

Storage systems like OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, etc., while free, don’t include essential DAM features such as asset categorizations, tracking, and integration. It is a better idea to integrate your storage systems with a dedicated digital asset management tool, so you get the best of both worlds. The open-source/free options we listed make it easy to get started at minimal costs. And let us leave you with honorary mentions: 

• RazunaOpens a new window – an open-source DAM with few but solid features
• PhraseanetOpens a new window – an open-source DAM for media professionals with technical know-how 

Open-source DAM tools like these are the first step towards organizing your content and asset landscape, making the most of it across your various development, marketing, and growth initiatives. 

Have you tried any of the free/open-source digital asset management tools we discussed? Comment below or let us know on LinkedInOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , or FacebookOpens a new window . We’d love to hear from you!