stella
stella: A free, open-source matter workspace with AI review, drafting, and self-hosting. Ranked #26 of 36 in Legal Document Management Software by our editors (6.2/10); pricing: Free plan; best for small firms seeking open-source AI document tools.
At a glance
- Editor score6.2 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forSmall firms seeking open-source AI document tools
- Free planYes
- Matter workspacesYes
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Matter workspaces organize documents, contacts, deadlines, and research
- Version history, restoration, templates, and .docx editing support drafting
- AI review tables provide cited source passages and reusable analysis
Where it doesn't
- Hosted cloud is currently in beta
- AI usage is billed by usage or through your own provider keys
- Integrations focus on MCP clients, CLI, and connected external tools
Our verdict on stella
stella is an open-source legal workspace built around matters. It brings documents, contacts, deadlines, research, chat, review tables, and drafting into matter-based workspaces. Legal teams can edit Word .docx files in a browser, restore earlier document versions, create reusable templates with fields and conditional clauses, and research case law and company registries. Its free core, self-hosting option, and AI capabilities make it particularly relevant to small firms that want control over their document environment.
The published model is freemium: the core workspace is free, while AI usage is charged according to consumption or can run through the user's own AI provider keys. AI features cover document analysis, tabular review with cited passages, and an agent that can work across matters, files, registries, and connected tools. This gives stella a distinctive review and research workflow rather than limiting AI to chat. Teams should account for provider or usage costs when planning ongoing AI work.
Deployment and ecosystem choices are broad in format but focused in connectivity. stella offers cloud, self-hosted, and desktop deployment, plus web and API access, a CLI, an MCP server, and a desktop bridge for Microsoft Word. Role-based access, audit trails, full-text search, OCR, and GDPR support are included in its stated capabilities. The hosted cloud is currently in beta, so organizations choosing it should weigh that status against the control of self-hosting. stella fits firms seeking an open-source matter-centered workspace; teams requiring a wider set of native integrations or a non-beta hosted service may need another system.
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stella pricing
stella fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Not verified |
| Matter workspaces | Yes |
| Full-text search | Yes |
| Version history | Yes |
| Audit trail | Yes |
| Access controls | Role_based |
| OCR support | Yes |
| Mobile apps | Not verified |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop |
| Platforms | Web |
| Compliance & security | GDPR |
| Support | Email, Community, Docs |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 3 integrations: MCP-compatible clients, CLI, connected external tools |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | stll.app |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
stella integrations
stella lists 3 integrations on its own site.
- MCP-compatible clients
- CLI
- connected external tools
Alternatives to stella
- HighQA matter-focused workspace for firms that need controlled documents, workflows, and collaboration.9.3
- KleosKleos unifies matter files, documents, email, billing and client exchange across major platforms.9.0
- NetDocumentsA mature legal DMS with deep controls, workflows, AI, and broad integrations.8.8
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Featured on iTechGuides
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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