Open source DAM first built for Oxfam, developed by employee-owned Montala; self-host free or buy hosting.
Mid-marketSMBEU hosting: No
DAM Atlas Open source, Photo and media libraries, Mid-market DAM
Phraseanet (Alchemy) DAM Atlas vendor profile
Open source French DAM from Alchemy, with Phrasea replacing Phraseanet in 2026 as SaaS, on-premises or hybrid.
Verified: mediumLast verified 2026-10
In short
Phraseanet is an open source DAM published by Alchemy, a Paris software company registered in 1996, and released under GPL v3. In 2026 Alchemy is replacing it with Phrasea, a rewritten API-first open source DAM offered as SaaS, on-premises or hybrid. It fits organisations with in-house IT that want source code access and self-hosting.
Phraseanet (Alchemy) key facts
| Headquarters | Paris, France 48.86°N 2.35°E |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1996 |
| Ownership | Private, independent French company (Alchemy SARL), managed by Guillaume Maubert since 2005 |
| Employees | 6-9 (French company register, 2023) |
| Status | Active Alchemy states that Phrasea, a rewritten open source DAM, replaces Phraseanet in 2026 and offers migration; Phraseanet remains downloadable under GPL v3. |
| Market segments | Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Deployment | SaaS, On-premises · open source |
| EU data hosting | Unknown Alchemy acts as publisher, integrator and hosting provider, but the SaaS hosting location is not published; on-premises or hybrid deployment keeps data in the customer's own infrastructure. |
| European offices | Paris |
| Certifications | Not published or not verified |
| Pricing | Open source code free to download (Phraseanet under GPL v3); SaaS hosting, support, integration and migration services are quote-based. |
| Website | phraseanet.com |
Phraseanet (Alchemy) overview
Alchemy launched Phraseanet.com as a hosted DAM platform in 2001, shipped the first web-based Phraseanet IV in 2005 and released the code under GPL v3. The current Phraseanet 4.1 runs as a Docker stack and is maintained on GitHub. Alchemy now states that Phrasea replaces Phraseanet in 2026 and offers migration, and the GitHub README describes Phrasea as a separate new project with its own repository and documentation. In practice, new buyers should evaluate Phrasea directly, and existing Phraseanet users should plan and budget a migration.
Phrasea is positioned as an API-first open source DAM with Elasticsearch-based faceted search, single sign-on and multi-factor authentication, Docker and Kubernetes deployment, CDN delivery and connectors to PIM and business systems. Built-in AI detects text in images and suggests keywords, and a workflow engine can chain several AI services for enrichment. Customers can choose SaaS, on-premises or hybrid deployment and inspect the full source code, which suits organisations with data sovereignty requirements or strict exit planning.
Alchemy is a small company, with 6 to 9 employees in 2023 register data, that combines publishing with design, integration and support services. References shown on its sites include Vinci, France Télévisions, Société Générale, Monoprix and the City of Paris. Compared with other open source options such as ResourceSpace, buyers should weigh the smaller vendor team and French-language focus against direct access to the core developers.
Strengths
- Open source code with SaaS, on-premises and hybrid deployment gives strong control over data and lowers lock-in risk.
- API-first, containerised architecture on Docker and Kubernetes suits organisations with in-house IT teams.
- Workflow engine can orchestrate several AI services for indexing and enrichment.
- Long track record since 2001 with French broadcasters, banks, retailers and local government.
Considerations
- Phraseanet is being replaced by Phrasea in 2026, so existing users face a migration project.
- Alchemy is a small team of 6 to 9 employees (2023 register data), which matters for support capacity and continuity planning.
- SaaS hosting location, security certifications and creative tool plugins are not documented publicly.
- Market presence and documentation are concentrated in France and in French.
Best for
French and European organisations with in-house IT capability that want an open source, self-hostable DAM supported by its original developers.
Phraseanet (Alchemy) capabilities
- AI auto-taggingDocumented
- Generative AINot verified
- Brand portalNot verified
- Brand guidelinesNot verified
- Video managementNot verified
- Creative workflowNot verified
- TemplatingNot verified
- Rights managementNot verified
- Image CDN and resizingPartial
- PIM capabilitiesNot offered
- Adobe Creative Cloud pluginNot verified
- Figma pluginNot verified
- Microsoft 365 integrationNot verified
- Headless APIDocumented
Notable integrations
ElasticsearchDockerKubernetesSingle sign-on (SSO)Multi-factor authenticationCDN delivery
Recent developments
- 2026
Alchemy announced that Phrasea replaces Phraseanet in 2026 and began offering migration from Phraseanet to Phrasea.
Phraseanet (Alchemy) FAQ
Is Phraseanet open source?
Yes. Phraseanet can be downloaded free of charge under the GNU GPL v3 licence, and its successor Phrasea is also open source.
What is the difference between Phraseanet and Phrasea?
Phrasea is a rewritten, API-first open source DAM from the same publisher, Alchemy. Alchemy states that Phrasea replaces Phraseanet in 2026 and offers migration services.
Who develops Phraseanet?
Phraseanet and Phrasea are developed by Alchemy, a Paris software publisher and integrator registered in 1996.
Can Phrasea be self-hosted?
Yes. Phrasea is available as SaaS, on-premises or hybrid, and runs on Docker and Kubernetes.
Phraseanet (Alchemy) alternatives
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Sources
- Phraseanet: In 2026, Phrasea replaces Phraseanet
- Phrasea: Open source DAM
- Alchemy: Home
- Alchemy: About us
- GitHub: alchemy-fr/Phraseanet
- Pappers: Alchemy company record
Facts verified against the sources above in 2026-10. Vendors can request corrections at editors@digitalassetmanagementsystems.com.