Alternatives · Docs & Wikis
HedgeDoc alternatives
HedgeDoc compared with 4 alternatives: HackMD, Etherpad, CryptPad and Outline.
HedgeDoc is free to use. All 4 alternatives are free or have a free plan.
4 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 6, 2026 · Where the facts come from
At a glance
How each one differs from HedgeDoc
- Free plan · from $4/mo
HackMD
Real-time collaborative Markdown editor and knowledge base
- HackMD starts at $4 per month, billed yearly (Prime for a personal workspace). HedgeDoc is free.
- Only HackMD lists a browser extension.
- HedgeDoc is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- HackMD also covers templates.
- HedgeDoc also covers diagrams.
Suits: Developer teams that write documentation in Markdown
- Free
Etherpad
Open-source real-time collaborative editor you host yourself
- Etherpad is free. HedgeDoc is free.
- Only Etherpad lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
- Etherpad also covers documents.
- HedgeDoc also covers notes, Markdown, diagrams and presentations.
Suits: Institutions that must keep drafts on their own servers
- Free plan · from €5/mo
CryptPad
End-to-end encrypted, open-source collaborative office suite
- CryptPad starts at €5 per month, or €55 per year, for the Personal plan on cryptpad.fr. HedgeDoc is free.
- CryptPad is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- CryptPad also covers kanban boards, documents and spreadsheets.
- HedgeDoc also covers notes, Markdown, diagrams and presentations.
Suits: Groups that do not want their host to be able to read their documents
- Free plan · from $10/mo
Outline
Fast team knowledge base and wiki, cloud-hosted or self-hosted
- Outline starts at $10 per month for a team of 1 to 10 members (cloud-hosted). HedgeDoc is free.
- Only Outline lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Outline also covers AI search and wiki.
- HedgeDoc also covers notes, diagrams and presentations.
Suits: Teams that want a fast, Markdown-friendly internal wiki
Limits worth knowing in HedgeDoc
- There is no hosted service: you install it on your own server, from the release bundle or the Docker image, and put a reverse proxy in front of it.
- PDF export was removed because of security vulnerabilities; the FAQ suggests the browser's print-to-PDF function in the meantime.
- Only one server process can run against a database, so the FAQ rules out running several instances side by side.
- The public demo comes with a warning about its reliability and is meant for trying the editor, not for keeping notes.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to HedgeDoc?
The alternatives to HedgeDoc in this directory are HackMD, Etherpad, CryptPad and Outline. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with HedgeDoc.
Is there a free alternative to HedgeDoc?
Yes. Etherpad is free to use. HackMD, CryptPad and Outline have a free plan alongside paid ones.
Which HedgeDoc alternatives work on Windows?
The HedgeDoc listing does not include a Windows app. Etherpad and Outline list one.
Which HedgeDoc alternatives work on macOS?
The HedgeDoc listing does not include a macOS app. Etherpad and Outline list one.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 5, 2026 to Oct 6, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.