Alternatives · Docs & Wikis
StackEdit alternatives
As of Nov 12, 2026, the best StackEdit alternative for most people is Outline (2.8 GPA), third in our ranking of docs and wiki tools. The best free one is BookStack (2.8 GPA).
StackEdit compared with 4 alternatives: HackMD, HedgeDoc, BookStack and Outline.
StackEdit is free to use. All 4 alternatives are free or have a free plan.
Listings checked up to Nov 12, 2026 · Where the facts come from
At a glance
Price against what you get
StackEdit has no paid plan and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. None of the 4 alternatives on this chart both scores higher and starts lower.
Outline scores higher without starting lower.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from StackEdit
HackMD
Real-time collaborative Markdown editor and knowledge base
- HackMD starts at $4 per month, billed yearly (Prime for a personal workspace).
- HackMD also lists a browser extension.
- HackMD also covers notes, templates and presentations.
- HackMD does not cover documents and diagrams, which StackEdit does.
Suits: Developer teams that write documentation in Markdown
HedgeDoc
Open-source, self-hosted collaborative Markdown editor
- HedgeDoc is free.
- HedgeDoc is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- HedgeDoc also covers notes and presentations.
- HedgeDoc does not cover documents, which StackEdit does.
Suits: Teams that write in Markdown and keep notes on their own server
BookStack
Free self-hosted wiki organized into books, chapters and pages
- BookStack starts at £450 per year for an optional support plan; the software itself is free.
- BookStack is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- BookStack also covers wiki and templates.
- BookStack does not cover documents, which StackEdit does.
Suits: Teams that want a free wiki running on their own server
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).
- Outline also lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Outline is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Outline also covers AI search and wiki.
- Outline does not cover documents and diagrams, which StackEdit does.
Suits: Teams that want a fast, Markdown-friendly internal wiki
Limits worth knowing in StackEdit
- It is an editor, not a wiki: there is no page tree or team permission system.
- The site footer carries a 2013-2019 copyright notice, so check the project's activity before depending on it.
- Sync and publishing need an account with the third-party service involved.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to StackEdit?
The alternatives to StackEdit in this directory are HackMD, HedgeDoc, BookStack and Outline. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with StackEdit.
Is there a free alternative to StackEdit?
Yes. HedgeDoc is free to use. HackMD, BookStack and Outline have a free plan alongside paid ones.
Which StackEdit alternatives work on Windows?
The StackEdit listing does not include a Windows app. Outline lists one.
Which StackEdit alternatives work on macOS?
The StackEdit listing does not include a macOS app. Outline lists one.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 5, 2026 to Nov 12, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.