BookStack vs PBworks (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, BookStack grades higher than PBworks: 2.8 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
BookStack grades higher on value for money, the free plan and features. PBworks grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
BookStack
Free self-hosted wiki organized into books, chapters and pages
PBworks
Hosted team wikis and file sharing for organizations
Which one is for you
Pick BookStack if
- Fits if you want a free wiki on your own server and someone can run it
- Works for companies that need LDAP, SAML2 or OIDC sign-in without paying for it
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if nobody on the team can look after a PHP app and its database
- Not for you if you want a hosted wiki you just sign up for, because BookStack doesn't run one
- Pricey if you need support with a promised reply, which starts at £450 a year before VAT
- Watch out: it needs PHP 8.2 or later and MySQL 8.0 or MariaDB 10.6, and shared PHP hosting isn't supported
- Skip it if you want phone or desktop apps or many integrations; diagrams.net is the one listed
Pick PBworks if
- Fits if you want a hosted private wiki for a small group and no server
- Works for teams that need to share files with a few outside people
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you store files, as the free account holds 50 MB
- Watch out: the pages read are marked 2020 and give $20 per user without a billing period, so check before relying on it
- Skip it if you need integrations, as none are listed
- Pricey if you grow, since Wiki Hub Starter is $1,995 a year for 20 internal users
How we grade them
| 2.8GPABookStackGood | 2.0GPAPBworksFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AIt costs nothing. The whole application is MIT licensed with no paid edition at all, so there's no tier to climb; the only thing on sale is support, from £450 a year, and you can do without it. | C$20 per user a month, close to the category's middle at $18 and under its dearer quarter at $82.50. The page gives no billing period, and Wiki Hub Starter is $1,995 a year for 20 users. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright with nothing held back, LDAP, SAML2 and OIDC sign-in and multi-factor authentication included, and no cap a team would reach. Free support is the community, with no promise of a reply. | CA free account with 15 internal users, 5 external users, 5 wikis and email support, no time limit. The 50 MB of storage is a cap you will reach. |
| Features | BBooks, chapters and pages for structure, a WYSIWYG editor with an optional Markdown one, search inside a book or across the lot, links to any paragraph, diagrams.net drawing in the editor, page revisions, roles and permissions, and a documented API. The wiki job, covered. | CPrivate wikis, editing without code, outside users, search and notifications. That covers a basic wiki, with nothing beyond. |
| Ease of use | DYou host it yourself, and that's the whole difficulty: a server running PHP 8.2 or later with MySQL 8.0 or MariaDB 10.6, and shared PHP hosting is ruled out. There's no hosted version to sign up for instead. | CNo store rating on record. Editing needs no code, but wikis, permissions and outside access are set up by you. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only, with no phone or desktop apps on record and diagrams.net the one integration listed. Every install does document an API covering pages, chapters, books, shelves and attachments. | CWeb only; the pages read list no apps or integrations, only that content is reachable on computer, smartphone or tablet. |
| Best for | a free wiki on your own server | a simple private team wiki |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: BookStack and PBworks. How we grade
Price against what you get
BookStack starts at about $50.25 a month and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. PBworks starts at $20 a month for each person and scores 2.0.
They score the same, and PBworks starts $30.25 a month lower. Of the other docs and wiki tools on the chart, 32 score higher than BookStack for less, and 27 score higher than PBworks for less.
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
Where they differ
- BookStack is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- BookStack also covers Markdown, templates and diagrams.
- PBworks also covers documents and file sharing.
At a glance
| BookStack | PBworks | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | £450 per year for an optional support plan; the software itself is free | $20 per user / month |
| Free plan | The whole application is free and MIT licensed, with no cost to download and install your own instance. Community support carries no assurance of a response. | Free account: up to 15 internal users, 5 external users, 5 wikis and 50 MB of storage, with email support and no time limit. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Dan Brown | PBworks, Inc. |
| Price read from | bookstackapp.com | pbworks.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
BookStack
- There is no official hosted version: you install and maintain it yourself, which takes some knowledge of hosting a PHP application and database.
- It needs PHP 8.2 or later with MySQL 8.0 or MariaDB 10.6 or later, and shared PHP hosting is not supported.
- Paid support is priced in pounds, at £450 or £4,500 a year before VAT; free community support has no assured response.
PBworks
- The free account is capped at 50 MB of storage.
- The pages read are marked with a 2020 copyright and the pricing page states the $20 per user figure without a billing period, so re-check before relying on it.
- Separate Hub versions exist for projects, agencies, legal, business and education, and a custom quote is offered.
- The pages read list no desktop or mobile app; the vendor says content is reachable by computer, smartphone or tablet.
Key features
BookStack
- Books, chapters and pages
- All content sits in a three-level structure of books, chapters and pages, and pages can be re-sorted across books.
- WYSIWYG and Markdown editors
- Pages are written in a simple WYSIWYG editor by default. An optional Markdown editor shows a live preview as you write.
- Search and paragraph links
- Search works within a single book or across every book, chapter and page, and any paragraph can be linked to directly.
- Built-in diagrams
- The page editor has diagrams.net drawing built in, so diagrams can be created without leaving the documentation.
- Roles, permissions and sign-in
- A role and permission system locks down content and actions. Sign-in supports OIDC, SAML2 and LDAP besides email and password, and multi-factor authentication can be enforced per role.
- Revisions and API
- Page revisions and image management are built in, and each instance documents an API covering pages, chapters, books, shelves and attachments.
PBworks
- Private wikis
- Teams create private wikis that combine page content, links, embedded images, videos and files.
- Page editing without code
- Pages are edited and formatted without learning markup.
- Access for outside users
- Access can be granted to people outside the organization, in addition to internal users.
- Search and organization
- Content is organized by folder and found through search.
- Notifications
- Automated notifications keep members up to date on changes.
Plans
BookStack
BookStack (self-hosted)Free
The full application on your own server, with community support through the project's discussions, Codeberg and Reddit.
Professional Support Plan£450
per year, VAT not included
Email and help-desk support covering installation and updating issues, with high-priority handling of bug and issue reports.
Enterprise Support Plan£4,500
per year, VAT not included
Everything in Professional, plus highest-priority handling, help with API integrations and up to 10 hours of video support a year.
PBworks
Free$0
Up to 15 internal users, 5 external users, 5 wikis and 50 MB of storage.
Upgrade$20
per user / month (billing period not stated)
Per-user upgrade from the free account.
Wiki Hub Starter Package$1,995
per year for 20 internal users
20 internal users, 100 GB of storage and unlimited wikis.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, BookStack or PBworks?
As of Nov 12, 2026, BookStack starts at £450 per year for an optional support plan; the software itself is free, and PBworks starts at $20 per user / month. One is priced for each person and the other is not, so which costs less depends on how many of you use it.
Which has a free plan, BookStack or PBworks?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both BookStack and PBworks have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.