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ToolGPA

mdBook vs MkDocs (2026): which should you pick?

As of Nov 13, 2026, mdBook and MkDocs share a 2.6 GPA, both are free, so the choice depends on which platforms you need.

Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA

They get the same grade on all five counts.

Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.

mdBook

Command-line tool that builds books from Markdown

Free
Full detailsrust-lang.github.io

MkDocs

Static site generator for Markdown project documentation

Free
Full detailsmkdocs.org

Which one is for you

Pick mdBook if

  • Fits if you write manuals or project guides in Markdown
  • Works for Rust projects, as it's installed with Cargo

Look elsewhere if

  • Not for you if you avoid a command line, as that's the only way to use it
  • Skip it if you want a hosted editor, as there are no accounts or comments
  • Watch out: building from source needs a recent Rust version
  • Watch out: you host the output yourself

Pick MkDocs if

  • Fits if you are comfortable with Python and a terminal and want docs from Markdown files
  • Works for a project that already hosts static files on GitHub Pages or S3

Look elsewhere if

  • Not for you if you want a web editor, as it only builds a site
  • Skip it if no one on the team can use a command line
  • Watch out: many themes and extra features come from third-party plugins
  • Too light for a team wiki, since there are no accounts, comments or hosting

How we grade them

2.6GPAmdBookGood2.6GPAMkDocsGood
Value for money
AFree and open source under the Mozilla Public License v2.0; you pay only for the hosting. A program anyone can download and run is graded as free and substantial.
AFree and open source under a BSD license, a program anyone can download and run, with only the hosting of the output to pay for. That is under 60% of the category's cheapest quarter.
Free plan and trial
AFree outright, with no plan or cap. The only cost is wherever you host the output.
ANo plan, no caps. You pay only for wherever you host the built site, which can be free.
Features
CMarkdown books, search, code highlighting and testing, themes and preprocessors. It builds books fully, and that is a small job.
CMarkdown source, a live preview server, themes, plugins and hosting anywhere. It does that one job fully, but it is a smaller job: it only builds, and features beyond the basics come from third-party plugins.
Ease of use
DIt's a developer tool run from the command line with files you write yourself. No store rating on record.
DA command-line tool that needs a recent Python and its package manager, plus a config file to edit.
Platforms and integrations
CPrograms for Windows, macOS and Linux, which count as one device type. Output is a static site.
CBuilds a web site from files. GitHub Pages and Amazon S3 are the hosting routes named, and there is no hosted service or app.
Best forbooks and manuals built from Markdowna Markdown docs site built with Python

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: mdBook and MkDocs. How we grade

Price against what you get

mdBook has no paid plan and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. MkDocs has no paid plan and scores 1.7.

On this chart the two sit in the same place: the same score for the same starting price. Of the other docs and wiki tools on the chart, none scores higher than mdBook for less, and none scores higher than MkDocs for less.

Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged

D1.0C2.0B3.0A4.0Free$0.5$1$2$5$10$20$50$100$200$500$1k$2kMore for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessmdBookMkDocs

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
The full chart of docs and wiki tools, and the best at every price

Where they differ

    In commonFree planOpen sourceMarkdownDocuments

    At a glance

    mdBookMkDocs
    PricingFreeFree
    Starts atFreeFree
    Free planFree and open source under the Mozilla Public License v2.0; you pay only for wherever you host the output.Free and open source under a BSD license; you pay only for wherever you host the output.
    Free trialNone listedNone listed
    Web
    macOS
    Windows
    Linux
    Made byThe Rust Project (mdBook contributors)MkDocs Team
    Price read fromrust-lang.github.iomkdocs.org
    CheckedNov 13, 2026Nov 12, 2026

    Worth knowing

    mdBook

    • It is a command-line tool with no hosted editor, accounts or comments.
    • The installation page lists binaries for Windows, macOS and Linux, or building from source with a recent Rust version.
    • You host the output yourself.

    MkDocs

    • It is a command-line tool that needs a recent Python and the Python package manager to install.
    • It only builds a site: there is no web editor, accounts or hosting.
    • Features beyond the basics, including many themes, come from third-party plugins.

    Key features

    mdBook

    Markdown books
    Content is written in Markdown and rendered as a book with a navigable table of contents.
    Integrated search
    Search is built in; the keyboard shortcut S or / opens it in the output.
    Code highlighting and testing
    Code blocks get syntax highlighting, and Rust code samples can be tested automatically.
    Themes
    Light, Rust, Coal, Navy and Ayu themes are included, and theme files allow custom formatting.
    Preprocessors and backends
    Preprocessors extend the syntax or change content, and built-in backends render HTML or Markdown.

    MkDocs

    Markdown source
    Documentation is written in Markdown files and configured with a single YAML file.
    Live preview server
    A built-in development server auto-reloads the browser whenever a file changes.
    Themes
    Two themes, mkdocs and readthedocs, are built in; third-party themes are listed on the MkDocs wiki and catalog.
    Plugins and extensions
    Plugins and Markdown extensions change how pages are built and rendered.
    Host anywhere
    The output is static HTML, which can go on GitHub Pages, Amazon S3 or any web host.

    Plans

    mdBook

    • Open source$0

      Free under the Mozilla Public License v2.0. You build books with the mdbook command and host the output yourself.

    MkDocs

    • Open source$0

      Free and open source under a BSD license. You build the site with Python and host the output yourself.

    Common questions

    Which is cheaper, mdBook or MkDocs?

    As of Nov 13, 2026, both mdBook and MkDocs are free to use.

    Which has a free plan, mdBook or MkDocs?

    As of Nov 13, 2026, both mdBook and MkDocs have a free plan.

    Which platforms do mdBook and MkDocs run on?

    As of Nov 13, 2026, only mdBook lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps and only MkDocs lists a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.

    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.
    How we review and grade