The Foswiki Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Foswiki in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Foswiki
The Insider’s Guide
Free wiki platform you run on your own server
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among docs and wiki tools, read from Foswiki’s own pages.
Made by Foswiki community · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Foswiki’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Foswiki’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 10 of the 69 other docs and wiki tools we grade
Foswiki is a wiki platform that teams edit in the web browser. Macros let users build dynamic pages such as status boards, to-do lists and trackers, and more than 200 extensions add functions. It is written in Perl, installed on your own server, and compatible with TWiki.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Foswiki, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It needs a Perl server, support comes only from the community, and the site recommends upgrading when its security releases appear.
- 1
Best for a wiki you run on your own Perl server
Foswiki is a free wiki you install and run yourself, with browser editing, macros and extensions.
- 2
It is free
Foswiki has no paid plan at all. Free to download and run; you provide and maintain the server.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Browser editing
Team members create and edit pages directly in the web browser with a built-in WYSIWYG text editor.
- 5
Macros for dynamic pages
Macros automate pages and let users build applications such as status boards, to-do lists, inventory systems and bug trackers from within the browser.
- 6
Extensions
The site lists over 200 maintained extensions that expand what the wiki does out of the box.
- 7
A 2.2 GPA, above 10 of 69
That is against the other docs and wiki tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Foswiki is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Foswiki at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Foswiki community
- Category
- Docs & Wikis
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for a wiki you run on your own Perl server
Foswiki is a free wiki you install and run yourself, with browser editing, macros and extensions. It needs a Perl server, support comes only from the community, and the site recommends upgrading when its security releases appear.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Free to download, but it only runs on a server you provide, with Perl and Apache, Nginx or Lighttpd, so it is not free in practice and lands at the middle. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free to download and run, with no plan caps. The cost is the server and the upkeep, which sit outside the listing. |
| Features | C | Editing in the browser, macros for dynamic pages, extensions, layout customisation and TWiki compatibility. The wiki job is done, but there is no vendor support plan and no hosted version. |
| Ease of use | D | You install and maintain it yourself, which needs a Perl server and, on Unix-like systems, a few shell commands. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only, served from your own machine. No integrations or apps are listed on the pages read. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Foswiki is for
- Fits if you have a server and someone to look after it and want a wiki you fully control
- Works for teams moving off TWiki who want to keep its syntax
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want hosting, as you provide and maintain the server
- Not for you if you need paid support, as it comes from the community with no vendor plan
- Watch out: security releases were posted in 2023 and 2026, and the site says to upgrade when they appear
- Tight if you lack Perl and Apache, Nginx or Lighttpd skills
Good to know
Good for
- Organizations that want to run their own wiki with no license cost
- Teams with TWiki sites to migrate
Worth knowing
- You install and maintain it yourself: it needs a Perl server with Apache, Nginx or Lighttpd and, on Unix-like systems, a few shell commands.
- Support comes from the community; there is no vendor support plan on the site.
- The project posted security releases in 2023 and 2026, and its site recommends upgrading when they appear.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Foswiki is free to use.
Free to download and run, with no plan caps.
Foswiki
$0
Free platform with community-based support. You install and host it yourself.
The free plan
Free to download and run; you provide and maintain the server.
Read from foswiki.org on Nov 12, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Free wiki platform you run on your own server. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: self-hostable, wiki, documents.
Editing in the browser, macros for dynamic pages, extensions, layout customisation and TWiki compatibility.
- Browser editing
- Team members create and edit pages directly in the web browser with a built-in WYSIWYG text editor.
- Macros for dynamic pages
- Macros automate pages and let users build applications such as status boards, to-do lists, inventory systems and bug trackers from within the browser.
- Extensions
- The site lists over 200 maintained extensions that expand what the wiki does out of the box.
- Layout customization
- The look of the site can be changed for the whole site, or per page, user or group.
- TWiki compatibility
- Foswiki is compatible with TWiki and offers a migration path from it.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Foswiki is made by Foswiki community.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
10/69
Other docs and wiki tools it is graded above
Foswiki's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 10 of the 69 other docs and wiki tools we grade, and level with 14.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 51 of 69) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Foswiki has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 70 docs and wiki tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Foswiki’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 15 of 69
- AFree plan and trialAbove 51 of 69
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 69
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 69
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 69
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 63 docs and wiki tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Foswiki is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Foswiki is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 45 of the 69 other docs and wiki tools grade higher.
What you could make
- Wiki and documents: an app builder makes these well.
What this rests on. Foswiki’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
MediaWiki, DokuWiki, XWiki, Tiki Wiki and BookStack
The 5 tools Foswiki is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
MediaWiki
Free
The free wiki software that powers Wikipedia.
- MediaWiki is open source, according to its own site.
- Foswiki also covers documents.
- 2.6GPA
DokuWiki
Free
Open-source wiki software that needs no database.
- DokuWiki is open source, according to its own site.
- Foswiki also covers documents.
- 3.4GPA
XWiki
Free plan · from €309/yr
Open-source enterprise wiki with structured data and apps.
- XWiki is open source, according to its own site.
- Foswiki also covers documents.
- XWiki also covers databases.
- 2.4GPA
Tiki Wiki
Free
Open-source wiki, CMS and groupware in one package.
- Tiki Wiki is open source, according to its own site.
- Foswiki also covers documents.
- Tiki Wiki also covers databases, no-code and forms.
- 2.8GPA
BookStack
Free plan · from £450/yr
Free self-hosted wiki organized into books, chapters and pages.
- BookStack is open source, according to its own site.
- Foswiki also covers documents.
- BookStack also covers Markdown, templates and diagrams.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Foswiki free?
Yes. Foswiki is free to use.
How much does Foswiki cost?
Foswiki lists one plan. Foswiki: $0.
What platforms does Foswiki work on?
Foswiki is available on Web.
Does Foswiki have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Foswiki is listed for Web.
Does Foswiki have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Foswiki is listed for Web.
Is Foswiki open source?
Foswiki is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Can Foswiki be self-hosted?
Yes. Foswiki's own site says it can be run on a server of your own.
Who makes Foswiki?
Foswiki is made by Foswiki community.
What are the alternatives to Foswiki?
The closest alternatives to Foswiki in our directory are MediaWiki, DokuWiki, XWiki, Tiki Wiki and BookStack.
How does Foswiki compare with other docs and wiki tools?
Foswiki's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 10 of the 69 other docs and wiki tools we grade, and level with 14.
Is Foswiki good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Foswiki C for value for money. Foswiki has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Foswiki?
Foswiki is free, so making your own would save you nothing. That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 45 of the 69 other docs and wiki tools grade higher.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Foswiki’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Foswiki's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Foswiki community. Prices change, so check foswiki.org before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Foswiki, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/foswiki
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Foswiki: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/foswiki
Know someone choosing between docs and wiki tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/foswiki/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded docs and wiki tools after Foswiki, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Docs & Wikis Insider's GuideEvery one of the 70 docs and wiki tools we grade, compared
- Zoho Writer Insider's GuideFree online word processor with AI and document automation3.6 GPA
- Google Docs Insider's GuideBrowser-based word processor, free with a Google Account3.4 GPA
- ONLYOFFICE Insider's GuideOpen-source office suite for documents, sheets, slides and PDFs3.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Foswiki’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Foswiki is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Foswiki community. Prices and plans change: check foswiki.org before you buy.