The HedgeDoc Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about HedgeDoc 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.
HedgeDoc
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source, self-hosted collaborative Markdown editor
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among docs and wiki tools, read from HedgeDoc’s own pages.
Made by HedgeDoc Project · checked Oct 6, 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 HedgeDoc’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on HedgeDoc’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 6, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.6
GPA, above 25 of the 51 other docs and wiki tools we grade
HedgeDoc, formerly known as CodiMD, is an open-source Markdown editor that runs in the browser and is installed on your own server. Anyone given a note's link can edit it with others in real time, and the same Markdown can produce graphs, diagrams and reveal.js slide decks. Revisions track the changes to each note. The code is free under the AGPL 3.0 license, and the project's site lists no hosted or paid edition.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about HedgeDoc, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Once that's done, you share a note by its link.
- 1
Best for Markdown notes and slides on your own server
Teams that can't run a server should look elsewhere.
- 2
It is free
HedgeDoc has no paid plan at all. HedgeDoc is free and open source under the AGPL 3.0 license. You install it on your own server; a public demo instance exists only for trying it out.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Collaborative Markdown editing
Notes are written in Markdown and edited by several people in real time. Sharing a note's link is all it takes to bring co-workers in.
- 5
Presentation mode
Slides are written in Markdown and presented straight from the browser, powered by reveal.js.
- 6
Graphs and diagrams
Notes can include many types of graphs and diagrams as well as embedded content, all written inside the Markdown.
- 7
A 2.6 GPA, above 25 of 51
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
HedgeDoc is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
HedgeDoc at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- HedgeDoc Project
- Category
- Docs & Wikis
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
The report card
Best for Markdown notes and slides on your own server
HedgeDoc is a free, open-source Markdown editor you install on your own server, where co-workers with a note's link can type in it with you and the same Markdown can become diagrams or a slide deck. There's no hosted version, setup needs Node.js 20, a database and a reverse proxy, PDF export was removed over security problems, and only one server process can run per database. Teams that can't run a server should look elsewhere.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free and open source under the AGPL 3.0 licence, and the project's site lists no hosted or paid edition, so there is nothing to buy at any point. You pay for a server and nothing else. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free outright. The full editor installs from the release bundle or the Docker image, with help from the community forum and Matrix chat. The public demo is only for trying it out, not for keeping notes. |
| Features | C | Real-time Markdown editing, reveal.js slides, graphs and diagrams in the note, per-note permissions and revisions you can revert to. It does that job fully and it's a smaller job than a wiki: PDF export was removed over security problems, and the FAQ points you at the browser's print dialog. |
| Ease of use | D | There's no hosted service at all. You install it yourself with Node.js 20 or later and a PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB or SQLite database, and put a reverse proxy in front. Once that's done, you share a note by its link. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Browser only, served from your own machine, with no phone or desktop app and no API on record. What's listed as integrations is really sign-in and storage: GitHub, GitLab, Nextcloud, Keycloak, Entra ID and MinIO. |
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 HedgeDoc is for
- Fits if your team writes in Markdown and wants its notes on its own server
- Works for people who would rather write slide decks in Markdown
Who it is not for
- Skip it if nobody can run a server, because there's no hosted version to sign up for
- Not for you if you export to PDF a lot, since that feature was removed and the FAQ points to print-to-PDF
- Too light for big deployments, as only one server process can run against a database
- Watch out: the public demo carries a reliability warning and isn't for keeping notes
- Skip it if you want phone or desktop apps or an API, as none are on record
Good to know
Good for
- Teams that write in Markdown and keep notes on their own server
- Building and presenting slide decks from Markdown
- Small servers: the project says it runs on a Raspberry Pi
Worth knowing
- 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.
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
HedgeDoc is free to use.
The full editor installs from the release bundle or the Docker image, with help from the community forum and Matrix chat.
HedgeDoc
$0
The full editor, installed on your own server from the release bundle or the Docker image, with help from the community forum and Matrix chat.
The free plan
HedgeDoc is free and open source under the AGPL 3.0 license. You install it on your own server; a public demo instance exists only for trying it out.
Read from hedgedoc.org on Oct 6, 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
Open-source, self-hosted collaborative Markdown editor. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, real-time collaboration, notes, Markdown, diagrams, presentations.
Real-time Markdown editing, reveal.js slides, graphs and diagrams in the note, per-note permissions and revisions you can revert to.
- Collaborative Markdown editing
- Notes are written in Markdown and edited by several people in real time. Sharing a note's link is all it takes to bring co-workers in.
- Presentation mode
- Slides are written in Markdown and presented straight from the browser, powered by reveal.js.
- Graphs and diagrams
- Notes can include many types of graphs and diagrams as well as embedded content, all written inside the Markdown.
- Permissions and revisions
- Each note's permissions are set from a dropdown, and revisions keep track of changes so a note can be reverted to any older version.
- Sign-in options
- The documentation has setup guides for LDAP, OAuth and SAML, and for signing in with GitHub, GitLab, Keycloak, Mattermost, Nextcloud, Authelia and Microsoft Entra ID.
- Light server requirements
- It needs Node.js 20 or later and a PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB or SQLite database, and the project says it runs smoothly on a Raspberry Pi.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- GitHub
- GitLab
- Nextcloud
- Mattermost
- Keycloak
- Microsoft Entra ID
- MinIO
- Google Cloud Storage
HedgeDoc is made by HedgeDoc Project.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
25/51
Other docs and wiki tools it is graded above
HedgeDoc's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 25 of the 51 other docs and wiki tools we grade, and level with 8.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 39 of 51) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
HedgeDoc 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 52 docs and wiki tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. HedgeDoc’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 38 of 51
- AFree plan and trialAbove 39 of 51
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 51
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 51
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 51
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 47 docs and wiki tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. HedgeDoc 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
HedgeDoc is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
What you could make
- Markdown and notes: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- A slide editor.
- A diagram editor.
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
- It plugs into other products, GitHub, GitLab and Nextcloud among them.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: single sign-on and roles and permissions.
What this rests on. HedgeDoc’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
HackMD, Etherpad, CryptPad and Outline
The 4 tools HedgeDoc is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
HackMD
Free plan · from $4/mo
Real-time collaborative Markdown editor and knowledge base.
- Only HackMD lists a browser extension.
- HedgeDoc is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- HedgeDoc also covers diagrams.
- 2.6GPA
Etherpad
Free
Open-source real-time collaborative editor you host yourself.
- Only Etherpad lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
- HedgeDoc also covers notes, Markdown, diagrams and presentations.
- Etherpad also covers documents.
- 3.0GPA
CryptPad
Free plan · from €5/mo
End-to-end encrypted, open-source collaborative office suite.
- CryptPad is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- HedgeDoc also covers notes, Markdown, diagrams and presentations.
- CryptPad also covers kanban boards, documents and spreadsheets.
- 2.8GPA
Outline
Free plan · from $10/mo
Fast team knowledge base and wiki, cloud-hosted or self-hosted.
- Only Outline lists macOS and Windows apps.
- HedgeDoc also covers notes, diagrams and presentations.
- Outline also covers AI search and wiki.
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 HedgeDoc free?
Yes. HedgeDoc is free to use.
How much does HedgeDoc cost?
HedgeDoc lists one plan. HedgeDoc: $0.
What platforms does HedgeDoc work on?
HedgeDoc is available on Web.
Does HedgeDoc have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. HedgeDoc is listed for Web.
Does HedgeDoc have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. HedgeDoc is listed for Web.
Is HedgeDoc open source?
Yes. HedgeDoc is open source, according to its own site.
What does HedgeDoc integrate with?
HedgeDoc's listing names GitHub, GitLab, Nextcloud, Mattermost, Keycloak, Microsoft Entra ID, MinIO and Google Cloud Storage.
Who makes HedgeDoc?
HedgeDoc is made by HedgeDoc Project.
What are the alternatives to HedgeDoc?
The closest alternatives to HedgeDoc in our directory are HackMD, Etherpad, CryptPad and Outline.
How does HedgeDoc compare with other docs and wiki tools?
HedgeDoc's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 25 of the 51 other docs and wiki tools we grade, and level with 8.
Is HedgeDoc good value for money?
ToolGPA grades HedgeDoc A for value for money. HedgeDoc has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of HedgeDoc?
HedgeDoc is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from HedgeDoc’s own pages on Oct 6, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from HedgeDoc's own pages on 6 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-01-21.
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 HedgeDoc Project. Prices change, so check hedgedoc.org before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 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.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- HedgeDoc, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/hedgedoc
- 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, "HedgeDoc: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/hedgedoc
Know someone choosing between docs and wiki tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/hedgedoc/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded docs and wiki tools after HedgeDoc, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Docs & Wikis Insider's GuideEvery one of the 52 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 HedgeDoc’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. HedgeDoc is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by HedgeDoc Project. Prices and plans change: check hedgedoc.org before you buy.