# LyX review (2026): is it any good? > Structure-based document processor built on LaTeX Checked Nov 12, 2026 ยท graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA. LyX is a free document processor that works from the structure of a document rather than its appearance. It combines LaTeX with a graphical interface and a built-in equation editor, aimed at articles, theses and books. It runs on Linux and Unix, Windows and macOS. - **Category:** Writing Tools - **Made by:** The LyX Team - **Website:** https://www.lyx.org - **Runs on:** Windows, macOS, Linux - **Who should skip it:** Not for you if you don't want to install a TeX system before it works. - **Facts last checked:** Nov 12, 2026 ## Pricing As of Nov 12, 2026, LyX is free to use. - **Pricing model:** Free - **Free plan:** LyX is free software under a free and open source license. The site has a Donate page but nothing is required to use it. - **Free trial:** None listed. | Plan | Price | What you get | | --- | --- | --- | | Free | $0 | The full document processor for Windows, macOS and Linux. A TeX distribution is installed separately. | Read from https://www.lyx.org/Download on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with LyX before buying. ## Key features - **Equation editor:** Formulas are entered by point-and-click or LaTeX commands and show rendered on screen as you type. - **Structured documents:** Labels, cross-references, index and bibliography are built in, including BibTeX support, along with an outliner for moving whole chapters. - **Document classes:** Text classes cover letters, articles, books, slides and movie scripts, plus classes for AMS, APS and IEEE and some journals. - **Graphics and tables:** Many image formats are supported, with cropping, rotation and scaling, floating figures and interactive tables. - **Languages:** Right-to-left scripts and CJK are supported, and a document can mix several languages through Unicode. - **Revision tracking and spellchecking:** It offers track changes, a thesaurus and spellchecking through aspell or hunspell. ## Good for - Scientists and students writing math-heavy papers and theses - Writers who want LaTeX output without typing markup - Anyone who wants consistent formatting without adjusting it by hand ## Worth knowing - A TeX system such as MiKTeX or MacTeX must be installed before LyX works for output on Windows and macOS. - Recent macOS releases do not ship Python, which the download page says LyX needs. - Mac Gatekeeper may block the first launch, and the download page explains the workaround. - The site lists no web version and no real-time collaboration. ## ToolGPA grades **GPA: 2.6 out of 4**, graded Nov 12, 2026. LyX is a free document editor built on LaTeX, with an equation editor for Windows, Mac and Linux. You need a TeX system installed, Python on recent Macs, and its first launch can be blocked by Gatekeeper. There's no web version or live collaboration. - **Value for money: A.** Free and open source. Writing tools charge $5.83 to $12.50 a month. - **Free plan and trial: A.** The whole program is free, and the Donate page is optional. - **Features: C.** An equation editor, structured documents, document classes, tables, languages and revision tracking. No web version or real-time collaboration. - **Ease of use: D.** On Windows and macOS you install a TeX system first, such as MiKTeX or MacTeX, and recent Macs need Python too. That's setup work. - **Platforms and integrations: C.** Windows, Mac and Linux, which is computers only, with links to BibTeX, Maple, Maxima, Octave and Mathematica. These are ToolGPA's own grades. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from The LyX Team's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. ## Where it stands among writing tools - LyX's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 52 of the 100 other writing tools we grade, and level with 14. - It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 81 of 100) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0). - LyX 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. The category's chart of price against score: https://toolgpa.com/charts/writing ## Keep it, or make your own? **Keep it.** LyX is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. - You could make: Documents: an app builder makes this well. - You could not: Citation records for millions of papers. - You could not: Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other. - You could not: It plugs into other products, BibTeX, Maple and Maxima among them. A judgement by ToolGPA from this listing, by rules that are the same for every tool. Nothing was built to test it. ## Works with BibTeX, Maple, Maxima, Octave, Mathematica **Tags:** Open source, Works offline, Documents, Citations ## Alternatives - [Texmaker](https://toolgpa.com/tools/texmaker): Free LaTeX editor for Windows, macOS and Linux. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/lyx-vs-texmaker) - [TeXstudio](https://toolgpa.com/tools/texstudio): Open-source LaTeX editor with an integrated PDF viewer. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/lyx-vs-texstudio) - [Overleaf](https://toolgpa.com/tools/overleaf): Collaborative online LaTeX editor for papers and theses. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/lyx-vs-overleaf) - [LibreOffice Writer](https://toolgpa.com/tools/libreoffice-writer): Free, open-source word processor for Windows, macOS and Linux. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/libreoffice-writer-vs-lyx) ## Sources The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026: - https://www.lyx.org/ - https://www.lyx.org/Download - https://www.lyx.org/Features Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/lyx Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).