The Overleaf Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Overleaf 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.
Overleaf
The Insider’s Guide
Collaborative online LaTeX editor for papers and theses
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among writing tools, read from Overleaf’s own pages.
Made by Overleaf (part of Digital Science) · checked Oct 5, 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 Overleaf’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Overleaf’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 20 of the 69 other writing tools we grade
Overleaf is a browser-based LaTeX editor for writing research papers, theses and other technical documents. Several people can edit and comment on the same project at once, and the document can be written as LaTeX code or in a visual editor that hides the markup. Paid plans add more collaborators per project, track changes, full version history and integrations with reference managers and Git.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Overleaf, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No store rating on record, and LaTeX is a learning curve whoever hosts it.
- 1
Best for writing LaTeX papers with co-authors
Overleaf is a browser LaTeX editor where co-authors edit a paper or thesis at the same time, with nothing to install.
- 2
Paid plans start at $16.75 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $16.75 per month, billed yearly at $199 (Standard); students from $8.25.
- 3
There is a free plan
Unlimited projects, 1 collaborator per project, a basic compile timeout, 5 AI uses a day and document history for the previous 24 hours only.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Code Editor and Visual Editor
Write LaTeX in the Code Editor or switch to the Visual Editor to edit without writing code. A toolbar adds figures and tables and formats text.
- 6
Real-time collaboration
Several people can edit and comment on a shared project at the same time, invited by link or email. The Free plan allows 1 collaborator per project.
- 7
Track changes and history
Paid plans show collaborators' edits as tracked changes and keep the full project history to compare, label and restore. Free accounts see the previous 24 hours.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 20 of 69
That is against the other writing tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Overleaf you could make: long-form writing and templates. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Overleaf at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $16.75 per month, billed yearly at $199 (Standard); students from $8.25
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial of a paid plan. The card is charged when the trial ends unless you cancel first.
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Overleaf (part of Digital Science), since 2011
- Category
- Writing Tools
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for writing LaTeX papers with co-authors
Overleaf is a browser LaTeX editor where co-authors edit a paper or thesis at the same time, with nothing to install. The free plan has unlimited projects but 1 collaborator each, 24 hours of history and 5 AI uses a day. Track changes, full history and Git sync need Standard at $199 a year, inside this category's dearest tenth, and the paid trial charges your card unless you cancel.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | Standard is $199 a year, $16.75 a month, or $25 paid monthly. That's past the $15 where this category's dearest tenth begins and double its $8.33 middle, and track changes, full history and Git sync all sit behind it. Students pay $98 a year; Pro is $399. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Unlimited projects for free, which one person writing alone can genuinely live on. The caps are mostly about company: 1 collaborator per project, the previous 24 hours of history only, 5 AI uses a day and a basic compile timeout. |
| Features | B | It covers the whole job: LaTeX as code or in a Visual Editor that hides it, people editing and commenting at once, publisher-approved templates, Zotero, Mendeley and ReadCube references, Git sync, and AI help with errors, tables and equations. Plenty of that is paid-plan only. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record, and LaTeX is a learning curve whoever hosts it. The Visual Editor and the template library soften it, but you still choose a template, learn the syntax and wire up Zotero or Git yourself. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | A web app with a proper list of things to connect: GitHub, Git, Dropbox, Zotero, Mendeley and ReadCube, though those links need a paid plan. Organizations can have it hosted on their own premises. No phone or desktop apps are listed. |
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 Overleaf is for
- Fits if you're writing a paper or thesis in LaTeX and want it all in the browser
- Works for co-authors who need to edit the same document at the same time
Who it is not for
- Pricey if you're not a student, at $199 a year for Standard or $25 paid monthly, and Pro is $399
- Tight if you're staying free with more than one co-author, as it's 1 collaborator per project and 24 hours of history
- Watch out: track changes, full history, reference sync and the Git, GitHub and Dropbox links all need a paid plan
- Watch out: the 7-day trial charges your card when it ends unless you cancel first
- Skip it if you don't write LaTeX or want a phone or desktop app, as it's a web app for LaTeX only
Good to know
Good for
- Researchers and students writing papers and theses in LaTeX
- Co-authors who need to edit the same LaTeX document at once
- Institutions that want LaTeX with SSO or on-premises hosting
Worth knowing
- The Free plan allows 1 collaborator per project and keeps only the previous 24 hours of history.
- Track changes, full history, reference-manager sync and the Git, GitHub and Dropbox integrations need a paid plan.
- Free accounts get a basic compile timeout; paid plans get 24 times as long for large or complex documents.
- Monthly billing costs more: Standard is $25 a month, against $199 for a year.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$16.75
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Overleaf has a free plan. Paid plans start at $16.75 per month, billed yearly at $199 (Standard); students from $8.25.
Unlimited projects for free, which one person writing alone can genuinely live on.
Free
$0
Unlimited projects with 1 collaborator per project, a basic compile timeout and 5 AI uses a day.
Student
$8.25
per month, billed yearly ($98); $13 billed monthly
For students enrolled at a degree-granting institution: 10 collaborators per project, the AI Assistant and a 24x compile timeout.
Standard
$16.75
per month, billed yearly ($199); $25 billed monthly
10 collaborators per project, 10 AI uses a day, the AI Assistant and a 24x compile timeout, with premium features such as track changes and full history.
Pro
$33.25
per month, billed yearly ($399); $45 billed monthly
Unlimited collaborators per project and full access to every AI tool, subject to fair usage.
Organizations
Custom
For 20 or more users: volume discounts of up to 35%, SSO, managed accounts, and optional on-premises or FedRAMP-authorized hosting.
The free plan
Unlimited projects, 1 collaborator per project, a basic compile timeout, 5 AI uses a day and document history for the previous 24 hours only.
Trying it first
7-day free trial of a paid plan. The card is charged when the trial ends unless you cancel first.
Read from overleaf.com on Oct 5, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
3+ months free with yearly billing
The billing toggle advertises 3 or more months free on yearly billing: Standard is $199 a year against $25 a month, and Pro is $399 against $45 a month.
Stated on overleaf.comEducation
Student plan at $98 a year
Students at educational institutions, including graduate students, can buy the Student plan for $98 a year or $13 a month.
Stated on overleaf.comEducation
40% academic discount on group plans
Groups at degree-granting institutions can apply a 40% academic discount to Standard and Pro group licenses. It is meant for students or faculty using Overleaf mainly for teaching.
Stated on overleaf.comNonprofit
Nonprofit discounts from 20 licenses
Qualified nonprofits can get a discount on purchases of 20 licenses or more by contacting Overleaf's sales team.
Stated on overleaf.comOther savings
Group and volume discounts
Group licenses on Standard and Pro save an extra 10%, and organizations with 20 or more users can save up to 35% on volume purchases.
Stated on overleaf.com
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
Collaborative online LaTeX editor for papers and theses. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: self-hostable, AI features, real-time collaboration, templates, citations, long-form writing.
A web app with a proper list of things to connect: GitHub, Git, Dropbox, Zotero, Mendeley and ReadCube, though those links need a paid plan.
- Code Editor and Visual Editor
- Write LaTeX in the Code Editor or switch to the Visual Editor to edit without writing code. A toolbar adds figures and tables and formats text.
- Real-time collaboration
- Several people can edit and comment on a shared project at the same time, invited by link or email. The Free plan allows 1 collaborator per project.
- Track changes and history
- Paid plans show collaborators' edits as tracked changes and keep the full project history to compare, label and restore. Free accounts see the previous 24 hours.
- Templates
- A library of free templates and example projects, from publisher-approved research article templates to CVs and business proposals.
- Reference and Git integrations
- Paid plans connect Zotero, Mendeley and ReadCube for references, add advanced reference search, and sync projects with Git, GitHub and Dropbox.
- AI tools
- An AI Assistant, LaTeX error help, table and equation generators and Writefull language feedback, capped at 5 uses a day on Free and Student and 10 on Standard.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- GitHub
- Git
- Dropbox
- Zotero
- Mendeley
- ReadCube
Overleaf is made by Overleaf (part of Digital Science), and has been around since 2011.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
20/69
Other writing tools it is graded above
Overleaf's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 20 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 11.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 48 of 69) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $16.75 a month, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 41 of the 44 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 15 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 70 writing tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Overleaf’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 69
- BFree plan and trialAbove 48 of 69
- BFeaturesAbove 36 of 69
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 69
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 32 of 69
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 53 writing tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Overleaf 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
The plain part of Overleaf you could make: long-form writing and templates. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 38 of the 69 other writing tools grade higher. It costs $201 a year.
What you could make
- Long-form writing and templates: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Citation records for millions of papers.
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
- It plugs into other products, GitHub, Git and Dropbox among them.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Overleaf’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
Typst, Writefull, Paperpal, Google Docs and Microsoft Word
The 5 tools Overleaf is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.2GPA
Typst
Free plan · from $7.99/mo
Markup-based typesetting system with a collaborative web app.
- Only Typst lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Typst is open source, according to its own site.
- Typst also covers presentations.
- 2.2GPA
Writefull
Free plan · from $12.50/mo
Academic language feedback inside Word and Overleaf.
- Overleaf is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Overleaf also covers templates, citations and long-form writing.
- Writefull also covers grammar & style.
- 2.6GPA
Paperpal
Free plan · from $12/mo
AI writing and checking assistant for academic papers.
- Only Paperpal lists a browser extension.
- Overleaf is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Overleaf also covers templates and long-form writing.
- 3.4GPA
Google Docs
Free plan · from $7/mo
Browser-based word processor, free with a Google Account.
- Only Google Docs lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only Google Docs lists a browser extension.
- Overleaf is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 3.4GPA
Microsoft Word
Free plan · from $9.99/mo
Word processor sold with Microsoft 365, free in the browser.
- Only Microsoft Word lists Windows, macOS, iOS and Android apps.
- Overleaf is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Overleaf also covers citations and long-form writing.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
16
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 Overleaf free?
Overleaf has a free plan. Unlimited projects, 1 collaborator per project, a basic compile timeout, 5 AI uses a day and document history for the previous 24 hours only.
How much does Overleaf cost?
Overleaf lists 5 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Overleaf work on?
Overleaf is available on Web.
Does Overleaf offer any discounts?
Overleaf publicly lists the following: 3+ months free with yearly billing; Student plan at $98 a year; 40% academic discount on group plans; Nonprofit discounts from 20 licenses; Group and volume discounts.
Does Overleaf have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Overleaf is listed for Web.
Does Overleaf have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Overleaf is listed for Web.
Is Overleaf open source?
Overleaf is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Can Overleaf be self-hosted?
Yes. Overleaf's own site says it can be run on a server of your own.
What does Overleaf integrate with?
Overleaf's listing names GitHub, Git, Dropbox, Zotero, Mendeley and ReadCube.
Does Overleaf have a student discount?
Student plan at $98 a year. Students at educational institutions, including graduate students, can buy the Student plan for $98 a year or $13 a month.
Does Overleaf have a free trial?
Yes. 7-day free trial of a paid plan.
Who makes Overleaf?
Overleaf is made by Overleaf (part of Digital Science). It dates from 2011.
What are the alternatives to Overleaf?
The closest alternatives to Overleaf in our directory are Typst, Writefull, Paperpal, Google Docs and Microsoft Word.
How does Overleaf compare with other writing tools?
Overleaf's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 20 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 11.
Is Overleaf good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Overleaf D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $16.75 a month, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 41 of the 44 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Overleaf?
The plain part of Overleaf you could make: long-form writing and templates.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Overleaf’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Overleaf's own pages on 5 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-06-14.
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 Overleaf (part of Digital Science). Prices change, so check overleaf.com 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
- Overleaf, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/overleaf
- 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, "Overleaf: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/overleaf
Know someone choosing between writing tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/overleaf/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded writing tools after Overleaf, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Writing Tools Insider's GuideEvery one of the 70 writing tools we grade, compared
- Microsoft Word Insider's GuideWord processor sold with Microsoft 365, free in the browser3.4 GPA
- Beat Insider's GuideFree, open-source Fountain screenwriting app for Mac and iOS3.2 GPA
- JotterPad Insider's GuideMarkdown and Fountain editor for books, papers and screenplays3.2 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 Overleaf’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. Overleaf is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Overleaf (part of Digital Science). Prices and plans change: check overleaf.com before you buy.