Quarto review (2026): is it any good?
Open-source publishing system for technical documents
Quarto report card
Good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 12, 2026
Best for reports that mix code, text and charts
Quarto turns one markdown or notebook file into HTML, PDF, Word, slides or a whole website, and it runs Python, R and Julia code inside the document. It's free, but it's a command-line tool with no editor of its own, so you'll set up VS Code or RStudio first. If you want a window you open and type in, look elsewhere.
Who Quarto is for
- Fits if you write reports from Python or R data and want the charts to update themselves
- Works for researchers who want the same source as a web page, a PDF and a Word file
Who Quarto is not for
- Skip it if you want one app to type in, as it has no editor of its own
- Not for you if a terminal puts you off, since install and rendering run from the command line
- Watch out: release 1.11 needs macOS 12 or later
- Too light for phones and tablets, with installers for Windows, Mac and Linux only
Why Quarto gets a 2.6
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree and open source, with no account. A program anyone can download and run, which is the top of this category's price scale.
- AFree plan and trialNothing to pay for, ever, and no usage caps on the install.
- CFeaturesCovers the whole report job from one source, but the listing says writing happens in a separate editor you pick, so the tool itself is a smaller piece of the work.
- DEase of useIt's presented as a command-line system, so setup starts in a terminal. No store rating on record.
- CPlatforms and integrationsWindows, Mac and Linux installers only. No phone or web version listed, though it hooks into Jupyter, RStudio, VS Code and Posit Connect.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Quarto's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/quarto#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/quarto.svg" alt="Quarto: 2.6 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Quarto stands among writing tools
Quarto'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).
Quarto 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 101 writing tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Quarto’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 65 of 100, level with 35
- AFree plan and trialAbove 81 of 100, level with 19
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 100, level with 63
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 100, level with 4
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 5 of 100, level with 45
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 79 writing tools. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
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
Keep Quarto, or make your own?
Keep it
Quarto 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 documents: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- A slide editor.
- Citation records for millions of papers.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, Jupyter, RStudio and VS Code among them.
- Hooks into the device itself: widgets.
What this rests on. Quarto’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.
What is Quarto?
Quarto is an open-source publishing system from Posit for scientific and technical writing. Documents are written in Pandoc markdown or Jupyter notebooks and can run Python, R, Julia and Observable code. One source can produce HTML, PDF, Word, ePub, presentations, websites and books.
Worth knowing
- Writing happens in another editor you choose, such as VS Code or RStudio, since the site presents Quarto as a command-line system.
- Release 1.11 notes say macOS 12 or later is required because of its bundled Deno runtime.
- The download page lists installers for Windows, macOS and Linux only.
Key features
- Executable code in documents
- Python, R, Julia and Observable code runs inside the document, so tables and figures come from the analysis.
- Many output formats
- The site lists HTML, PDF, MS Word, ePub, presentations, dashboards, websites, blogs and books from one source.
- Scientific markdown
- Pandoc markdown supports LaTeX equations, citations, cross-references, figure panels and callouts.
- Choice of editor
- You can author in Positron, VS Code, RStudio, JupyterLab or any text editor, and there is a visual markdown editor for long documents.
- Interactivity
- Jupyter Widgets, htmlwidgets for R, Observable JS and Shiny add interactive exploration to published documents.
- Publishing targets
- The site mentions publishing to Posit Connect, Confluence and other publishing systems.
Quarto pricing
As of Nov 12, 2026, Quarto is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- Quarto is open source and free to install, with no account or subscription.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | The Quarto command-line tool for Windows, macOS and Linux. The license page lists the MIT License for version 1.4 and later. |
Read from quarto.org on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Quarto before you buy.
Works with
- Jupyter
- RStudio
- VS Code
- Positron
- Posit Connect
- Confluence
- Observable
Quarto alternatives
- Quarto vs Typst
Free plan · from $7.99/mo
- Quarto vs Overleaf
Free plan · from $16.75/mo
- Quarto vs LyX
Free
- Quarto vs Zettlr
Free
Common questions
Does Quarto have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Quarto is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Quarto have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Quarto is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Is Quarto open source?
Yes. Quarto is open source, according to its own site.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026.