The Read the Docs Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Read the Docs 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.
Read the Docs
The Insider’s Guide
Hosts documentation built from a Git repository
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among docs and wiki tools, read from Read the Docs’s own pages.
Made by Read the Docs, Inc · 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 Read the Docs’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Read the Docs’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
2.0
GPA, above 6 of the 86 other docs and wiki tools we grade
Read the Docs builds documentation from a Git repository and hosts it with search, versioning and pull request previews. It works with Sphinx, MkDocs, Docusaurus and other tools. Open source projects use a free, ad-supported community site, and companies use a separate paid Business site.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Read the Docs, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You point it at a repository and add a config file, with a docs tool such as Sphinx or MkDocs behind it.
- 1
Best for hosting docs built from a Git repository
It hosts docs written in another tool rather than being an editor, and its free site is for open source only and shows ads.
- 2
Paid plans start at $50 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $50 per month, billed monthly.
- 3
There is a free plan
Read the Docs Community is free for open source projects: public repositories and public documentation, with ad-supported hosting.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Builds from Git
Connect a Git repository and the service builds the docs automatically, with versioning, search and CDN hosting on every plan.
- 6
Works with common doc tools
The site names Sphinx, MkDocs and Docusaurus as supported documentation tools.
- 7
Pull request previews
Each pull request gets a live preview build with a visual diff against production.
- 8
A 2.0 GPA, above 6 of 86
That is against the other docs and wiki tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Read the Docs you could make: documents. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Read the Docs at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $50 per month, billed monthly
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 30-day free trial on the Business plans; nothing is charged automatically when it ends
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Read the Docs, Inc, since 2010
- Category
- Docs & Wikis
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for hosting docs built from a Git repository
Read the Docs builds and hosts documentation from a Git repository, free for open-source projects and from $50 a month for private ones. It hosts docs written in another tool rather than being an editor, and its free site is for open source only and shows ads.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Basic is $50 a month, above the category's middle at $18 and below its dearer quarter at $82.50. Advanced is $150 and Pro $250, and SAML SSO needs Enterprise from $10,000 a year. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Community is free for open-source projects, with public repos and docs and ads. Business plans have a 30-day trial with nothing charged automatically, but there is no free plan for private docs. |
| Features | C | Builds from Git, works with Sphinx, MkDocs and Docusaurus, pull-request previews, private docs and access control. It is a host and not an editor or a wiki, and plans cap concurrent builds, domains and redirects. |
| Ease of use | D | You point it at a repository and add a config file, with a docs tool such as Sphinx or MkDocs behind it. It assumes a developer. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, with GitHub and GitLab sign-in and builds, and the common docs tools. No desktop or phone apps. |
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 Read the Docs is for
- Fits if you maintain an open-source project and want free hosted docs
- Works for companies already building docs with Sphinx or MkDocs
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want an editor, as it hosts and builds docs written elsewhere
- Watch out: the free Community site is for open source only and shows ads
- Tight if you are on Basic, with 2 concurrent builds, a shared domain and 50 redirects
- Watch out: SAML SSO needs Enterprise from $10,000 a year, and annual prices are not shown
Good to know
Good for
- Open source projects that want free documentation hosting
- Engineering teams that keep docs in Git and want builds and previews handled for them
Worth knowing
- It hosts and builds docs written with another tool; it is not an editor or a wiki.
- Community and Business are two separate sites (readthedocs.org and readthedocs.com), and the free one is for open source only and shows ads.
- Business plans are capped by concurrent builds, custom domains and redirects; SAML SSO needs Enterprise, from $10,000 per year.
- Annual plans are offered on every paid tier, invoice or purchase order included, but the page does not show their prices.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$50
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Read the Docs has a free plan. Paid plans start at $50 per month, billed monthly.
Community is free for open-source projects, with public repos and docs and ads.
Community
$0
Free for open source projects. Clones public repositories only, publishes public documentation and shows ads.
Basic
$50
per month, billed monthly
Private repositories, 2 concurrent builds, a shared domain, SSO with GitHub and GitLab, 50 redirects and support within 3 business days.
Advanced
$150
per month, billed monthly
4 concurrent builds, 5 custom domains, 250 redirects and 90 days of page and search analytics. Support within 2 business days.
Pro
$250
per month, billed monthly
6 concurrent builds, 15 custom domains, 500 redirects, SSO with Google as well, and 90 days of authentication auditing. Support within 1 business day.
Enterprise
$10,000
per year and up
SAML SSO, dedicated builders, advanced audit tracking and a support SLA.
The free plan
Read the Docs Community is free for open source projects: public repositories and public documentation, with ad-supported hosting.
Trying it first
30-day free trial on the Business plans; nothing is charged automatically when it ends
Read from about.readthedocs.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Other savings
Free hosting for open source documentation
Open source documentation is always free on Read the Docs Community, supported by ads.
Stated on about.readthedocs.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
Hosts documentation built from a Git repository. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, documents.
Builds from Git, works with Sphinx, MkDocs and Docusaurus, pull-request previews, private docs and access control.
- Builds from Git
- Connect a Git repository and the service builds the docs automatically, with versioning, search and CDN hosting on every plan.
- Works with common doc tools
- The site names Sphinx, MkDocs and Docusaurus as supported documentation tools.
- Pull request previews
- Each pull request gets a live preview build with a visual diff against production.
- Private docs and access control
- Business plans clone private repositories and can restrict who views the documentation, with SSO through GitHub, GitLab and, on Pro, Google.
- AI-ready output
- The site lists support for llms.txt, Markdown content negotiation and agent skills.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- GitHub
- GitLab
- Sphinx
- MkDocs
- Docusaurus
Read the Docs is made by Read the Docs, Inc, and has been around since 2010.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
6/86
Other docs and wiki tools it is graded above
Read the Docs's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 6 of the 86 other docs and wiki tools we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 28 of 86) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $50 a month, against a middle price of $18.50 for the category: 38 of the 57 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 36 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 87 docs and wiki tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Read the Docs’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 19 of 86
- CFree plan and trialAbove 9 of 86
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 86
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 86
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 28 of 86
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 79 docs and wiki tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Read the Docs 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 Read the Docs you could make: documents. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 70 of the 86 other docs and wiki tools grade higher. It costs $600 a year.
What you could make
- Documents: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- It plugs into other products, GitHub, GitLab and Sphinx among them.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: single sign-on.
What this rests on. Read the Docs’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
GitBook, Docusaurus, MkDocs, Sphinx and Mintlify
The 5 tools Read the Docs is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
GitBook
Free plan · from $65/mo
Documentation platform for product and API docs, synced with Git.
- GitBook also covers AI search, Markdown and AI agents.
- 2.8GPA
Docusaurus
Free
Open-source static site generator for documentation.
- Docusaurus is open source, according to its own site.
- Docusaurus also covers Markdown.
- 2.6GPA
MkDocs
Free
Static site generator for Markdown project documentation.
- MkDocs is open source, according to its own site.
- MkDocs also covers Markdown.
- 2.6GPA
Sphinx
Free
Documentation generator for Python projects and beyond.
- Only Read the Docs lists a web app.
- Only Sphinx lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Sphinx is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.2GPA
Mintlify
Free plan · from $450/mo
Documentation platform with built-in AI agents.
- Mintlify also covers AI search and AI agents.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
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 Read the Docs free?
Read the Docs has a free plan. Read the Docs Community is free for open source projects: public repositories and public documentation, with ad-supported hosting.
How much does Read the Docs cost?
Read the Docs lists 5 plans. Community: $0.
What platforms does Read the Docs work on?
Read the Docs is available on Web.
Does Read the Docs offer any discounts?
Read the Docs publicly lists the following: Free hosting for open source documentation.
Does Read the Docs have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Read the Docs is listed for Web.
Does Read the Docs have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Read the Docs is listed for Web.
Is Read the Docs open source?
Read the Docs is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
What does Read the Docs integrate with?
Read the Docs's listing names GitHub, GitLab, Sphinx, MkDocs, Docusaurus and Google.
Does Read the Docs have a free trial?
Yes. 30-day free trial on the Business plans; nothing is charged automatically when it ends.
Who makes Read the Docs?
Read the Docs is made by Read the Docs, Inc. It dates from 2010.
What are the alternatives to Read the Docs?
The closest alternatives to Read the Docs in our directory are GitBook, Docusaurus, MkDocs, Sphinx and Mintlify.
How does Read the Docs compare with other docs and wiki tools?
Read the Docs's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 6 of the 86 other docs and wiki tools we grade, and level with 10.
Is Read the Docs good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Read the Docs C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $50 a month, against a middle price of $18.50 for the category: 38 of the 57 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Read the Docs?
The plain part of Read the Docs you could make: documents. What surrounds it you could not.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Read the Docs’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 Read the Docs'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 Read the Docs, Inc. Prices change, so check about.readthedocs.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
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.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Read the Docs, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/read-the-docs
- 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, "Read the Docs: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/read-the-docs
Know someone choosing between docs and wiki tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/read-the-docs/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded docs and wiki tools after Read the Docs, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Docs & Wikis Insider's GuideEvery one of the 87 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 Read the Docs’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. Read the Docs is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Read the Docs, Inc. Prices and plans change: check about.readthedocs.com before you buy.