The Typst Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Typst 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.
Typst
The Insider’s Guide
Markup-based typesetting system with a collaborative web app
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among writing tools, read from Typst’s own pages.
Made by Typst GmbH · checked Oct 9, 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 Typst’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Typst’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.2
GPA, above 64 of the 69 other writing tools we grade
Typst is a typesetting system for papers, theses, reports, slides and other documents, written in its own markup language with built-in scripting. The compiler that turns markup into PDFs and images is open source and runs from the command line on Windows, macOS and Linux. Typst GmbH also sells a closed-source web app that adds collaborative editing, autocomplete and instant previews, with a free tier, a Pro subscription and an on-premises version.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Typst, taken from its own pages and our grades.
The compiler is free and open source and the web app's free plan allows co-editing, but you have to learn the markup first.
- 1
Best for typesetting papers without LaTeX
Typst is a typesetting system for papers, theses and slides: you write in its own markup and it lays the document out.
- 2
Paid plans start at $7.99 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $7.99 per month, billed monthly ($79.99 billed yearly).
- 3
There is a free plan
Free web app plan: create, share and co-edit projects, community packages and templates, and file conversion, with 200 MB of storage and up to 100 files per project. The compiler itself is free.
- 4
It runs on 4 platforms
Web, macOS, Windows and Linux.
- 5
Markup with automatic formatting
Documents are written as structured markup and laid out automatically, then exported as a PDF, an image or, in preview, a website.
- 6
Collaborative web app
The browser editor adds shared editing, autocomplete and a live preview. Sharing and collaboration are part of the Free plan; comment threads need Pro.
- 7
Templates and packages
Projects can start from community templates and import community packages. Pro adds private packages and templates limited to a workspace.
- 8
A 3.2 GPA, above 64 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 Typst you could make: templates and long-form writing. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Typst at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $7.99 per month, billed monthly ($79.99 billed yearly)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- Typst GmbH, since 2023
- Category
- Writing Tools
- Our grade
- 3.2 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for typesetting papers without LaTeX
Typst is a typesetting system for papers, theses and slides: you write in its own markup and it lays the document out. The compiler is free and open source and the web app's free plan allows co-editing, but you have to learn the markup first. The free plan stops at 200 MB and 100 files per project, comments and Zotero sync need Pro at $7.99 a month, and the Git sync is labeled experimental.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | The compiler is a free download for Windows, macOS and Linux, and co-editing in the web app is free as well, so plenty of people never pay at all. Pro is $7.99 a month, or $79.99 for the year, which is still under this category's $8.33 middle. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The web app's Free plan lets you create, share and co-edit projects with community templates, 200 MB of storage and up to 100 files per project, and the compiler itself is free outright. Comments, folders and Zotero sync are the Pro parts. |
| Features | B | It covers the whole job: markup that lays itself out into a PDF, math built in, tables filled from CSV or JSON, citations formatted automatically, and loops and functions that can turn a JSON file into a batch of invoices. GitHub and GitLab sync and private packages are labelled experimental. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record, and every document is written in Typst's own markup language, which you have to learn first. The web app softens that with autocomplete, a live preview and conversion from LaTeX, Word and Markdown, and the free compiler on its own is command line. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | A web app, plus a compiler for Windows, macOS and Linux, with Zotero, Mendeley, GitHub and GitLab sync on Pro, which is a real list of things to connect. The Git sync is labelled experimental, and the listing shows no 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 Typst is for
- Fits if you want an alternative to LaTeX for papers and theses
- Works for co-authors editing a technical document together in a browser, which the free plan allows
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you don't want to learn a markup language, because that's how every document is written
- Tight if you're staying free with big projects, as it's 200 MB of storage and 100 files per project, with no comments or folders
- Not for you if you want to host the web app yourself: it's closed source, and that needs the custom-priced On-Premises plan from 5 members
- Watch out: GitHub and GitLab sync and private packages are labeled experimental, and Zotero sync needs Pro
- Not for you if you want a phone app, as none is listed, and the free compiler on its own is command line
Good to know
Good for
- Students and researchers who want an alternative to LaTeX
- Co-authors editing a technical document together in a browser
- Teams that generate reports or invoices from data
- Organizations that need the editor hosted on their own servers
Worth knowing
- The Free plan is limited to 200 MB of storage and 100 files per project, and leaves out comments, folders and reference-manager sync.
- Only the compiler is open source; the web app is closed source, and hosting it yourself needs the custom-priced On-Premises plan.
- Documents use Typst's own markup language. The web app converts files from LaTeX, Word and Markdown.
- GitHub and GitLab sync and private packages are labeled experimental on the pricing page.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$7.99
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Typst has a free plan. Paid plans start at $7.99 per month, billed monthly ($79.99 billed yearly).
Comments, folders and Zotero sync are the Pro parts.
Free
$0
Create, share and collaborate on projects with community packages and templates, 200 MB of storage and up to 100 files per project.
Pro
$7.99
per month, billed monthly; $79.99 per year billed yearly
Adds comments, private packages and templates, GitHub and GitLab sync, Zotero and Mendeley sync, slide presenting, folders and 2 GB of storage.
On-Premises
Custom
The web app run in your own data center with LDAP access control and priority support. Starts at 5 organization members.
The free plan
Free web app plan: create, share and co-edit projects, community packages and templates, and file conversion, with 200 MB of storage and up to 100 files per project. The compiler itself is free.
Read from typst.app on Oct 9, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Lower price with yearly payment
The pricing page marks yearly payment as 14% off. In US dollars Pro is $79.99 for a year against $7.99 a month, which is $95.88 over twelve months.
Stated on typst.app
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
4
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows and Linux
Markup-based typesetting system with a collaborative web app. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, real-time collaboration, templates, citations, long-form writing, presentations.
GitHub and GitLab sync and private packages are labelled experimental.
- Markup with automatic formatting
- Documents are written as structured markup and laid out automatically, then exported as a PDF, an image or, in preview, a website.
- Collaborative web app
- The browser editor adds shared editing, autocomplete and a live preview. Sharing and collaboration are part of the Free plan; comment threads need Pro.
- Templates and packages
- Projects can start from community templates and import community packages. Pro adds private packages and templates limited to a workspace.
- Math, tables and bibliographies
- Equations are built into the markup, tables can be filled from CSV or JSON, and citations are formatted automatically, with Zotero and Mendeley sync on Pro.
- Scripting and data loading
- Conditionals, loops and functions are embedded in the language, so a document or a batch of invoices can be generated from a JSON file.
- Open-source compiler
- The command-line compiler is a free download for Windows, macOS and Linux, can run on a server, and can be embedded in other apps as a library.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
- Zotero
- Mendeley
- GitHub
- GitLab
Typst is made by Typst GmbH, and has been around since 2023.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
64/69
Other writing tools it is graded above
Typst's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 64 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 4.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 58 of 69) and worst on ease of use (C, above 1).
Its paid plans start at $7.99 a month, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 19 of the 44 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 8 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. Typst’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 44 of 69
- AFree plan and trialAbove 58 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. Typst 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 Typst you could make: templates and long-form writing. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.2 is higher than 64 of the 69 other writing tools we grade. It costs $95.88 a year. Typst is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could make
- Templates and long-form writing: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Citation records for millions of papers.
- A slide editor.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Typst’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
Overleaf, Typora, Zettlr, LibreOffice Writer and Microsoft Word
The 5 tools Typst is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Overleaf
Free plan · from $16.75/mo
Collaborative online LaTeX editor for papers and theses.
- Only Typst lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Typst is open source, according to its own site.
- Typst also covers presentations.
- 2.6GPA
Typora
Free trial · from $14.99 one-time
Minimal Markdown editor that renders formatting as you type.
- Typst has a free plan. Typora does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Typst lists a web app.
- Typst is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.8GPA
Zettlr
Free
Free, open-source Markdown editor for academic writing.
- Only Typst lists a web app.
- Typst is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Typst also covers templates and presentations.
- 3.2GPA
LibreOffice Writer
Free
Free, open-source word processor for Windows, macOS and Linux.
- Only Typst lists a web app.
- Typst is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Typst also covers citations and presentations.
- 3.4GPA
Microsoft Word
Free plan · from $9.99/mo
Word processor sold with Microsoft 365, free in the browser.
- Only Typst lists a Linux app.
- Only Microsoft Word lists iOS and Android apps.
- Typst is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
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 Typst free?
Typst has a free plan. Free web app plan: create, share and co-edit projects, community packages and templates, and file conversion, with 200 MB of storage and up to 100 files per project.
How much does Typst cost?
Typst lists 3 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Typst work on?
Typst is available on Web, macOS, Windows and Linux.
Does Typst offer any discounts?
Typst publicly lists the following: Lower price with yearly payment.
Does Typst have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Typst is listed for Web, macOS, Windows and Linux.
Does Typst have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Typst is listed for Web, macOS, Windows and Linux.
Is Typst open source?
Yes. Typst is open source, according to its own site.
What does Typst integrate with?
Typst's listing names Zotero, Mendeley, GitHub and GitLab. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Typst?
Typst is made by Typst GmbH. It dates from 2023.
What are the alternatives to Typst?
The closest alternatives to Typst in our directory are Overleaf, Typora, Zettlr, LibreOffice Writer and Microsoft Word.
How does Typst compare with other writing tools?
Typst's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 64 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 4.
Is Typst good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Typst A for value for money. Its paid plans start at $7.99 a month, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 19 of the 44 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Typst?
The plain part of Typst you could make: templates and long-form writing.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Typst’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Typst's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-04-10.
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 Typst GmbH. Prices change, so check typst.app 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
- Typst, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/typst
- 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, "Typst: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/typst
Know someone choosing between writing tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/typst/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded writing tools after Typst, 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 Typst’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. Typst is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Typst GmbH. Prices and plans change: check typst.app before you buy.