Blog ComparisonsTop 11 ReadMe Alternatives for Technical Documentation in 2025
Top 11 ReadMe Alternatives for Technical Documentation in 2025
Is ReadMe too expensive or bugging you with its poorly designed editor? These are the best ReadMe alternatives to try in 2025.

Building applications without using documentation tools is like walking through an unknown forest without leaving traces to return to where you came from. Sure, it might work out, but when it doesn't, chaos ensues.
ReadMe is one of the most popular API documentation tools in the market, allowing developers to document the entire API development process and safeguard themselves from potential problems in the future. But is ReadMe all that good, and what can you get that's better for the money?
Let's take a look at the best ReadMe alternatives you can purchase in 2025. 👇
In short—the best alternatives to ReadMe:
Why look for ReadMe alternatives?

API documentation can solve many pain points for developers, product managers, users with different access levels, and anyone needing help figuring out how your product was built. ReadMe is one of the most popular documentation tools in the game, but it's far from the best.
Here are some of the reasons why ReadMe users look for better alternatives:
1. The editor is anything but intuitive
Most of the platforms we'll mention in a minute are WYSIWYG. In other words, the text you edit appears in the same format once you publish a document.
In ReadMe, that's not possible. The editor is buggy, according to one review and the output is different from the text you add in the editor. This may not be a dealbreaker for some users, but visual editors have become the norm in recent years and there is a slight learning curve to making your content look good.
2. Issues with rich media
Want to include images in your documentation or user guides? ReadMe can give you headaches because the media is not optimized, as one user says. This causes the images to load slowly or crash. And as it turns out, you can't host these files locally.
3. Some of the best features are very expensive
Many users complain that the best tools in ReadMe come in the most expensive Business plan, at $399 per month.
Options such as custom HTML and CSS, reusable content, exportable metrics, and others come by default, even in the free tier with some of the competitor tools.
Top best alternatives to ReadMe that money can buy
If you want better value for money, ease of use, customization options, and, in general, a better tool than ReadMe, these are your top choices. 👇
1. Featurebase ✨

Featurebase (👋 that's us) is a modern no-code ReadMe alternative. It helps you create beautiful product documentation quickly and brings articles to your users with in-app widgets. It comes with affordable pricing and a free plan. You can set it up in minutes, and we can help you migrate over from your old knowledge base with zero data loss.
Featurebase's key features
- Public & internal knowledge base
- Beautiful design with light & dark modes
- Embeddable in-app widget to provide self-serve support from your product
- Fast AI-powered search and summaries
- Custom branding and domain
- Intuitive Notion-style editor
- Localization for 40+ languages
- Article reactions & feedback
- Real-time analytics
- SEO optimized out of the box
- Plus, feedback voting community, product roadmaps, changelogs, and satisfaction surveys—all in one place
How it’s better than ReadMe:
Featurebase offers a more comprehensive approach by combining feedback collection, roadmaps, changelog announcements, surveys, and a knowledge base into a single platform, enhancing user engagement and product development efficiency.
Pricing: Comes with a generous Free plan and paid plans start at $49/month.
✨ Create a beautiful Help Center with Featurebase for free →

2. Read the Docs

Read the Docs is a platform for building, hosting, and versioning documentation. It’s an open-source knowledge base tool that automates the creation and hosting of documentation sites, making it a viable alternative to ReadMe for teams seeking simplicity and automation.
Top features
- Automated builds: Automatically build documentation directly from your code repositories, ensuring up-to-date content.
- Version control: Host multiple versions of your documentation, allowing users to access historical and current versions.
- Search functionality: Enable users to find relevant content with a built-in search engine quickly.
- Integration with repositories: Sync with GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket to streamline updates and maintain a single source of truth.
- Custom domains: Use your domain to host documentation, providing a professional and branded experience.
How it’s better than ReadMe: Focuses on automated builds directly from code repositories, supports version control for historical documentation, and provides a lightweight solution for hosting and maintaining documentation.
Pricing: paid plans start at $50 per month, but there is a free plan for open-source projects
Compare with the best Read the Docs alternatives →
3. Stoplight

Stoplight is a comprehensive tool for designing, documenting, and testing APIs. Its focus on collaboration, usability, and API design makes it a strong alternative to ReadMe for teams managing API documentation and development.
Top features
- Visual API design: Create and edit APIs with a drag-and-drop interface, making API design accessible for developers and non-developers.
- Interactive API documentation: Generate interactive, user-friendly API documentation from OpenAPI specifications to improve developer experience.
- Mock servers: Test APIs during the design phase by simulating responses with mock servers.
- Collaboration tools: Enable real-time collaboration with commenting, role-based permissions, and version control to streamline teamwork.
- Third-party integrations: Connect with tools like GitHub, GitLab, and Slack to align documentation with development workflows.
How it’s better than ReadMe: Focuses on API design alongside documentation, offers mock server capabilities for testing APIs, and provides interactive documentation directly from OpenAPI specifications.
Pricing: starts at $39 per month
See the top Stoplight alternatives →
4. Apiary

Apiary is a tool focused on API design, collaboration, and documentation. It provides a developer-friendly environment for creating, testing, and documenting APIs, making it a practical alternative to ReadMe for teams building and maintaining APIs.
Top features
- API Blueprint support: Use the API Blueprint format to design and document APIs, providing a structured and easy-to-read approach.
- Mock server generation: Generate mock servers automatically to allow developers to test and validate APIs during the design phase.
- Interactive API docs: Create interactive documentation that helps developers easily understand and implement APIs.
- Collaboration tools: Enable teams to collaborate on API design and documentation with real-time commenting and version control.
- Integration with tools: Connect Apiary with tools like GitHub to maintain synchronization between code and documentation.
How it’s better than ReadMe: Focuses on API design alongside documentation, offers built-in mock server functionality, and supports API Blueprint for structured and readable documentation.
Pricing: not available publicly
5. Archbee

Archbee is a modern documentation tool designed for developers and technical teams. It offers a range of features for creating, organizing, and sharing knowledge, making it a compelling alternative to ReadMe for API and product documentation.
Top features
- Markdown-based editor: Create and format content quickly with a developer-friendly Markdown editor, ideal for technical documentation.
- Embeddable content blocks: Add rich elements such as code snippets, diagrams, and API references directly into your documentation for detailed explanations.
- Custom domains and branding: Customize your documentation portal with a custom domain and brand-specific themes to align with your company’s identity.
- Real-time collaboration: Work with team members to update and refine content, ensuring accuracy and relevance while keeping everyone on the same page.
- Integration with development tools: Connect with tools like GitHub, Slack, and Jira to synchronize workflows and documentation.
How it’s better than ReadMe: Offers more developer-focused features such as embeddable content blocks and Markdown support, along with advanced customization to build developer portals that are fully branded.
Pricing: starts at $50 per month
6. Slate

Slate is an open-source platform specifically designed to create API documentation. Its clean, responsive design and developer-friendly features make it a solid alternative to ReadMe for teams focused on creating interactive and accessible API docs.
Top features
- Side-by-side layout: Display API documentation alongside code examples, making it easier for developers to understand and implement APIs.
- Responsive design: Create mobile-friendly API documentation that provides an optimal experience across all devices.
- Markdown-based content: Write and manage documentation using Markdown for a straightforward and efficient workflow.
- Customizable themes: Tailor the look and feel of your documentation to align with your brand and style.
- Open-source flexibility: Leverage the power of open-source to extend and customize the platform according to your team's needs.
How it’s better than ReadMe: Focuses on developer usability with a side-by-side layout, offers responsive design for mobile accessibility, and provides the flexibility of open-source customization.
Pricing: free
7. Docusaurus

Docusaurus is an open-source framework designed for building static documentation websites. Its developer-friendly tools and flexibility make it a strong alternative to ReadMe for creating visually appealing and performant documentation portals.
Top features
- Markdown support: Write content in Markdown for a straightforward and developer-friendly documentation process.
- Static site generation: Create fast, SEO-optimized static websites for hosting documentation with excellent performance and reliability.
- Custom themes and plugins: Customize the appearance and functionality of your documentation site with a variety of themes and an extensive plugin ecosystem.
- Versioning and localization: Manage multiple versions of documentation and provide translations for a global audience.
- Integration with developer workflows: Connect with tools like GitHub and CI/CD pipelines to automate documentation updates and deployment.
How it’s better than ReadMe: Offers advanced customization options, static site generation for faster performance, and robust versioning and localization capabilities to support global audiences.
Pricing: free
Check out the best Docusaurus alternatives →
8. Postman

Postman is a widely used tool for designing, testing, and documenting APIs. Its integrated approach to API lifecycle management, including robust testing and collaborative features, makes it a strong alternative to ReadMe for API documentation and developer collaboration.
Top features
- API request building and testing: Create, test, and debug API requests with an intuitive interface and detailed response analysis tools.
- Automatic API documentation: Generate interactive API documentation directly from collections, ensuring consistency and easy access for developers.
- Mock server creation: Simulate API endpoints to test functionality and design workflows without needing a live backend.
- Collaboration workspaces: Enable teams to collaborate on APIs with shared workspaces, real-time updates, and role-based access controls.
- API monitoring and versioning: Monitor API performance, set alerts for issues, and manage multiple versions of APIs for better lifecycle management.
How it’s better than ReadMe: Combines API testing, documentation, and collaboration into one platform provides mock server capabilities and includes API monitoring for comprehensive lifecycle management.
Pricing: starts at $14 per user per month
9. Document360

Document360 is a knowledge base software designed for creating, managing, and publishing user-friendly documentation. Its focus on organization, customization, and analytics makes it a strong alternative to ReadMe for teams looking to build scalable documentation solutions.
Top features
- Intuitive Markdown editor: Create and edit content efficiently with a Markdown-based editor that provides live previews and formatting options.
- Version management: Track changes and maintain multiple versions of your documentation, allowing users to access current and historical content.
- Content categorization: Organize documentation with nested categories, tags, and subcategories to ensure intuitive navigation for users.
- Multilingual support: Publish documentation in multiple languages to cater to a diverse, global audience.
- Detailed analytics: Monitor user behavior, search trends, and article performance to refine and improve your documentation continuously.
How it’s better than ReadMe: Offers advanced content organization with nested categories, version control for managing historical documentation, and in-depth analytics for optimizing user engagement and content performance.
Pricing: not available publicly
Compare with top Document360 alternatives →
10. Apidog

Apidog is an all-in-one tool designed to streamline the API development lifecycle, including design, debugging, testing, and documentation. Its user-friendly interface and collaborative features make it a strong alternative to ReadMe for teams seeking an integrated approach to API management.
Top features
- API design and modeling: Create and manage API endpoints with an intuitive interface, allowing for detailed specifications of parameters for API requests and responses.
- Automatic documentation generation: Generate well-structured, interactive API documentation directly from your API definitions, ensuring consistency and ease of use.
- Mock server functionality: Simulate API responses with mock servers, enabling developers to test and validate APIs during the design phase without needing a live backend.
- Collaborative environment: Facilitate teamwork with real-time collaboration tools, including commenting, version control, and role-based access permissions.
- Integrated testing and debugging: Perform API testing and debugging within the platform, streamlining the development process and reducing the need for external tools.
How it’s better than ReadMe: Apidog offers a more integrated approach by combining API design, documentation, testing, and mocking within a single platform, enhancing collaboration and efficiency throughout the entire API lifecycle.
Pricing: starts at $9 per user per month
11. MKDocs

MkDocs is an open-source static site generator built specifically for creating documentation websites. Its simplicity and developer-centric design make it a practical alternative to ReadMe for teams seeking a lightweight, customizable documentation solution.
Top features
- Markdown-based content: Write documentation in Markdown files, providing a straightforward, developer-friendly workflow.
- Static site generation: Generate fast, SEO-optimized static websites for documentation, ensuring high performance and accessibility.
- Customizable themes: Choose from various built-in themes or create your own to tailor the appearance of your documentation.
- Plugin support: Extend functionality with plugins for features like versioning, search enhancements, and more.
- Easy deployment: Host documentation on any static site hosting service, such as GitHub Pages or Netlify, for flexibility and control.
How it’s better than ReadMe: Offers a lightweight approach with static site generation, focuses on Markdown for simplicity, and provides extensive customization through themes and plugins.
Pricing: free
Conclusion
ReadMe is a solid API and technical documentation option, but its feature set isn't very generous compared to its pricing. Also, the interface can be very dated, especially compared to some of the modern tools listed above. So why take the risk?
Featurebase is one of the best modern alternatives to ReadMe that lets you create beautiful product documentation in minutes—without code. In addition to documentation, Featurebase offers feedback collection, survey, and changelog features to help you build the best product on the market.
It comes with affordable pricing and a free plan. We can help you seamlessly migrate from any existing knowledge base tools. 👇
✨ Create a beautiful Help Center with Featurebase for free →

The all-in-one tool for customer feedback, changelogs, surveys, and more. Built-in the 🇪🇺.