Blog ComparisonsTop 11 Read the Docs Alternatives for Technical Documentation

Top 11 Read the Docs Alternatives for Technical Documentation

While Read the Docs is a solid open-source tool, the slow support, pricey plans, and migration headaches leave much to be desired. If you need a better, more user-friendly alternative, check out these top documentation tools for 2025.

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If you've ever walked in on a software development project halfway and there was no project documentation, you know the frustration this can bring.

Tidy software documentation can make life easier for developers, product managers, and ultimately, customers. Read the Docs is a documentation tool that can help you create custom documentation, the easy way.

This open-source tool is free and relatively easy to use, but in some aspects, it leaves much to be desired. Today, we show you the best Read the Docs alternatives to consider in 2025 and beyond. 👇


TL;DR the best Read the docs alternatives:

  1. Featurebase ✨
  2. Document360
  3. Docusaurus
  4. GitBook
  5. Confluence
  6. Slate
  7. MkDocs
  8. Stoplight
  9. ReadMe
  10. BookStack
  11. Wiki.js

Why look for Read the Docs alternatives?

The fact that Read the Docs is free and open source (for other open source and community projects) is just one part of the package. You also get easy versioning, an intuitive way to release product documentation to the public, and more.

The most significant advantage is that you can manage your documentation just like you maintain the code, making it ideal for developers who want to create custom documentation without a dedicated tool. But it's not all perfect.

Read the Docs is a self hosted knowledge repository, that's good for maintaining documentation.
Read the Docs knowledge base

1. The customer support

Have an issue with Read the Docs? Hopefully, you're patient. You'll have to wait two days if you're in their lower-pricing plans to get a response from the customer support team. If you're in the most expensive plan ($250 a month), they will get back to you within one day.

If you're on the free plan, their response time is labeled as "best effort". In an age where customers are used to instant replies through chatbots, phone calls, and emails, Read the Docs support just doesn't cut it for many.

2. The pricing plans

If you're okay with the community plan, you can get it for free but with quite a few limitations. The Basic plan is $50 which seems reasonable enough, but you only get 50 redirects, no custom domains, no pageview analytics, and no content embedding.

The next plan is $150 a month, and it removes all of these limitations, but the price increase is triple. Compared to almost all of the tools below, Read the Docs is very expensive.

3. Migration difficulties

If you're moving from another documentation tool to Read the Docs, you might have issues at the very beginning. As one review says, you might hit a wall if you have tons of old documentation that needs to be moved to Read the Docs.


Top alternatives to Read the Docs for software documentation

Maybe you're not a developer, and you need something for more interactive documentation than Read the Docs. Perhaps you need better customer support and ease of use. In any case, we prepared some of the best API documentation tools and knowledge bases that are a better alternative to Read the Docs.

1. Featurebase ✨

Featurebase's Help Center.
Featurebase's Help Center

Featurebase is a modern & powerful Read the Docs 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.

Check out our live docs ðŸ‘ˆ

Top features

  • External & internal help center: Have both of your knowledge bases in one place with detailed control over who can access what.
  • Customizable design and branding: Create a knowledge base that aligns with your brand identity, including custom colors and domain.
  • Embeddable in-app widget: Provide users instant access to help articles directly within your application
  • Notion-style text editor: Intuitive editor with many formatting options and code blocks.
  • AI search answers: AI-powered search summaries help users quickly get the necessary answers.
  • Multilingual support: Publish content in 40+ languages, automatically showing the correct version based on users' browser settings.
  • Real-time analytics: Understand what your users are searching, which articles need improving and much more.
  • Plus, feedback voting community, product roadmaps, changelogs, and customer surveys—all in one place

How it's better than Read the Docs:
Instead of having 4+ different tools, Featurebase offers everything in one place to help you build products your users love. You can collect feedback, communicate product releases, run surveys, and even have product roadmaps. Plus, you can create a modern, customizable knowledge base with powerful AI features, localization and much more.

Pricing: Featurebase comes with a free plan, with the paid plans starting from $49/month.

✨ Create a beautiful Help Center with Featurebase for free →
AI answers in Help Center.
AI answers in Help Center

2. Document360

Document360 static site generator.
Document360 knowledge base

Document360 is a knowledge management platform designed to create scalable and well-organized documentation. Its focus on customization, collaboration, and analytics makes it a strong alternative to Read the Docs for teams managing internal and external knowledge bases.

Top features

  1. Intuitive Markdown editor: Simple and efficient Markdown editor with live previews.
  2. Advanced version control: Track changes and manage multiple versions of your documentation, allowing users to access historical content when needed.
  3. Solid categorization: Organize documentation with nested categories and tags, making navigation easy and intuitive for users.
  4. Multilingual support: Publish content in multiple languages to cater to a global audience.
  5. Analytics and insights: Monitor documentation performance with detailed analytics, including article views, search trends, and user feedback.

How it’s better than Read the Docs: Provides advanced categorization options, in-depth analytics for performance tracking, and solid multilingual support for global accessibility.

Pricing: not available publicly


3. Docusaurus

 Docusaurus docs.
Docusaurus docs

Docusaurus is an open-source framework designed for building fast, SEO-friendly documentation websites. Its developer-focused tools and flexibility make it a compelling alternative to Read the Docs for creating visually appealing and performant documentation sites.

Top features

  1. Markdown-based content: Write content in Markdown, making it simple for developers to create and maintain documentation.
  2. Static site generator: Generate fast and SEO-optimized static websites for hosting documentation with excellent performance.
  3. Customizable themes and plugins: Tailor the look and functionality of your documentation site with a variety of themes and a strong plugin ecosystem.
  4. Versioning and localization: Manage multiple versions of documentation and provide translations to support a global audience.
  5. Integration with developer workflows: Connect with tools like a GitHub repository and CI/CD pipelines to streamline documentation updates and deployment.

How it’s better than Read the Docs: Offers more customization options, static site generation for enhanced performance, and advanced versioning and localization capabilities.

Pricing: free


4. Gitbook

GitBook's product documentation website.
GitBook product docs

GitBook is a sleek and intuitive platform designed for creating and sharing knowledge bases, team handbooks, and product documentation. Its simplicity, collaboration features, and developer-friendly tools make it a strong alternative to Read the Docs.

Top features

  1. Markdown and WYSIWYG editor: Create content easily using Markdown for developers or an intuitive editor for non-technical users.
  2. Custom domains and branding: Personalize your documentation site with custom domains, logos, and themes to align with your brand.
  3. Real-time collaboration: Work together on documentation in real-time.
  4. Changelog and versioning: Keep users informed of updates with detailed changelogs and easily manage multiple versions of your documentation.
  5. Integrations with developer tools: Connect with GitHub pages, Slack, and other tools to streamline workflows and keep documentation in sync.

How it’s better than Read the Docs: Combines a user-friendly interface with real-time collaboration, customizable branding, and great integrations with developer tools.

Pricing: starts at $65 per site per month


5. Confluence

Confluence's documentation websites.
Confluence knowledge base

Confluence, developed by Atlassian, is a versatile platform for creating, organizing, and sharing team documentation. Its collaboration and integration capabilities make it a strong alternative to Read the Docs for teams looking to manage knowledge and documentation in one place.

Top features

  1. Rich content editor: Create visually engaging documentation using a flexible editor that supports images, tables, and media.
  2. Collaborative editing: Work with team members in real-time to create and update content, ensuring accuracy and up-to-date documentation.
  3. Customizable templates: Use pre-built or custom templates to standardize documentation and save time on repetitive tasks.
  4. Powerful search functionality: Quickly locate pages and content with advanced search capabilities, including filters and keywords.
  5. Integration with Atlassian tools: Connect with Jira, Trello, and other Atlassian products to align documentation with workflows.

How it’s better than Read the Docs: Offers real-time collaboration, integration with project management tools, and a user-friendly editor for creating visually appealing documentation.

Pricing: starts at $5.16 per user per month


6. Slate

Slate docs powered by Gitbook.
Slate help center

Slate is an open-source knowledge base tool designed to create elegant and interactive API documentation. Its clean, responsive design and ease of use make it a compelling alternative to Read the Docs for teams focused on developer-friendly API documentation.

Top features

  1. Responsive design: Create beautifully designed, mobile-friendly API documentation that looks great on any device.
  2. Side-by-side layout: Display source code examples and documentation side-by-side, allowing developers to easily understand and implement APIs.
  3. Markdown-based content: Write and manage content using Markdown for a simple and streamlined documentation process.
  4. Customizable appearance: Tailor the look and feel of your documentation to match your brand with simple configuration options.
  5. Community support: Leverage a strong open-source community for support, plugins, and enhancements to extend functionality.

How it’s better than Read the Docs: Offers a modern, responsive design optimized for API documentation, with a focus on developer usability and side-by-side source code examples.

Pricing: free


7. MKDocs

MkDocs documentation.
MkDocs documentation

MkDocs is a simple, open-source tool for creating static documentation websites. Designed with developers in mind, it uses Markdown files for content creation and supports fast, customizable builds, making it a strong alternative to Read the Docs.

Top features

  1. Markdown-based content: Write documentation using Markdown files, a lightweight and developer-friendly syntax, ensuring simplicity and ease of use.
  2. Static site generation: Build fast, SEO-friendly static websites for self-hosting your documentation and optimize it for performance.
  3. Customizable layout: Choose from various themes or create your own to design a documentation site that matches your brand.
  4. Built-in search functionality: Enable users to quickly locate content with an integrated search feature, enhancing navigation.
  5. Plugin ecosystem: Extend MkDocs’ functionality with a growing library of plugins for some of the many features like versioning, analytics, and more.

How it’s better than Read the Docs: Provides more significant control over customization, a lightweight approach for static site generation, and flexibility through its plugin ecosystem.

Pricing: free


8. Stoplight

Stoplight's documentation.
Stoplight's documentation

Stoplight is a powerful tool for creating and managing API documentation focusing on design, collaboration, and developer experience. It combines an intuitive interface with powerful features to streamline API development and documentation, making it a strong alternative to Read the Docs.

Top features

  1. Visual API design: Create and edit APIs with an intuitive, drag-and-drop interface with simple building blocks, making API development accessible to technical and non-technical team members.
  2. Integrated documentation: Automatically generate interactive API documentation directly from OpenAPI specifications, ensuring consistency and usability.
  3. Collaboration tools: Allow teams to work together in real-time with features like version control, commenting, and role-based access permissions.
  4. Mock servers: Set up mock servers to simulate API calls and responses, enabling developers to test and iterate without a live backend.
  5. Third-party integrations: Integrate with tools like GitHub, GitLab, and Slack to streamline workflows and maintain team alignment.

How it's better than Read the Docs: This great tool focuses specifically on API documentation with visual design capabilities, interactive documentation, and mock server functionality for enhanced developer collaboration.

Pricing: starts at $39 per month


9. ReadMe

ReadMe documentation site that supports markdown files and writing.
Readme's documentaion

ReadMe is a comprehensive platform for creating user-friendly API documentation and developer portals. Its focus on interactivity, customization, and analytics makes it a strong alternative to Read the Docs for teams seeking to enhance the developer experience.

Top features

  1. Interactive API explorer: Allow developers to test API endpoints directly within your documentation, improving usability and engagement.
  2. Dynamic documentation: Automatically update documentation with changes to your API, ensuring content remains consistent and up-to-date.
  3. Custom branding: Personalize your developer portal with your company’s branding for a professional and cohesive appearance.
  4. Changelog and versioning: Keep developers informed with detailed changelogs and support multiple API versions simultaneously.
  5. Analytics and insights: Track how developers interact with your documentation to identify bottlenecks and improve the user experience.

How it’s better than Read the Docs: Offers interactive API exploration, real-time analytics, and advanced customization for creating developer portals tailored to your brand.

Pricing: starts at $99 per month


10. Bookstack

Bookstack helps you not only generate documentation, but also generate static html files.
BookStack technical docs

BookStack is a simple, self-hosted platform designed for organizing and managing documentation. Its simple folder structure and open-source nature make it a flexible alternative to Read the Docs for teams seeking complete control over their documentation.

Top features

  1. Structured content hierarchy: Organize content with a book, chapter, and page structure, making it easy to navigate and categorize documentation.
  2. WYSIWYG editor: Use a user-friendly, visual editor to create and edit content without the need for technical expertise.
  3. Customizable themes: Tailor the appearance of your documentation site with custom themes to match your brand or preferences.
  4. Role-based permissions: Manage access and editing rights with granular role-based permissions to ensure content security and collaboration.
  5. Self-hosting flexibility: Host BookStack on your own server for complete control over data and customization.

How it’s better than Read the Docs: Provides a structured content hierarchy, role-based permissions for security, and the flexibility of self-hosting for greater customization and control.

Pricing: free


11. Wiki.js

Wiki.js docs.
Wiki.js docs

Wiki.js is an open-source platform designed for creating and managing knowledge bases and documentation. Its sleek interface, robust features, and flexibility make it a strong alternative to Read the Docs for teams looking for a customizable solution.

Top features

  1. Markdown support: Write and edit content using Markdown for a developer-friendly documentation experience, or switch to an intuitive editor for non-technical users.
  2. Customizable themes: Tailor the appearance of your wiki with various themes and design options to match your branding.
  3. Access control and permissions: Manage user roles and permissions to control who can view or edit specific content, ensuring security and collaboration.
  4. Extensive integrations: Connect with third-party tools like Slack, Google Drive, and GitHub to enhance your workflow and centralize resources.
  5. Self-hosted flexibility: Host Wiki.js on your own infrastructure for full control over data and customization.

How it’s better than Read the Docs: Offers a more modern interface, advanced customization options, and extensive integrations with third-party tools for a seamless documentation experience.

Pricing: free


Conclusion

Read the Docs alternatives are necessary if this documentation tool is too expensive and complex for your needs. This tool isn't bad by any means. It just fits a narrow use case, which, in combination with the high pricing, makes it less than ideal for most businesses.

Featurebase is one of the best overall alternatives to Read the Docs 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 →
Featurebase's Help Center.
Featurebase's Help Center