Web Development · head to head
Docusaurus vs Read the Docs
Docusaurus
Web Development
Static site generator from Meta for documentation sites
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Read the Docs
Documentation
Documentation hosting with versioning built for open source
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Docusaurus customisation past the config file assumes React knowledge, which not every docs team has; Read the Docs build configuration is finicky, and build failures on dependency changes are a common frustration
- They diverge on capability: Docusaurus covers MDX authoring, Read the Docs covers Build on commit.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Docusaurus and Read the Docs actually diverge.
| Attribute | Docusaurus | Read the Docs |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Open source, no licence fee; hosting billed separately | Free for open source; paid business plans for private documentation |
| Platforms | Web, Self-hosted, Node.js | Web, Cloud |
| Category | Web Development | Documentation |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Docusaurus
- MDX authoring
- Docs versioning
- Internationalisation
- Algolia search
- React theming
- Plugin architecture
Only in Read the Docs
- Build on commit
- Version by branch and tag
- Pull request previews
- Free for open source
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Docusaurus
- Open-source project documentation that must track several released versionsnot Read the Docs
- Docs sites needing translation workflows rather than a single languagenot Read the Docs
- Teams already writing React who want to extend the docs theme directlynot Read the Docs
- Replacing a hand-rolled docs site with something that handles search and versioningnot Read the Docs
Read the Docs
- Open-source projects needing free hosted versioned documentationnot Docusaurus
- Teams wanting docs rebuilt automatically on every commitnot Docusaurus
- Reviewing documentation changes in a pull request before mergenot Docusaurus
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Docusaurus
- Customisation past the config file assumes React knowledge, which not every docs team has
- Build times grow noticeably on very large sites, particularly with many versions and locales
- Major version upgrades have required real migration work rather than a dependency bump
- It generates a static site, so anything dynamic — gated content, per-user docs — needs a separate solution
Read the Docs
- Build configuration is finicky, and build failures on dependency changes are a common frustration
- Default themes are recognisable and dated, so sites look alike unless customised
- Private documentation requires a paid business plan
- Build times on large projects are slow enough to interrupt a review cycle
Pricing, plan by plan
Docusaurus
Free- DocusaurusFree
- Full generator
- Versioning
- Internationalisation
Read the Docs
Free- FreeFree
- Core functionality
- Public projects
Which should you pick?
Choose Docusaurus if
- You need mdx authoring.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Self-hosted, Node.js.
- You also want docs versioning.
Choose Read the Docs if
- You need build on commit.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Cloud.
- You also want version by branch and tag.
Questions people ask
- Is Docusaurus or Read the Docs better?
- Neither clearly leads. Docusaurus starts at Free and Read the Docs at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Docusaurus or Read the Docs?
- Docusaurus starts at Free and Read the Docs at Free.
- Does Docusaurus or Read the Docs run on more platforms?
- Docusaurus runs on Web, Self-hosted, Node.js. Read the Docs runs on Web, Cloud.
- Can I use Docusaurus for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Docusaurus best used for?
- Docusaurus is most often used for open-source project documentation that must track several released versions, docs sites needing translation workflows rather than a single language, teams already writing react who want to extend the docs theme directly, replacing a hand-rolled docs site with something that handles search and versioning. Of those, open-source project documentation that must track several released versions and docs sites needing translation workflows rather than a single language are not what Read the Docs is typically brought in for.
- What can Docusaurus do that Read the Docs cannot?
- Docusaurus covers MDX authoring, Docs versioning, Internationalisation, Algolia search. Read the Docs covers Build on commit, Version by branch and tag, Pull request previews, Free for open source.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Docusaurus: Is Docusaurus free?
Yes. Docusaurus is open source from Meta with no licence fee. You pay only for hosting, and static output can be served from free tiers on Netlify, Vercel or GitHub Pages.
Read the Docs: Is Read the Docs free?
Free for open-source public projects. Private documentation requires a paid business plan.
Docusaurus: What is Docusaurus built with?
React and MDX. Pages are authored in MDX — Markdown that can embed React components — and the theme layer is React, so layouts are extended with components.
Read the Docs: What does it build from?
Most commonly Sphinx or MkDocs sources kept in your repository.
Docusaurus: Does Docusaurus support multiple documentation versions?
Yes. Versioning is built in, so documentation for several released product versions can be maintained side by side, which is a main reason projects choose it.
Read the Docs: How does versioning work?
It maps branches and tags to documentation versions, so several releases are served side by side without manual work.
Docusaurus: Does Docusaurus include search?
It integrates with Algolia DocSearch rather than shipping its own search index. Open-source projects can typically use Algolia’s free DocSearch programme.
Related pages
More on Read the Docs
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