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Head-to-head · Content Collaboration Software

Etherpad vs HackMD

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 2 checks side by side
Higher score Etherpad #6 in Content Collaboration Software 8.7/10 Open source ✓ 0 of 5 features Visit Etherpad
HackMD #7 in Content Collaboration Software 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 5 features Visit HackMD

Etherpad leads on 0 checks, HackMD on 0, and 2 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 2 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreEtherpad · 8.7/10
  • Free planonly HackMD
  • Most featuresHackMD · 1 of 5

Etherpad scores higher on our rubric for content collaboration software: 8.7 against 8.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #6 and #7.

Etherpad is the better fit for teams wanting free, self-hosted live editing. HackMD is the better fit for markdown-first teams collaborating on technical documents.

  • Etherpad fits best

    Teams wanting free, self-hosted live editing

  • HackMD fits best

    Markdown-first teams collaborating on technical documents

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Etherpad 8.7/10 Visit ↗ HackMD 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.7 8.6
Ranking #6 in Content Collaboration Software #7 in Content Collaboration Software
Best for Teams wanting free, self-hosted live editing Markdown-first teams collaborating on technical documents
Pricing model Free Free plan + paid
Starting price Open source $5/seat/mo
Free plan Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Free trial — —
Deployment Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile Cloud, Self-hosted, Browser extension
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android Web, Chrome extension
Support Community, Docs Email, Community, Docs
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Etherpad 0/5 · HackMD 1/5
Real-time editing Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Approval workflows Not checked yet Not checked yet
Role permissions Not checked yet Not checked yet
Version history Not checked yet Not checked yet
External guest access Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Storage limit Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Edits sync in real time, with authorship attributed per keystroke.
  • Full revision history and a timeslider help teams review changes.
  • Exports to TXT, HTML, Etherpad, DOCX, and PDF.
  • Multiple cursors, inline comments, and mentions support live collaboration.
  • GitHub integration includes synchronization and pushes.
  • Prime adds full-text search, PDF export, and unlimited versions.
Cons
  • Operators are responsible for deployment and ongoing upkeep.
  • Support channels are community and documentation.
  • Plugin-based extensions may require operator effort to manage.
  • Free limits workspaces to 3 teammates, 3 invitees, and 20 GitHub pushes monthly.
  • Offline editing is partial rather than a full offline mode.
  • Prime's listed $5 per-seat monthly price requires annual billing.
Our verdict

Etherpad is an open-source collaborative document editor for teams, institutions, schools, public-sector organizations, and self-hosters. It synchronizes edits in real time and attributes changes to individual authors, making it suited to…

Read the review →

HackMD is a web-based collaborative Markdown workspace for teams, developers, researchers, educators, and open-source communities. It combines shared notes and documentation with real-time editing, comments, revision recovery, templates,…

Read the review →
  1. EtherpadContent Collaboration Software 8.7Open source
  2. HackMDContent Collaboration Software 8.6Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Etherpad — where it wins

    • Edits sync in real time, with authorship attributed per keystroke.
    • Full revision history and a timeslider help teams review changes.
    • Exports to TXT, HTML, Etherpad, DOCX, and PDF.

    Where it doesn't

    • Operators are responsible for deployment and ongoing upkeep.
    • Support channels are community and documentation.
    • Plugin-based extensions may require operator effort to manage.

  • HackMD — where it wins

    • Multiple cursors, inline comments, and mentions support live collaboration.
    • GitHub integration includes synchronization and pushes.
    • Prime adds full-text search, PDF export, and unlimited versions.

    Where it doesn't

    • Free limits workspaces to 3 teammates, 3 invitees, and 20 GitHub pushes monthly.
    • Offline editing is partial rather than a full offline mode.
    • Prime's listed $5 per-seat monthly price requires annual billing.
  • Etherpad8.7/10 · Open source

    A self-hosted editor for teams that want live collaboration and control of their infrastructure.

    Visit EtherpadFull verdict →
  • HackMD8.6/10 · Free plan

    A Markdown workspace for shared technical writing, with GitHub sync and publishing.

    Visit HackMDFull verdict →

More comparisons

All content collaboration software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update