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Head-to-head · Markdown Editors

HackMD vs HedgeDoc

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 1 check side by side
Higher score HackMD #2 in Markdown Editors 9.1/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 3 features Visit HackMD
HedgeDoc #3 in Markdown Editors 8.9/10 Open source ✓ 0 of 3 features Visit HedgeDoc

HackMD leads on 0 checks, HedgeDoc on 0, and 1 is even. Who comes out ahead on the 1 yes/no, price and count check where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreHackMD · 9.1/10
  • Free planonly HackMD

HackMD scores higher on our rubric for markdown editors: 9.1 against 8.9 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #3.

HackMD is the better fit for collaborative Markdown teams. HedgeDoc is the better fit for self-hosted collaborative Markdown teams.

  • HackMD fits best

    Collaborative Markdown teams

  • HedgeDoc fits best

    Self-hosted collaborative Markdown teams

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Side by side

Feature HackMD 9.1/10 Visit ↗ HedgeDoc 8.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.1 8.9
Ranking #2 in Markdown Editors #3 in Markdown Editors
Best for Collaborative Markdown teams Self-hosted collaborative Markdown teams
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free
Starting price $5/seat/mo Open source
Free plan ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Self-hosted, Browser extension Self-hosted, Cloud
Platforms Web, Chrome extension Web
Support Email, Community, Docs Community, Docs
Integrations 8 integrations 4 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features HackMD 0/3 · HedgeDoc 0/3
Real-time collaboration Not checked yet Not checked yet
Cloud sync Not checked yet Not checked yet
Local file support Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Supported platforms Not checked yet Not checked yet
Export formats Not checked yet Not checked yet
Publishing workflow Not checked yet Not checked yet
Markdown flavor Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Real-time editing with comments, mentions, and multiple cursors
  • GitHub synchronization plus Dropbox, Google Drive, and Arweave transfers
  • API, CLI, MCP, browser extensions, publishing, and version recovery
  • Real-time Markdown collaboration with permissions and note revisions
  • Presentation mode, diagrams, graphs, and embedded content in one workspace
  • Docker deployment plus LDAP, SAML, OAuth2, and GitHub authentication
Cons
  • Free plan supports up to 3 teammates and 3 invitees
  • Free version history is limited to the recent 10 versions
  • Native app coverage is centered on the web experience
  • Self-hosting puts deployment and infrastructure responsibility on the team
  • Access is centered on the web rather than native applications
  • Teams seeking a conventional paid SaaS model may prefer another editor
Our verdict

HackMD is a web-based collaborative Markdown workspace for teams, developers, researchers, communities, and open-source projects. It supports simultaneous editing with multiple cursors, comments, mentions, templates, shared workspaces,…

Read the review →

HedgeDoc is an open-source, web-based Markdown editor designed for teams and other groups that need to create and edit notes together in real time. Its self-hosted model lets organizations deploy the application on their own server using…

Read the review →
  1. HackMDMarkdown Editors 9.1Free plan
  2. HedgeDocMarkdown Editors 8.9Open source

Strengths and trade-offs

  • HackMD — where it wins

    • Real-time editing with comments, mentions, and multiple cursors
    • GitHub synchronization plus Dropbox, Google Drive, and Arweave transfers
    • API, CLI, MCP, browser extensions, publishing, and version recovery

    Where it doesn't

    • Free plan supports up to 3 teammates and 3 invitees
    • Free version history is limited to the recent 10 versions
    • Native app coverage is centered on the web experience

  • HedgeDoc — where it wins

    • Real-time Markdown collaboration with permissions and note revisions
    • Presentation mode, diagrams, graphs, and embedded content in one workspace
    • Docker deployment plus LDAP, SAML, OAuth2, and GitHub authentication

    Where it doesn't

    • Self-hosting puts deployment and infrastructure responsibility on the team
    • Access is centered on the web rather than native applications
    • Teams seeking a conventional paid SaaS model may prefer another editor

More comparisons

All markdown editors comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update