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Head-to-head · Markdown Editors

HedgeDoc vs Dillinger

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 3 checks side by side
Higher score HedgeDoc #3 in Markdown Editors 8.9/10 Open source ✓ 0 of 3 features Visit HedgeDoc
Dillinger #4 in Markdown Editors 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 3 features Visit Dillinger

HedgeDoc leads on 0 checks, Dillinger on 0, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 3 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreHedgeDoc · 8.9/10
  • Free planonly Dillinger
  • Most featuresDillinger · 2 of 3

HedgeDoc scores higher on our rubric for markdown editors: 8.9 against 8.7 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #4.

HedgeDoc is the better fit for self-hosted collaborative Markdown teams. Dillinger is the better fit for free browser-based editing with cloud files.

  • HedgeDoc fits best

    Self-hosted collaborative Markdown teams

  • Dillinger fits best

    Free browser-based editing with cloud files

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Side by side

Feature HedgeDoc 8.9/10 Visit ↗ Dillinger 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.9 8.7
Ranking #3 in Markdown Editors #4 in Markdown Editors
Best for Self-hosted collaborative Markdown teams Free browser-based editing with cloud files
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Open source Free plan
Free plan Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Free trial — —
Deployment Self-hosted, Cloud Cloud
Platforms Web Web
Support Community, Docs Docs
Integrations 4 integrations 5 integrations
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business
Features HedgeDoc 0/3 · Dillinger 2/3
Real-time collaboration Not checked yet Not checked yet
Cloud sync Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Local file support Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Specs
Supported platforms Not checked yet web
Export formats Not checked yet Markdown, HTML, PDF
Publishing workflow Not checked yet Not checked yet
Markdown flavor Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • 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
  • Monaco editor with syntax highlighting, cursors, search, and autocompletion
  • Live side-by-side preview with synchronized scrolling
  • Cloud connections plus Markdown, HTML, and PDF export
Cons
  • 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
  • Available as a web application rather than a desktop editor
  • Offline core editing starts only after the initial load
  • Export options are limited to Markdown, styled HTML, and PDF
Our verdict

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 →

Dillinger is a free, open-source Markdown editor that runs in the browser. It is aimed at developers, technical writers, and other users creating README files, documentation, blog posts, or structured prompts. Core editing requires no…

Read the review →
  1. HedgeDocMarkdown Editors 8.9Open source
  2. DillingerMarkdown Editors 8.7Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • 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

  • Dillinger — where it wins

    • Monaco editor with syntax highlighting, cursors, search, and autocompletion
    • Live side-by-side preview with synchronized scrolling
    • Cloud connections plus Markdown, HTML, and PDF export

    Where it doesn't

    • Available as a web application rather than a desktop editor
    • Offline core editing starts only after the initial load
    • Export options are limited to Markdown, styled HTML, and PDF

More comparisons

All markdown editors comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update