BookStack vs Docmost
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
BookStack
Simple self-hosted documentation and wiki platform
VS
Docmost
Open-source collaborative wiki and documentation
| Feature | BookStack | Docmost |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 96 · Excellent | 96 · Excellent |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 19,050 | ★ 21,773 |
| First released | 2017 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Confluence, Notion | Confluence, Notion |
What are BookStack and Docmost?
BookStack
BookStack is a self-hosted platform for organizing and storing documentation in a books, chapters, and pages structure. It targets teams that want an approachable wiki without complexity. It is deployed via Docker or a LAMP stack.
- Books, chapters and pages structure
- WYSIWYG and Markdown editors
- Roles, permissions and SSO
- Full-text search
Docmost
Docmost is an open-source collaborative documentation and wiki software for teams to create and organize knowledge. It targets organizations seeking a self-hosted Confluence alternative. It is deployed via Docker with PostgreSQL.
- Real-time collaborative editing
- Spaces and nested pages
- Permissions and SSO
- Diagrams and embeds
BookStack vs Docmost: key differences
BookStack is written in PHP, while Docmost is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — MIT for BookStack versus AGPL-3.0 for Docmost. BookStack is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Docmost. BookStack is the more established project (first released 2017), while Docmost arrived in 2024.
Why pick each one
Choose BookStack if…
- Very easy to learn
- Clean organized structure
- Good permissions
Watch out for
- Rigid structure for some
- Fewer integrations than rivals
Choose Docmost if…
- Clean modern interface
- Good team collaboration
- Active development
Watch out for
- Young project
- Requires Postgres
Frequently asked questions
Is BookStack or Docmost better?
Neither is universally better. Docmost has the larger community, while BookStack is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are BookStack and Docmost free and open-source?
Yes. BookStack is licensed under MIT and Docmost under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run BookStack and Docmost with Docker?
BookStack: yes. Docmost: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, BookStack or Docmost?
BookStack has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Docmost. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.