Fidus Writer vs Overleaf
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted office suites options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Fidus Writer
an online collaborative editor for academics
VS
Overleaf
Online real-time collaborative LaTeX editor
| Feature | Fidus Writer | Overleaf |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Office Suites | Office Suites |
| License | GPL-3.0-only | AGPL-3.0-or-later |
| Language | JavaScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 50 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 565 | ★ 18,007 |
| First released | 2026 | 2023 |
| Replaces | Overleaf | — |
Why pick each one
Choose Fidus Writer if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0-only license
- Written in JavaScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 50 MB RAM
Choose Overleaf if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0-or-later license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 18k GitHub stars
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Fidus Writer or Overleaf better?
Overleaf is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Fidus Writer if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Fidus Writer and Overleaf free and open-source?
Yes. Fidus Writer is licensed under GPL-3.0-only and Overleaf under AGPL-3.0-or-later. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Fidus Writer and Overleaf with Docker?
Fidus Writer: check the project docs for container support. Overleaf: check the project docs for container support.