MkDocs vs Read the Docs
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted wikis & documentation options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
MkDocs
Documentation site generator for technical teams
VS
Read the Docs
Documentation hosting platform you can self-host
| Feature | MkDocs | Read the Docs |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Wikis & Documentation | Wikis & Documentation |
| License | BSD-2-Clause | MIT |
| Language | Python | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 22,317 | ★ 8,373 |
| First released | 2014 | 2010 |
| Replaces | Confluence, GitBook | GitBook, Confluence |
Why pick each one
Choose Read the Docs if…
- Great for versioned project docs
- Automated build pipeline
Frequently asked questions
Is MkDocs or Read the Docs better?
MkDocs is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Read the Docs if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are MkDocs and Read the Docs free and open-source?
Yes. MkDocs is licensed under BSD-2-Clause and Read the Docs under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run MkDocs and Read the Docs with Docker?
MkDocs: check the project docs for container support. Read the Docs: yes.