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BetterOpenSource

Outline vs Docmost

A side-by-side comparison of two open-source tools to help you choose the right one.

Feature
SummaryA fast, collaborative team knowledge base.Open-source collaborative wiki and documentation.
GitHub stars31K18K
LicenseBSL 1.1AGPL 3.0
LanguageTypeScriptTypeScript
PricingFree & Open SourceFree & Open Source
Self-hostable
ReplacesConfluence, NotionConfluence, Notion
Rating4.6 / 54.6 / 5

Outline features

  • Real-time collaborative document editor
  • Blazing-fast full-text search
  • Collections, permissions, and sharing
  • Slack and SSO integrations
  • Markdown import/export and API

Docmost features

  • Real-time collaborative editing with live cursors
  • Team spaces with granular role-based permissions
  • Rich editor with tables, code blocks, and diagrams (Draw.io, Excalidraw, Mermaid)
  • Self-hosted AI chat and semantic search grounded in your docs
  • SSO/SAML, OpenID Connect, and LDAP for enterprises

Outlinepros & cons

Pros

  • Excellent writing and reading experience
  • Great search and structure
  • Clean, fast UI

Cons

  • Self-hosting requires SSO setup
  • BSL license has commercial conditions

Docmostpros & cons

Pros

  • Polished, fast collaborative wiki experience
  • Strong enterprise controls and self-hosting (even air-gapped)
  • Easy migration from Confluence and Notion

Cons

  • AGPL license carries copyleft obligations
  • Some advanced enterprise features are paid

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