Self-Hosted Alternatives to GitBook

wiki February 20, 2026 Updated: February 20, 2026

Why Replace GitBook?

GitBook’s free plan is limited to one public space with one user. The Plus plan is $8/user/month, and Business is $13/user/month. For teams:

Cost scales fast. A team of 10 on Business pays $1,560/year for what is essentially a documentation site.
Data lives on their servers. Your product documentation, internal docs, and knowledge base are hosted by GitBook. If they change pricing, policies, or shut down, your docs go with them.
Limited customization. GitBook’s theming is constrained. Self-hosted tools give you full control over design, layout, and functionality.
Git sync limitations. GitBook’s Git sync — once its core feature — now has restrictions on the free plan. Self-hosted alternatives like Wiki.js offer Git sync without limitations.

Best Alternatives

Wiki.js — Best for Git-Synced Documentation

Wiki.js is the closest self-hosted replacement for GitBook. It supports Markdown natively, syncs content to a Git repository bidirectionally, has a polished editor with live preview, and serves clean documentation pages. The Git sync means your docs live in your repo — edit locally in VS Code or through the web UI.

How it compares to GitBook:

Bidirectional Git sync (GitBook’s is increasingly restricted)
Markdown and WYSIWYG editors
Multiple authentication providers
Missing: GitBook’s AI search, analytics dashboard

Setup complexity: Low. Docker Compose with PostgreSQL.

[Read our full guide: How to Self-Host Wiki.js]

BookStack — Best for Structured Product Docs

BookStack organizes content into books, chapters, and pages — a natural fit for product documentation. The WYSIWYG editor is reliable, the API allows automation, and the search is excellent.

How it compares to GitBook:

Better organizational hierarchy (shelves > books > chapters > pages)
API for programmatic content management
Role-based access control at every level
Missing: Git sync, GitBook’s polished published-site experience

Setup complexity: Low. Docker Compose with MySQL.

[Read our full guide: How to Self-Host BookStack]

Docusaurus — Best for Developer Documentation

Docusaurus is Facebook’s open-source documentation framework. It generates static documentation sites from Markdown files, supports versioning, i18n, and search. It’s not a wiki — it’s a static site generator optimized for docs.

How it compares to GitBook:

Static site generation (faster, more customizable)
Documentation versioning (tied to software releases)
Full React-based customization
Missing: web-based editing, real-time collaboration
Requires: developer workflow (edit Markdown, commit, build, deploy)

Setup complexity: Medium. Requires Node.js build pipeline. No Docker Compose one-click setup — it’s a dev tool.

MkDocs with Material Theme — Best for Simple Docs

MkDocs generates documentation sites from Markdown. The Material theme makes them look professional. Like Docusaurus, it’s a static site generator — no web editor, no database.

How it compares to GitBook:

Clean, fast documentation sites
Markdown files in a Git repo — edit with any text editor
Search, versioning, and theming
Missing: web-based editing, user management, collaboration

Setup complexity: Low. Python-based. mkdocs serve for local dev, static output for deployment.

Docmost — Best Collaborative Option

Docmost is a newer wiki with a Notion-like block editor, real-time collaboration, and team spaces. While not a documentation-specific tool like GitBook, it works well for internal docs.

How it compares to GitBook:

Block-based editor with real-time collaboration
Team spaces for organization
Missing: versioning, published-site generation, Git sync

Setup complexity: Low. Docker Compose with PostgreSQL.

[Read our full guide: How to Self-Host Docmost]

Migration Guide

Exporting from GitBook

If Git sync is enabled, your content is already in your repository as Markdown
Otherwise, use GitBook’s export feature or the API to download content
Content exports as Markdown files with SUMMARY.md for structure

Importing into Wiki.js

Configure Git sync in Wiki.js to point to your documentation repository
Wiki.js pulls the Markdown files and creates pages automatically
Review navigation structure and update internal links

Importing into BookStack

Create a book structure matching your GitBook space
Import Markdown files into BookStack pages
BookStack converts Markdown to rich text
Review formatting and fix any rendering issues

Cost Comparison

	GitBook (10 users)	Self-Hosted Wiki.js
Monthly cost	$80-$130/month	$5-$10/month (VPS)
Annual cost	$960-$1,560/year	$60-$120/year
3-year cost	$2,880-$4,680	$180-$360
Spaces	Limited (plan-dependent)	Unlimited
Git sync	Restricted on free plan	Full bidirectional
Custom domain	Paid plans only	Your domain
Privacy	GitBook servers	Full control

What You Give Up

Published site polish. GitBook generates clean, professional documentation sites out of the box. Self-hosted tools require more configuration to achieve the same look.
AI features. GitBook’s AI search and writing assistant have no self-hosted equivalent (though you can integrate Ollama or other LLMs).
Zero maintenance. GitBook is SaaS — they handle uptime, updates, and infrastructure. Self-hosting means you manage all of this.
Change requests. GitBook’s change request workflow (similar to pull requests) is built in. Wiki.js achieves this via Git sync, but BookStack and Docmost don’t have this feature.