Side by side
Docusaurus vs VitePress
Both stand on technical documentation software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan Self-hostedWeb
Docusaurus combines documentation-focused authoring, versioning, localization, and search options in a free static-site generator. Its Node.js requirement and lack of Internet Explorer 11 support in v2+ are worth noting before choosing it.
Visit Docusaurus
Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+3
VitePress offers a Markdown-based workflow with Vue customization and static HTML output, at no listed software cost. Its Node.js requirement and server-side rendering constraint are important considerations for setup and theme development.
Visit VitePressThe facts
| Docusaurus | VitePress | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Yes |
| Runs on | Self-hosted, Web | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Maker | Docusaurus | Not published |
| Website | docusaurus.io | vitepress.dev |
| On technical documentation software | #7 of 37 | #3 of 37 |
Docusaurus: what it does well
- Free for everyone.
- Supports Markdown and MDX authoring.
- Includes document versioning and localization.
- Offers several search integration options.
- Generates static files for hosting.
What to know first
- Requires Node.js 20.0 or above.
- Docusaurus v2+ does not support Internet Explorer 11.
VitePress: what it does well
- Free under the MIT License
- Markdown supports tables and syntax highlighting
- Markdown pages can use Vue components
- Supports custom themes and dynamically generated routes
- Deployment guidance covers multiple hosting services
What to know first
- Requires Node.js version 22 or higher
- Custom theme code must support server-side rendering
- Linked documentation includes an alpha version
Alternatives to Docusaurus Alternatives to VitePress The whole list