Side by side
HelpSmith vs Oxygen XML Editor
Both stand on help authoring tools. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free trial Windows
HelpSmith is a fit for Windows documentation authors who want one project to produce several help and document formats. Consider another option if you need a platform other than Windows or do not want a per-seat, one-time license.
Visit HelpSmith Free trial ExtensionLinuxMac+1
Choose Oxygen XML Editor if you need multi-mode XML editing, validation and publishing from one source. Professional is listed at $34 a year, while users who need IBM DB2, Oracle 10.2 or Microsoft SQL Server support need Enterprise; Linux users also need X.org for the bundled Java version.
Visit Oxygen XML EditorThe facts
| HelpSmith | Oxygen XML Editor | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | A free trial | A free trial |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Windows | Extension, Linux, Mac, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Standard: $199, paid once | Professional 12-month subscription: $34 a year |
| Plans published | 3 | 10 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | helpsmith.com | oxygenxml.com |
| On help authoring tools | #12 of 29 | #8 of 29 |
HelpSmith: what it does well
- Publishes seven documentation formats from a single source.
- Imports content from HTML, Word, CHM, and other formats.
- Conditional publishing supports audience-specific versions.
- Screenshot tool includes annotations and clickable hotspots.
- Ultimate supports XML projects for version control and translation tools.
What to know first
- Runs on Windows only.
- Licenses are per seat for local PC installation.
- The listed license fees are one-time purchases, not subscriptions.
Oxygen XML Editor: what it does well
- Edit XML in Text, Grid and Author modes.
- As-you-type validation covers XML, JSON and HTML.
- Publishing scenarios generate multiple formats from one source.
- Includes an Apache Subversion client.
- Available as a desktop application and Eclipse plugin.
What to know first
- There is no free plan.
- The 30-day evaluation requires a trial license key.
- Professional excludes commercial database support.
- Linux bundled Java requires X.org; Wayland is unsupported.
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