BookStack
BookStack is a free, open-source platform for organizing and storing information on a self-hosted instance.
What BookStack is
BookStack is a free, open-source platform for organizing and storing information on a self-hosted instance. Content is arranged as Books, Chapters, and Pages, with a WYSIWYG editor and an optional Markdown editor with live preview. Search works within a book or across books, chapters, and pages, and can link directly to paragraphs. The editor also includes diagrams.net drawing capability. Authentication supports OIDC, SAML2, LDAP, and social-based secondary options; built-in MFA can be enforced by role and uses TOTP and static backup codes. Content can be exported as contained HTML, PDF, plain text, Markdown, or Portable ZIP. The project also describes a REST API for automation and importing content. Downloading and installing an instance has no cost under the MIT license. Installation requires PHP 8.2 or newer, MySQL 8.0 or MariaDB 10.6 or newer, Git, Composer 2.2 or newer, and a PHP-compatible web server. BookStack does not support shared PHP hosting.
Good
- Free to download and install under MIT license.
- Organizes content into Books, Chapters, and Pages.
- Search spans books, chapters, and pages.
- Built-in MFA can be enforced by role.
- Offers several export formats.
Watch out
- Requires PHP 8.2 or newer.
- Requires MySQL 8.0 or MariaDB 10.6 or newer.
- Does not support shared PHP hosting.
- Community support does not assure a response or resolution.
Who it suits
BookStack suits individuals or teams who can host and maintain their own information platform. It may be useful where structured pages, authentication options, export formats, and API access matter.
Verdict
BookStack offers a structured, searchable home for self-hosted documentation, with authentication, export, and API options. Its server requirements and lack of shared PHP hosting support make hosting capability an important consideration.
Plans and prices
From BookStack's own pricing page, checked 1 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| BookStack self-hosted | Free | MIT licensed · self-hosted · No cost to downloading and installing your own instance |
| Community Support | Free | Community discussions, Codeberg or Reddit · documentation and YouTube guidance · no assurance of response, support or resolution · Free |
| Professional Support Plan | £450 a year | Email/help-desk support · installation and updating issues · high-priority bug triage · £450 /year |
| Enterprise Support Plan | £4,500 a year | Professional plan included · API integration and platform-extension assistance · up to 10 video-support hours per year · £4,500 /year |
The facts
Each one read from BookStack's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- API
- The project describes a growing REST API for automation and importing content.checked 1 Oct 2026
- Authentication
- BookStack supports OIDC, SAML2 and LDAP, plus social-based secondary authentication options.checked 1 Oct 2026
- Custom domain
- Yeschecked 20 Sep 2026
- Diagrams
- The page editor has built-in diagrams.net drawing capability.checked 1 Oct 2026
- Editor
- The page editor provides a WYSIWYG interface, with an optional Markdown editor that includes live preview.checked 1 Oct 2026
- Exports
- Content can be exported as contained HTML, PDF, plain text, Markdown or Portable ZIP.checked 1 Oct 2026
- Hosting limit
- BookStack does not currently support shared PHP hosting.checked 1 Oct 2026
- Installation
- Installation requires PHP 8.2 or newer, MySQL 8.0 or MariaDB 10.6 or newer, Git, Composer 2.2 or newer and a PHP-compatible web server.checked 1 Oct 2026
- License
- BookStack is fully free and open, MIT licensed, and has no cost to download and install your own instance.checked 1 Oct 2026
- MFA
- Built-in MFA can be enforced per role and includes TOTP and static backup codes.checked 1 Oct 2026
- Organization
- Content is organized into Books, Chapters and Pages.checked 1 Oct 2026
- Product
- BookStack is a simple, self-hosted, easy-to-use platform for organising and storing information.checked 1 Oct 2026
- Publishing audience
- bothchecked 20 Sep 2026
- Search
- Content is fully searchable at book level or across all books, chapters and pages, with direct paragraph linking.checked 1 Oct 2026
- Security
- BookStack supports CSP headers to increase protection against malicious content and stores MFA secrets encrypted in the database.checked 1 Oct 2026
- SSO support
- Yeschecked 20 Sep 2026
- Support
- Official paid support services are provided by HTTP Functions Ltd., while community support is available through discussions, Codeberg, Reddit, documentation and YouTube.checked 1 Oct 2026
- Version history
- Yeschecked 20 Sep 2026
The company
- Founded
- 2015checked 28 Sep 2026
Money
- Free plan
- Yeschecked 20 Sep 2026
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