Fidus Writer
Fidus Writer is a free, open-source collaborative editor for academic writing that involves citations or formulas.
What Fidus Writer is
Fidus Writer is a free, open-source collaborative editor for academic writing that involves citations or formulas. It focuses on the content rather than page layout, so the same text can be published on a website, as a printed book, or as an ebook. Collaborators can edit a document simultaneously in the web interface. Owners can invite people using links with specified access rights, and invitees do not need accounts. The editor exports PDF, EPUB, and HTML. Version 4.1 adds bibliography imports in more than ten formats and citation extraction from supported DOCX and ODT files. It also includes two-factor authentication, brute-force protection, a 12-character minimum password, and a 24-hour password-reset window. Experimental end-to-end encryption encrypts documents in the browser before they reach the server; administrators can disable, optionally enable, or require it. Fidus Writer can be self-hosted with an Ubuntu Snap package, Debian package, or Docker containers. It is licensed under the AGPL. Paid help is available for design, installation, configuration, development, integrations, and troubleshooting.
Good
- Free and open-source under the AGPL
- Simultaneous editing in the web interface
- Invite collaborators without requiring account signup
- Exports PDF, EPUB, and HTML
- Can be self-hosted using multiple installation options
Watch out
- End-to-end encryption is experimental
- Setup and troubleshooting help is paid
- Some citation extraction depends on source file and citation tool
Who it suits
Fidus Writer is intended for academics, research groups, publishers, libraries, and individual academics working on publication workflows. It suits collaborators who need citations or formulas and want to self-host their editor.
Verdict
Fidus Writer is focused on collaborative academic documents and publication workflows rather than page layout. Its self-hosting options and citation features may suit teams that need more control over deployment.
Plans and prices
From Fidus Writer's own pricing page, checked 9 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Free software | Free | Use, study, share, and improve at no cost |
| Design | Priced on request | Visual design · layout adjustments · templates · user-experience improvements · per hour |
| Programming & Installation | Priced on request | Installation · configuration · custom development · integrations · troubleshooting · per hour |
| Larger projects | Priced on request | Individual price suggestion for larger or long-term projects |
The facts
Each one read from Fidus Writer's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Audience
- The maker describes Fidus Writer as intended for academics, research groups, publishers, libraries, and individual academics working on publication workflows.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Bibliography import
- Version 4.1 imports bibliography files in more than ten formats, including BibLaTeX, CSL, Citavi XML, RIS, EndNote XML, ENW, and NBIB.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Citation extraction
- Version 4.1 extracts citations from DOCX files with Mendeley, Zotero, Citavi, or EndNote citations and from ODT files with Zotero, legacy Mendeley, or JabRef citations.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Collaboration
- Collaborators can edit the same document simultaneously in the web interface.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Encryption
- Experimental end-to-end encryption encrypts documents in the browser before they reach the server, with administrator options to disable, optionally enable, or require it.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Exports
- The homepage lists PDF, EPUB, and HTML export.checked 9 Oct 2026
- License
- Fidus Writer is free and open-source software licensed under the AGPL.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Open editing links
- Document owners can invite collaborators through a link with specified access rights, and the invited collaborators do not need to sign up.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Other plugins
- Official plugins listed for version 4.1 include Books, Pandoc integration, LanguageTool grammar checking, Git Repository Export, and Citation API Import.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Fidus Writer is an online collaborative editor made for academics who need citations and/or formulas.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Repository integrations
- The Git Repository Export plugin can send documents and books to GitHub, GitLab, and Forgejo in DOCX, ODT, and native formats.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Security
- Version 4.1 adds two-factor authentication, brute-force protection, a 12-character minimum password requirement, and a 24-hour password reset window.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Self-hosting
- New users can install Fidus Writer with an Ubuntu Snap package, a Debian package, or Docker containers.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Semantic publishing
- The editor focuses on content rather than layout so the same text can be published on a website, as a printed book, or as an ebook.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Support
- The maker offers paid help with installation, configuration, custom development, integrations, and troubleshooting.checked 9 Oct 2026
Money
- Free plan
- Yeschecked 22 Sep 2026
