Compare the Top Free Software Documentation Tools as of October 2025

What are Free Software Documentation Tools?

Software documentation tools are designed to help developers and technical writers create, manage, and share documentation related to software applications. These tools facilitate the writing of user guides, API references, installation instructions, and other types of technical content. They often include features like version control, templates, collaborative editing, and integration with code repositories to streamline the documentation process. Some popular tools offer support for various output formats, such as HTML, PDF, and Markdown, making it easier to distribute documentation to different audiences. By using these tools, teams can ensure that their documentation remains accurate, up-to-date, and accessible throughout the software development lifecycle. Compare and read user reviews of the best Free Software Documentation tools currently available using the table below. This list is updated regularly.

  • 1
    FlowShare

    FlowShare

    miraminds GmbH

    FlowShare® documents every step you take in any software, then delivers a branded process manual you can use to train your staff. FlowShare is a one-of-a-kind documentation tool that runs in the background, automatically documenting every action you take, creating step-by-step guides for your staff to train themselves on complex tasks and processes. It's fast, gets your documentation done in just hours, instead of days or weeks, works with any type of software on Windows and saves time and money training staff. You get easy to distribute accurate information with all of your guides looking great - no matter who creates them! FlowShare AI-Powered assistant provides 24/7 instant help, ready to guide your end-users through troubleshooting and problem-solving independently and enhances your team's ability to adapt and grow with your tech stack. FlowShare Portal provides a Central Knwoledge Hub, making the solutions and step-by-step guides readily accessible.
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    Starting Price: €39/month/user
  • 2
    GitHub

    GitHub

    GitHub

    GitHub is the world’s most secure, most scalable, and most loved developer platform. Join millions of developers and businesses building the software that powers the world. Build with the world’s most innovative communities, backed by our best tools, support, and services. If you manage multiple contributors , there’s a free option: GitHub Team for Open Source. We also run GitHub Sponsors, where we help fund your work. The Pack is back. We’ve partnered up to give students and teachers free access to the best developer tools—for the school year and beyond. Work for a government-recognized nonprofit, association, or 501(c)(3)? Get a discounted Organization account on us.
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    Starting Price: $7 per month
  • 3
    Read the Docs

    Read the Docs

    Read the Docs

    Spend your time on writing high quality documentation, not on the tools to make your documentation work. Read the Docs simplifies software documentation by automating building, versioning, and hosting of your docs for you. We will host your documentation for free, forever. There are no tricks. We help over 100,000 open source projects share their docs, including a custom domain and theme. Whenever you push code to your favorite version control service, whether that is GitHub, BitBucket, or GitLab, we will automatically build your docs so your code and documentation are never out of sync. We build and host your docs for the web, but they are also viewable as PDFs, as single page HTML, and for eReaders. No additional configuration is required. We can host and build multiple versions of your docs so having a 1.0 version of your docs and a 2.0 version of your docs is as easy as having a separate branch or tag in your version control system.
    Starting Price: $5 per month
  • 4
    Bump.sh

    Bump.sh

    Bump.sh

    Bump.sh is the place for API developers to centralize all of their API documentation. Working with REST, Event-Drivent Architecture, or a mix of API technologies? Bump.sh is the only tool on the market that supports OpenAPI/Swagger, AsyncAPI, and soon more (such as GraphQL, SOAP, and gRPC). Plug Bump.sh into your CI, use our CLI, or upload your specification files manually, and benefit from a stunning UI that definitely contrasts with the legacy tools on the market. Enjoy all of the nifty UX details: we know devs will like it, as they were imagined by devs. Unique on the market: every time you publish a new version of your API documentation, Bump.sh automatically detects changes, publishes a changelog, and sends alerts to subscribe readers if the changes break anything.
    Starting Price: $149 per month
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