--- title: BookStack canonical: https://saasranked.com/software/bookstack/ category: Knowledge Base Software points: 58 rank: 9 of 11 facts_checked: 2026-10-09 --- # BookStack Free, MIT-licensed wiki you host yourself, with roles, single sign-on, an API and optional public viewing. 58 points out of 100. #9 of 11 knowledge base tools. Vendor: BookStack project. Website: https://www.bookstackapp.com/ - The software is free to download and install under the MIT licence; it runs on your own server [1][5]. - The source code is under the MIT licence [5][6]. - Sign-in works with SAML2, OIDC and LDAP [1]. - Books and chapters export to HTML, PDF, Markdown, plain text and ZIP [3][4]. - The project runs no managed hosting service [5]. Verdict: BookStack suits teams that can host a PHP and MySQL or MariaDB app and want a free, open-source documentation site with custom roles, SSO and an API [1][2][4][7]. An admin can make the whole site publicly viewable [1]. The catch: the pages we read show no search reports, reader feedback, help widget or approval workflow, and the project runs no hosting [1][5]. Best for: Teams that can run their own server and want a free documentation site. ## Points | Criterion | Line | Value | Points | Note | |---|---|---|---|---| | Price | Cheapest paid plan | $0 | 12/12 | Free to download and install your own instance; hosting not counted [1]. | | Price | Free plan | Yes | 6/6 | Free open-source software, MIT licensed, with no paid tier needed to publish [1][6]. | | Publishing | Help centre on your own domain | Yes | 8/8 | Self-hosted: you serve it from your own server and set the site address in the APP_URL setting [7][8]. | | Publishing | Multiple languages | Not published | 0/7 | Not published: the homepage and FAQ describe interface translation only, not translated articles [1][5]. | | Publishing | Article version history | Not published | 0/6 | Homepage mentions page revisions; comparing or restoring them is not described on the pages read [1]. | | Publishing | Review and approval workflow | Not published | 0/7 | Not published on the vendor's homepage or FAQ [1][5]. | | Readers and reports | Search reports | Not published | 0/6 | Not published on the vendor's homepage or FAQ [1][5]. | | Readers and reports | Reader feedback on articles | Not published | 0/4 | Not published on the vendor's homepage or FAQ [1][5]. | | Readers and reports | Help widget for your site or app | Not published | 0/4 | Not published on the vendor's homepage or FAQ [1][5]. | | Readers and reports | Login-only articles | Yes | 4/4 | Permissions can be set per role or for Everyone Else on shelves, books, chapters and pages [2]. | | Access and data | Single sign-on (SAML or OIDC) | Yes | 7/7 | Homepage says BookStack supports OIDC, SAML2 and LDAP [1]. | | Access and data | API to read and write articles | Yes | 7/7 | Public API docs list POST and PUT endpoints for pages [4]. | | Access and data | Bulk export of articles | Yes | 5/5 | API docs list book and chapter export in HTML, PDF, plain text, Markdown and ZIP; user docs match [3][4]. | | Access and data | Editor roles and permissions | Yes | 4/4 | Admins create and edit roles under Settings > Roles, with system and content permissions [2]. | | Access and data | Open source | Yes | 5/5 | Source code is distributed under the MIT licence [5][6]. | | Security | SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001 | Not published | 0/8 | Not published on the vendor's FAQ [5]. | ## Plans | Plan | Price | Per month (USD) | |---|---|---| | Self-hosted | Free [1][6] | $0 | ## Strengths - Free and MIT-licensed [1][6]. - Admins can create custom roles and set permissions on shelves, books, chapters and pages [2]. - SAML2, OIDC and LDAP sign-in [1]. - The REST API can create, update and delete pages [4]. ## Limits - You host it yourself; the project says it offers no managed hosting [5]. - The homepage and FAQ describe translation of the interface; translated articles are not described [1][5]. - The FAQ says core features are built in rather than added through a plugin approach [5]. - No search reports, reader feedback or help widget appear on the pages we read [1][5]. ## Sources 1. [BookStack](https://www.bookstackapp.com/), BookStack, accessed 2026-10-09 2. [Roles and permissions](https://www.bookstackapp.com/docs/user/roles-and-permissions/), BookStack, accessed 2026-10-09 3. [Exporting and importing](https://www.bookstackapp.com/docs/user/export-import/), BookStack, accessed 2026-10-09 4. [BookStack API documentation](https://demo.bookstackapp.com/api/docs), BookStack, accessed 2026-10-09 5. [Project FAQ](https://www.bookstackapp.com/about/project-faq/), BookStack, accessed 2026-10-09 6. [bookstack/bookstack](https://codeberg.org/bookstack/bookstack), Codeberg, accessed 2026-10-09 7. [Installation](https://www.bookstackapp.com/docs/admin/installation/), BookStack, accessed 2026-10-09 8. [Subdirectory Setup](https://www.bookstackapp.com/docs/admin/subdirectory-setup/), BookStack, accessed 2026-10-09