Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Craft Docs VS BookStack

Compare Craft Docs VS BookStack and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Craft Docs logo Craft Docs

The writing app you've been waiting for

BookStack logo BookStack

An open source knowledge management application that's focused on ease of use.
  • Craft Docs Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-23
  • BookStack Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-31

Craft Docs

Website
craft.do
$ Details
-
Release Date
2019 January
Startup details
Country
Hungary
State
Budapest
City
Budapest
Founder(s)
Balint Orosz
Employees
10 - 19

Craft Docs features and specs

  • User Interface
    Craft Docs offers a clean, intuitive, and aesthetically pleasing user interface that enhances the user experience and makes navigation easy.
  • Block-Based Editing
    The application uses a block-based editing system, which allows users to manage information flexibly by moving and reorganizing content blocks easily.
  • Collaboration
    Craft Docs provides robust collaboration features, enabling multiple users to work on documents simultaneously, making it suitable for team projects.
  • Cross-Platform Availability
    It is available across multiple platforms including iOS, macOS, and web, providing users with the flexibility to work from various devices.
  • Integration with Other Tools
    The software integrates with popular tools and services like Google Calendar, allowing for a seamless workflow across different applications.

Possible disadvantages of Craft Docs

  • Limited Free Version
    The free version of Craft Docs offers limited features, which might not be sufficient for power users or those looking to leverage full functionality without commitment.
  • Learning Curve
    New users might find the block-based system unfamiliar and may require time to adapt to the unique way of organizing content compared to traditional document editors.
  • Offline Functionality
    While Craft Docs offers offline capabilities, the feature set is somewhat limited compared to its online mode, which could hinder productivity without internet access.
  • Export Options
    Although the application supports exporting documents in various formats, some users may find the customization of export options lacking compared to other tools.
  • Mac and iOS Focus
    Craft Docs primarily targets Apple ecosystems, which may limit its appeal or integration capabilities for users who predominantly use Windows or Android devices.

BookStack features and specs

  • Open Source
    BookStack is an open-source platform, meaning it is freely available for anyone to use, modify, and contribute to. This ensures a large community support and continuous updates.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The software has a clean and intuitive interface that makes it easy for users of all skill levels to create and manage documentation.
  • Integrated WYSIWYG Editor
    The application includes a built-in 'What You See Is What You Get' editor, making it simple to format text and add multimedia without HTML knowledge.
  • Permission Management
    BookStack offers granular permission settings, which allow administrators to control access on a per-page, book, or shelf level.
  • Customizable
    With open-source software, the level of customization available is high, allowing organizations to tailor the software to their specific needs.

Possible disadvantages of BookStack

  • Hosting and Maintenance
    As an open-source product, users need to handle their own hosting and maintenance, which could be challenging for those without technical expertise.
  • Limited Integrations
    BookStack does not natively integrate with as many third-party applications compared to some proprietary knowledge management systems.
  • Learning Curve
    While the interface is user-friendly, setting up and customizing the platform may require a learning curve, especially for those unfamiliar with open-source software.
  • Performance
    In some instances, performance issues have been reported, especially when handling a large volume of data or concurrent users.
  • Feature Limitations
    Some advanced features found in proprietary knowledge management systems, such as advanced analytics or AI-driven search, may be lacking.

Analysis of Craft Docs

Overall verdict

  • Craft Docs is generally considered to be an excellent choice for those looking for an intuitive and flexible document creation and note-taking app. Its strengths lie in its aesthetic appeal and functional integration, making it suitable for a wide range of users.

Why this product is good

  • Craft Docs, or craft.do, is regarded as a powerful tool for note-taking and document creation because of its sleek design, user-friendly interface, and collaborative features. It offers robust formatting options, seamless syncing across devices, and the ability to embed various types of media, making it a versatile platform for personal and professional use.

Recommended for

  • Individuals who value design and aesthetics in their productivity tools
  • Teams looking for a collaborative document editing platform
  • Users needing a versatile, cross-platform note-taking and document management solution
  • People who benefit from multimedia support in their documentation

Analysis of BookStack

Overall verdict

  • BookStack is a good choice for individuals and teams looking for a straightforward, open-source documentation tool. It's ideal for those who prefer a self-hosted solution without incurring additional costs or dealing with the complexities of some enterprise-level systems.

Why this product is good

  • BookStack is an open-source, self-hosted platform designed to make documentation and knowledge sharing easy. It's praised for its user-friendly interface, which resembles a digital version of a traditional book with chapters and pages, making it intuitive for users to navigate and organize content. The platform supports Markdown editing, which allows for easy formatting and media embedding. In addition, it has built-in support for authentication methods and role-based access control, providing flexibility and security for teams. The active community and frequent updates also contribute to its reliability and ongoing improvement.

Recommended for

    Small to medium-sized teams, open-source enthusiasts, educational institutions, and projects that require a user-friendly documentation system with the flexibility of self-hosting.

Craft Docs videos

BUILD A HOME ON CRAFT DOCS ๐Ÿก

More videos:

  • Review - Digital Organization with Craft Docs: Key Features and How I Set It Up!

BookStack videos

BookStack Review- 7 Brief Lessons in Physics

More videos:

  • Review - Bookstack, a free, open source, self hosted documentation wiki with style.
  • Review - Bookstack - Meine favorisierte Wiki Software

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Craft Docs and BookStack)
Note Taking
68 68%
32% 32
WiKis
0 0%
100% 100
Productivity
100 100%
0% 0
Knowledge Base
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Craft Docs and BookStack

Craft Docs Reviews

We have no reviews of Craft Docs yet.
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BookStack Reviews

Best Gitbook Alternatives You Need to Try in 2023
Bookstack is a simple, self-hosted platform for organizing and storing information, focusing on creating a knowledge base. It is similar to Gitbook in its functionality but differs in how it is organized and presented. It allows you to collect information in a hierarchical structure, similar to a book, with chapters and sections. This can make it easier to navigate large...
Source: www.archbee.com
The 10 Best Self-hosted Wiki Software for Linux System
Another powerful self-hosted Wiki software for Linux is BookStack. One of the most attractive features of BookStack is its cross-book sorting capability. It can sort all books based on tags such as title, author name, publisher, and genre. Users can even use it to search for particular titles based on a keyword. Other features of this open-source software include image...
Best 11 Open-source Free Wiki Engines for teams and enterprise in 2022
The BookStack App is not just a Wiki Engine, but it works the same. It aims for creating books by easing collaboration among writers and editors, we run it for us and some clients as a Wiki Engine, where they use books as projects.
Source: medevel.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Craft Docs should be more popular than BookStack. It has been mentiond 28 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Craft Docs mentions (28)

  • Feature request: Backlinks for Text Blocks
    I use UpNote in part because it's not block-based. Blocks really screw up the way I like to edit. But if it's important to you, and if you're on a Mac you might look at Craft. It's not as user-friendly as UpNote, but it's just as feature-rich, and is block-based, with fantastic reciprocal linking. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Multi-purpose app recommendations
    Have a look at Craft and it's templates. https://craft.do/. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Reka.js - Build your own no-code editor โœจ
    Don't apologize! It was perfect! I'm sorry, I at first thought Craft.js was referencing craft.do, as they're both kind of page editors, so I didn't realize what it was at first. This is such wonderful work! Thank you for pointing it out to me! This looks like exactly what I need! Source: over 3 years ago
  • Ask HN: Who is hiring? (February 2023)
    Craft Docs (https://craft.do/) | Engineering (multiple roles) | Full Time | Remote (EU Timezone) or hybrid in Budapest (HU) or Edinburgh (UK) --- We're building an app for crafting beautiful documents and taking notes. Already available for 2 years, won the Mac App of the year 2021 award by Apple, good user base (individuals and business) and community (11k+ on Slack), raised a series B recently, plenty of runway,... - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago
  • Orbi is blocking Craft.do app and website
    The website and app works on every other network (cell, non-orbi wifi). I've tried the app and tried the web interface for Orbi, but haven't been able to find any way to unblock a specific domain. It's also not listed in the "Armor" settings as being a blocked threat. I have two office locations, both of which use Orbi, and both locations won't load craft.do. Source: over 3 years ago
View more

BookStack mentions (4)

  • Ask HN: Best self-hosted wiki solution in 2025? Mediawiki or something else?
    Check out https://bookstackapp.com (PHP/Laravel). - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • Customize the theme a bit?
    That said, is it possible to customize the theme a bit? Specifically, how can I set the code-block background to dark-grey? Also, how can I make the horizontal line a bit taller than 1px? I saw the Customizing Visuals page on bookstackapp.com (specifically the "Changing Code Block Themes" topic) but was a little lost on exactly how to make the changes. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Looking to move internal docs from share Onenote to.. ?
    Maybe look at BookStack to see if it fits your needs. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Self hosting WordPress website
    If youโ€™re looking for a books-styled documentation platform, look into https://bookstackapp.com. Source: over 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Craft Docs and BookStack, you can also consider the following products

Obsidian.md - A second brain, for you, forever. Obsidian is a powerful knowledge base that works on top of a local folder of plain text Markdown files.

DokuWiki - DokuWiki is a simple to use and highly versatile Open Source wiki software that doesn't require a database.

Capacities - A powerful note-taking tool. All your ideas โ€“ typed and connected.

TiddlyWiki - a non-linear personal web notebook

Puppet - Easily create custom dashboards for your users

MediaWiki - MediaWiki is a free software wiki package written in PHP, originally for use on Wikipedia.