Collaborative Markdown editor comparison

Vela Docs vs HackMD

HackMD and Vela Docs are both browser-based collaborative Markdown editors with real-time cursors and inline comments. The differences are at the edges: HackMD has deeper technical-document features (MathJax, Mermaid, slides) and requires an account to view. Vela Docs leads with a drop-a-file flow, lets share-link viewers in without an account, and frames itself around files AI tools produce.
Drop a file or click to upload
Up to 1 MB · stays in your browser
When to choose HackMD

HackMD is the better choice when: your team is technical and already comfortable with developer-oriented UI. You need MathJax for academic writing, Mermaid for diagrams inline, or slide-presentation mode for talks.

You write Markdown daily and want dual-pane source + preview at all times. You're okay with collaborators creating an account before they can read.

You want the option to self-host the same workflow later (via HedgeDoc).

When to choose Vela Docs

Vela Docs is the better choice when: the file came from an AI assistant (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Cursor) and you need to read or share it now, not after installing a tool.

Some of your collaborators are non-developers who'd be slowed down by an account-creation step before they can review. A share-link they click without thinking is the difference between getting comments and getting no response.

You care about local-first storage. Your file stays in your browser until you choose to share, useful for sensitive drafts or AI outputs you'd rather not upload anywhere by default.

Feature comparison

 Vela DocsHackMD
Real-time co-editingyesyes
Inline comments on text rangeyesyes
GitHub-flavored Markdownyesyes
Export to clean .mdyesyes
Drop a .md file to openyesimport flowimport flow
Share-link viewers, no account requiredyesno
Local-first storage before shareyesno
MathJax / LaTeX renderingnoyes
Mermaid diagrams inlinenoyes
Slide presentation modeHTML decksHTML decksyes
Self-hostablenovia HedgeDocvia HedgeDoc
Free for teamsyeslimitedlimited

Comparison reflects standard / free tiers as of 2026. HackMD's feature set evolves; this page is updated when material differences change.

Common questions

Is HackMD or Vela Docs better for non-technical collaborators?
Vela Docs has less signup friction for the reader: anyone-with-link can view without an account. HackMD requires an account for both authoring and viewing. If your team includes people who don't want to create yet another tool account, Vela Docs lowers the floor. If everyone's already comfortable with HackMD's workflow, the switch isn't necessary.
Does HackMD support real-time editing?
Yes. HackMD pioneered browser-based real-time Markdown collaboration. The CRDT engine is operational transform under the hood. Vela Docs uses Yjs (a more recent CRDT library) for the same outcome: concurrent edits merge without manual conflict resolution.
Can I import a HackMD document into Vela Docs (or vice versa)?
Both produce clean .md files. Export from one, drop into the other. Vela Docs preserves GitHub-flavored Markdown including tables, task lists, and code fences. Frontmatter (YAML between --- markers) round-trips correctly in both directions.
What about MathJax, Mermaid, and slide presentations?
HackMD has first-class support for MathJax, Mermaid, and slide presentation mode (built on Reveal.js). Vela Docs focuses on prose and review workflows over technical-document features. If you need LaTeX-quality math rendering or in-doc Mermaid diagrams, HackMD is the better fit today.
Pricing comparison?
Both have free tiers. HackMD's free tier limits team features and history retention. Vela Docs is free for individuals and teams with no asterisks today; pricing for organizational tier (SSO, audit log, retention controls) is on the roadmap and will be announced before any change.
Self-hosting?
HackMD's open-source fork HedgeDoc is self-hostable. Vela Docs is not currently self-hostable. If your security posture requires on-prem, HedgeDoc is the right path; if you're comfortable with managed SaaS, either Vela Docs or hosted HackMD works.

Related comparisons: