Open-source vs managed comparison

Vela Docs vs HedgeDoc

HedgeDoc is the open-source HackMD fork that you self-host; Vela Docs is managed SaaS that you don't. Both let teams edit Markdown together in the browser with real-time cursors and inline comments. The difference is operational: HedgeDoc gives you control of the infrastructure (and the maintenance load), Vela Docs gives you a working URL today.
Drop a file or click to upload
Up to 1 MB · stays in your browser
When to choose HedgeDoc

HedgeDoc is the better choice when: your organization needs the document data to stay on your own servers for security, compliance, or data-residency reasons.

You have an ops team comfortable running a small Node / Postgres service and keeping it patched.

You want to extend or modify the editor itself. HedgeDoc is open source and accepts contributions; Vela Docs is closed source.

When to choose Vela Docs

Vela Docs is the better choice when: the file came from an AI assistant and you need to share it with a colleague today, not after spinning up a VM.

You want the polished review flow (margin pins, threaded replies, mute links in emails) without configuring it.

Your collaborators include non-technical people who'd rather click a share-link than create yet another account. Vela Docs lets share-link viewers in without an account; HedgeDoc instances typically require sign-in.

Feature comparison

 Vela DocsHedgeDoc
Real-time co-editingyesyes
Inline comments on text rangeyesbasicbasic
GitHub-flavored Markdownyesyes
Export to clean .mdyesyes
Drop a .md file to openyesimportimport
Self-hostablenoyes
Open sourcenoyes
Share-link viewers no accountyesdepends on instancedepends on instance
Local-first browser storageyesno
Managed infrastructure (no ops)yesno
Email notification for commentsyesconfigurableconfigurable
MathJax / LaTeX renderingnoyes

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

Common questions

Is HedgeDoc the same as HackMD?
HedgeDoc is the open-source fork of HackMD (originally CodiMD). The two share a common ancestor and the editing experience is very similar. The split happened in 2020; HedgeDoc development is community-driven and free to self-host, while HackMD is a commercial managed service.
Should I self-host HedgeDoc or use Vela Docs?
Self-host HedgeDoc if your security or compliance posture requires the data to stay on your infrastructure, and you have someone who'll keep the server patched. Use Vela Docs (or HackMD's managed offering) if you'd rather not run a server. The trade-off is operational ownership: HedgeDoc costs you maintenance time, the others cost you a vendor relationship.
Can HedgeDoc collaborators leave inline comments?
HedgeDoc has comment support but the UX is less polished than HackMD's commercial flow. Threading, mute, resolve, and notifications work but require configuration. Vela Docs ships these out of the box with Google-Docs-style affordances (margin pins, threaded replies, email notifications, mute-this-thread links).
Does HedgeDoc support real-time editing?
Yes. HedgeDoc inherits HackMD's real-time co-editing, powered by operational transform. Concurrent edits merge automatically. Vela Docs uses Yjs CRDT for the same outcome.
What's the cost comparison?
HedgeDoc is free software. Total cost is your server bill (a small VM is enough for a 5-20 person team) plus the time to maintain it. Vela Docs is free to use today for individuals and teams; the operational cost lives with us.
Can I migrate from HedgeDoc to Vela Docs (or vice versa)?
Yes. Both export clean .md files. Drop the exported Markdown onto either tool and the document round-trips with formatting intact. Comments don't migrate between platforms; threading data formats differ.

Related comparisons: