Best 18 Software Documentation Tools [2024]

‎If you’re in the market for software documentation tools, the last thing you want is to make it even more complicated by implementing a platform that's hard to use, outdated or can't create effective user documentation.

But with dozens of software tools on the market, which one(s) to pick?

In this guide, we've prepared a comprehensive list of the top 18 user documentation software available.

Let’s dive in!

TL;DR: Top 18 software documentation tools 

1. Scribe
2. Document360
3. ProProfs Knowledge Base
4. Nuclino
5. Whatfix
6. Bit.ai
7. Confluence
8. Dropbox Paper
9. Tettra
10. Tallyfy
11. Typora
12. Doxygen
13. Docusaurus
14. ClickHelp
15. GitHub
16. Read the Docs
17. Ma‎rkdownPad 2
18. Apiary

Before we dive into the nitty and gritty, let's first understand more about software documentation.

What are software documentation tools?

Software documentation tools streamline creating, editing, managing, and publishing software documentation.

Here are four of the most popular types of software documentation tools:

• Standalone documentation generators: Efficient for generating large amounts of documentation, but may lack flexibility and user-friendliness.
• Text editors and word processors: Versatile and easy to use for creating and editing documentation, but may not support complex or technical documentation.
• Knowledge management software: Can be used for creating and storing project documentation, tracking changes, and collaborating on documents.
• Online documentation creator: Create and publish documentation online for projects that require accessibility for a wide audience.

What is software documentation?

Software documentation is the process of creating written or visual materials about a software product.

Software documentation explains how the software operates, its features and how to use and navigate the product.

• For end-users, software documentation improves the user experience and helps them become self-sufficient with the application.
• For developers, software documentation serves as a crucial reference and guide to understanding the codebase, architecture, APIs, and more.

Types of software documentation

The three most common types of software documentation include:

• User documentation shows end users how to use the software. It includes instruction manuals, tutorials and help files.
• Developer documentation explains how software is designed and implemented. It consists of design documents, code comments and API documentation.
• System documentation (for system administrators) describes how software is installed, configured and maintained. It includes installation instructions, configuration guides and troubleshooting manuals.

Other types of documentation include:

• Requirements documentation.
• Design documentation.
• Testing documentation.
• Deployment documentation.
• Support documentation.

18 best software documentation tools

The right documentation tool can save time, effort and money. Here's our list of the top software documentation tools. 

1. Sc‎‎ribe

‎G2 rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars

Pricing:

• Free basic plan.
• Pro Personal: $23/seat/month.
• Pro Team: $12/seat/month (5 seat minimum).

Scribe automates process documentation by instantly creating shareable step-by-step guides. If your desktop's cluttered with screenshots or you need to provide step-by-step guidance to your team, Scribe is your go-to process documentation tool.

‎

Scribe's user-friendly interface makes it simple to write documentation — simply turn on the extension, go through your process and watch Scribe instantly create a visual how-to guide—with text, clicks and annotated screenshots. ‎‎

Choose from 100+ free templates to create consistent documentation, including:

• Software user guide template.
• Software user manual template.
• Instruction manual template.
• IT documentation template.
• IT SOP template.
• Software documentation templates.

... and many more.

Use Scribe Pages to combine multiple step-by-step guides for different categories or topics —then ask the AI to write documents for you.

Add images, videos, GIFs, alerts, a table of contents, and more to build comprehensive documentation and improve the user experience.

Here's a user documentation example created with Scribe:

‎Key features:

• Auto-generate step-by-step instruction guides‎ in seconds.
• Use Scribe's AI to write user manuals, internal documentation, developer documentation, and more with a simple prompt.
• Integrates with hundreds of platforms like Notion, HubSpot, Miro, Zendesk, and more.
• Combine step-by-step guides in a single document and add text, video tutorials, GIFs and more. 
• Publish Scribes online or export in different formats including PDF, HTML and Markdown (Scribe Pro).

Pros:

• Scribe puts full control in your team’s hands. Because Scribe is so simple, team members can easily create documentation, train teammates and answer questions—fast.

Cons:

• While Scribe's free plan offers rich capabilities and quick customization, branding is only available for Pro users.
• Screenshot redactions are also only available for Pro subscribers.

Scribe user review:

"The software makes it so easy to record and document these processes without missing a step. I'm winning back multiple hours a week and the guides look so much better than our previous SOP template." — Josie K.

2. Do‎‎cument360

G2 rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars

Pricing:

• Free.
• Standard plan: $149.
• Professional plan: $299.
• Business plan: $399.

Document360 is a knowledge management platform and help authoring tool for creating user manuals and help centers.

Key features:

• User-friendly editor creates readable content with callouts, code blocks and multimedia.
• Create up to six categories and subcategories to organize information.  
• Integrates with ticketing systems and chat software, connecting customer support teams with self-serve user documentation.

Pros:

• Advanced analytic tools to collect user feedback and assess documentation effectiveness.
• Collaboration features allow teams to work together efficiently.

Cons:

• Some customization options, but may not provide the design flexibility you need.
• Some users report that managing documents can become difficult as the knowledge base grows.

3. Pr‎‎oProfs Knowledge Base

G2 rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars

Pricing:

• Free plan.
• $49/per author/month.

ProfProfs is a knowledge base software designed to create knowledge bases, documentation, user manuals, and more.

Key features:

• Easy navigation with crosslinking within the document through a table of contents.
• Features like lightboxes, pop-ups, and tooltips highlight important information and improve scannability.
• Permission and access control features with options to define roles.

Pros:

• Intuitive interface, no specialized training required.
• Wide variety of templates.
• Customization options.
• Rich authoring system for easy navigation.
• Compare article versions to track changes.
• Reporting system to measure analytics and uncover improvement areas.

Cons:

• 15-day free trial may not be long enough for evaluation.
• Templates have the same structure and lack comprehensiveness.
• Mobile version is not as user-friendly as the desktop version.

4. Nu‎‎clino

G2 Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars

Pricing:

• Free plan.
• Standard: $5/user/month.
• Premium: $10/user/month.

Nuclino is knowledge base software for team collaboration, knowledge management, documents and projects. It’s primarily used for internal documentation and knowledge sharing but can also act as a project management system and planning tool.

Key features:

• Create a variety of content including text documents, checklists, code snippets, images, and video tutorials.
• Team members can edit documents and pages simultaneously.
• Organize information into a structured knowledge base with pages, folders and tags.

Pros:

• Clean interface.
• Easy-to-use tool.
• Supervisors and project managers don't need technical expertise to use it.
• Easy feedback and input from key stakeholders.

Cons:

• Limited formatting options.
• Lack of control over content branding.
• Expensive for a large user base.
• Issues with editing and exporting longer documentation pages.

5. Wh‎‎atfix

G2 rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars

Pricing:

• Custom pricing.

Whatfix is a digital adoption platform you can use to build step-by-step instructions for frequently asked questions or topics and create in-app guidance.

Key features:

• Create step-by-step walkthroughs for user onboarding with tooltips, overlays and hotspots in your application.
• User-friendly interface for creating and managing walkthroughs.

Pros:

• Use widgets to add dd self-service elements like FAQs and contextual help buttons.
• Track user engagement and user adoption.

Cons:

• Some users report a learning curve with the digital adoption platform.
• Pricing varies depending on features and user volume.

6. Bi‎‎t.ai

G2 rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars

Pricing:

• Free plan.
• Pro at $12/user/month.
• Business at $20/user/month.

Bit.ai is a document and wiki collaboration platform with a suite of features for effective documentation, such as a content management system, workspaces and customizable workflows.

Key features:

• Manage content from a single place with smart search, content library, and document editor access control.
• Complete set of editing functions, such as interlinking, table of contents, markdown, file previews, inline comments, and visual embeds.
• Varied document sharing with advanced features like link tracking and lead capture.

Pros:

• Fluid workspaces for easy access and organization of information.
• Share and move documents across workspaces.
• Notification features for updates and reviews.
• Support for visuals, co-editing and real-time comments for collaboration.

Cons:

• Limited formatting and design options.
• Higher pricing compared to other software documentation tools.

7. Co‎‎nfluence

G2 rating: 4.1 out of 5 stars

Pricing:

• Free plan.
• Standard: $6.05 per user.
• Premium: $11.55 per user.

Confluence is a project management software packed with features for effective end-user documentation. Organize your product features into a space that contains multiple pages, and use a page tree to bring everything together into a unified structure.

Key features:

• Easy to build, organize and collaborate with employees and teams.
• Integrates with a range of third-party apps.
• Options for permission control and page versioning.
• Available on mobile devices.

Pros:

• Platform prioritizes collaboration and simplifies communication.
• Users can tag, comment, share updates, and provide instant feedback for accurate and up-to-date documents.
• Built-in templates for an easy documentation process.

Cons:

• Difficult to organize and manage users, roles and permissions.
• Search function returns too many results, making it hard to find information.
• Challenging UI to learn.

8. Dr‎‎opbox Paper

G2 Rating: 4.1 out of 5 stars

Pricing:

• Free with any Dropbox account.

Dropbox Paper is a co-editing tool that keeps everyone organized, helps solicit feedback and makes displaying content easy.

Key features:

• Smart formatting features make creating beautiful pages simple.
• Create visually appealing layouts—and automatically turn pages into professional-looking presentations.
• Consolidate project documentation content, including text, images, videos, and embedded files into a central workspace.

Pros:

• Link to various types of media and external platforms.
• Integrates with Invision, Sketch, and Dropbox files.

Cons:

• Limited functionality, formatting options and task layouts.
• No offline feature on the web version.
• Limited storage, potentially requiring additional payment for more space.

9. Te‎‎ttra

G2 Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars

Pricing:

• Basic: $4/user/month (minimum 10 users).
• Scaling: $8/user/month (minimum 10 users).

Tettra is a knowledge management platform designed to help teams create, manage, and share internal knowledge bases — making it easier to answer frequently asked questions.

Key features:

• Intuitive user interface for creating, editing and accessing information.
• Uses AI for intelligent search and content verification.
• Integrates with popular tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams for easy access to knowledge base articles.

Pros:

• Easy sharing and communication.
• Alerts for unowned, stable or outdated pages.
• Identify knowledge gaps and missing information.

Cons:

• Limited features.
• Potentially difficult to justify the cost for smaller teams.
• Issues with formatting, app integration and document updates.

📌 ‎Related resource: 25+ FAQ Page Examples to Inspire Your Own

10. Ta‎‎llyfy

G2 rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Pricing:

• Docs: $50 per user.
• Pro: $300 per user.

Tallyfy helps businesses automate workflows and processes across their entire organization. Tallyfy explains complicated processes in the simplest formats to boost product adoption and reduce support tickets.

Key features:

• Enables team collaboration to ensure end-user documentation is up-to-date.
• Store user documentation and organize it with folders, tags and metadata.
• Integrations in multiple formats, including API-first, CRM and Identity.

Pros:

• Track version changes.
• Create reusable snippets for future reference.
• Measure user engagement and ROI.

Cons:

• Not a traditional documentation software, but it offers features that can make the documentation process easier.

11. Ty‎‎‎pora

G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars

Pricing:

• One-time license fee of $14.99

Typora is a Markdown editor and reader that you can use to create user documentation. Unlike most other platforms on this list, this software documentation tool works like a notepad with advanced features to customize the user interface.

Key features:

• Create an intuitive outline for resources, categorize files, and download documents in various formats. 
• Store and organize files on the cloud to sync updates anytime you modify a document.

Pros:

• User-friendly software with a minimal learning curve.
• Advanced design elements.
• Library of customizable themes.

Cons:

• Learning curve if you're not familiar with Markdown syntax.
• May not be the best fit for workflows that don't heavily rely on Markdown or plain text documents.

12. Do‎‎xygen

G2 rating: N/A

Pricing:

• Free.

Doxygen is another great user documentation creator for software development.

The software documentation tool generates resources from C++ sources and supports various programming languages, including Java, PHP and Python.

Key features:

• Search with the configuration feature to extract the code structure.
• Highly portable tool designed to work on macOS and Linux.
• Considered the gold standard for technical documentation.
• Create resources in different formats, primarily in HTML. 

Pros:

• Extract code structure from undocumented source files.
• Generate an offline reference manual in LaTeX and/or online documentation browser in HTML.

Cons:

• Steep learning curve.
• May be too complex for simple documentation needs.
• Outdated interface when compared with other software documentation tools.

13. Do‎‎cusaurus

G2 rating: N/A

Pricing:

• Free.

Docusaurus is another software documentation tool for developers. Docusaurus' open-source static site generator is specifically designed for creating documentation websites.

Key features:

• Leverages Markdown for writing your documentation.
• Allows for version control with Git.
• Provides pre-built components for documentation websites, like code blocks, tables, and documentation navigation menus.

Pros:

• Optional support for MDX, allowing you to embed interactive React components for a more engaging user experience.
• Built-in search functionality.

Cons:

• If you have specific design requirements, building a documentation website from scratch offers more flexibility.
• Mainly focused on technical documentation for software products and APIs.

14. Cl‎‎ickHelp

G2 rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars

Pricing:

• Starter: $175 per month.
• Growth: $285 per month.
• Professional: $580 per month.

ClickHelp is an IT documentation software and help authoring tool for creating, managing, and publishing user guides, knowledge bases, and other technical content. The tool gives you a collection of templates and CSS settings to produce clear and consistent resources.  

Key features:

• Text-based search engine and integration with Google Translate to simplify knowledge discovery.
• Access to over 30 analytics metrics like readability, session time, etc.
• Multi-channel publishing features and download options in various formats.

Pros:

• Organizational features like topics, projects and a content library.
• Easy storage, editing and document management.
• Great for creating, managing, and storing extensive software documentation.

Cons:

• May not be the best fit for simple documentation requirements.
• Expensive platform.

15. Gi‎‎tHub

G2 rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars

Pricing:

• Free plan.
• Teams: $3.67/user/month.
• Enterprise: $19.25/user/month.

Developers use GitHub to store code, collaborate on projects and manage version control for software development projects.

Use GitHub for web-based software documentation through the main GitHub platform or GitHub Pages, a feature that takes HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files from a GitHub repository and publishes them as a webpage.

Key features:

• Track code changes over time, reverting to previous versions and seeing the code's evolution.
• Create different branches of your codebase, and work on new features or bug fixes without affecting the main codebase.
• Share code with others and collaborate on software development projects.

Pros:

• Full control over the look and feel of your webpage.
• Offers flexibility in terms of customization.
• Developers are familiar with its interface.

Cons:

• Steep learning curve.
• Free plan has limited features.
• Not ideal for all-in-one software documentation.

16. Re‎‎ad the Docs

G2 rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars

Pricing:

• Free.

Read the Docs is a software documentation tool with a unique "docs like code" functionality. This technical documentation software is ideal for deploying on platforms like GitHub and BitBucket.

Key features:

• Robust version control system to track versions of any document.
• Downloading to formats like Zipped HTML, PDF, and ePub.
• Powerful search functionality based on various search operators. 

Pros:

• Detailed analytics to assess the impact of your user guides.
• Works with popular documentation generators like Sphinx, MkDocs, and Jupyter Book for creating technical manuals.

Cons:

• Builds with complex processes or specific requirements may not integrate seamlessly.
• Free and some paid plans have limitations on the number of concurrent builds.

17. Ma‎‎‎rkdownPad 2

G2 rating: N/A

Pricing:

• Free plan.
• $14.95 for a single-user license.

MarkdownPad is another Markdown text editor with a simple and intuitive interface.

Key features:

• Live preview window displays the formatted version as you write in Markdown.
• Highlights Markdown syntax with different colors, making it easier to understand your document structure.
• Export documents in various formats like PDF, HTML, and Microsoft Word.

Pros:

• The software documentation tool allows working with tabs, similar to a web browser.
• The split-screen can be adjusted to show more or less on each side.
• Different styles and custom CSS can be used to change the appearance of the text.

Cons:

• Not a comprehensive software documentation tool.
• Limited features beyond being a Markdown editor.
• Cloud storage and collaboration features are limited or require a paid upgrade.
• Only available on Windows.

18. Ap‎‎iary

G2 Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars

Pricing:

• Free plan.

Apiary (part of Oracle Cloud) is an API documentation tool for visually designing APIs and creating interactive prototypes for testing and validation.

Key features:

• Automatically generate documentation from the API design, including descriptions, code samples, and interactive examples for developers.
• Collaborate with API designers, developers and other stakeholders on API definitions, documentation, and mock servers in real time.

Pros:

• Dedicated API blueprint management dashboard.
• Role-based access control over API documents.
• API Blueprint templates for quick start.

Cons:

• Primarily focused on API documentation.

Software documentation tools key features

Documentation tools can be simple or feature-rich, but there are a few key features to consider:

• User-friendly interface for creating different content types.
• Cloud storage functionality to avoid the need for external software or email exchanges.
• Organization: Strong organizational features like tagging, categorizing and indexing.
• Collaboration and feedback: Built-in collaboration features ensure all team members contribute to the documentation process.
• Version control: Simplifies updating documents, tracking changes and reverting to previous versions.
• Intuitive search: A powerful search function that delivers accurate results.
• Customization to match your branding elements like color and theme.
• Accessibility and sharing: Permissions or sharing settings make it easy for users to access the necessary information while protecting sensitive data.
• Integrations with other software tools like CRMs, helpdesk systems, or development platforms.

💡 ‎Want to build your own tools? Check out our blog on how to create a Chrome extension in 11 steps

Software documentation FAQs

What are best practices for using software documentation tools?

• Choose the right software tool for your project's size, complexity, target audience and budget.
• Test documentation to make sure it's accurate, complete and meets user needs.
• Get feedback from users to identify areas for improvement.
• Keep documentation up-to-date as your software changes.
• Make your documentation easy to find and use.

How do I choose the right software documentation tool?

Here are a few things to consider:

• Size and complexity. Small projects may not need a complex tool, but you'll need a tool that can handle the demands of large or complex project management.
• Target audience. Are you creating documentation for end users, developers or both?
• Budget. Software documentation tools can range in price from free to hundreds of dollars per month.
• Skill levels. Some software documentation tools are easy to use, while others require more technical expertise.
• Features. Choose a tool that offers the features that are important to you and your business.

How often should I update software documentation?

• Small and simple software projects: You may only need to update your documentation once or twice a year.
• Large and complex software projects: Update once a quarter or even once a month, if they change frequently.
• For non-technical audiences: Update more frequently. Non-technical users often need more help.
• If the software is changing rapidly: Update with the latest software changes.

User documentation vs. technical documentation: what's the difference?

Here are the key differences between user documentation and technical documentation.

User documentation

• Audience: End user of your product or service.
• Help users understand the product or service and troubleshoot common problems.
• End-user documentation sues plain language and avoids technical jargon.

Technical documentation

• Technical documentation: For developers, engineers and other technical professionals.
• Detailed product information, including its architecture, design and implementation.
• Uses technical writing, jargon and acronyms.

💡 ‎Check out our list of the top technical documentation tools!

What are the four types of user documentation?

The four most common types of user documentation are:

• Installation guides: Step-by-step instructions for installing software or hardware.
• User manuals: Detailed information on how to use a product or service.
• Troubleshooting guides: Troubleshoot common issues.
• API documentation: Instructions for developers on integrating and using an application programming interface.

Make documentation easier with a software documentation tool!

Software documentation tools make it easy to create and manage the documentation process. The right documentation tool for you depends on your unique needs and preferences.

Scribe makes software documentation feel like a cakewalk for just about anybody — from solopreneurs to teams. Sign up for Scribe today and create software documentation in seconds — for free!