The No-Setup Docusaurus Alternative for Busy Teams
Love Docusaurus but not the setup time? Dokly gives you the same MDX power with 5-minute setup, built-in search, and zero maintenance. No Node.js, no build pipelines, no hosting headaches—just beautiful docs.
Free tier forever • 5-minute setup • No credit card required
Why Teams Choose Dokly Over Docusaurus
Docusaurus is powerful, but not everyone has time for the setup and maintenance.
5 Minutes vs Hours
Docusaurus requires Node.js setup, configuration files, build pipelines, and hosting setup. Dokly gets you from zero to published docs in 5 minutes with our visual editor.
Zero Maintenance
With Docusaurus, you manage updates, security patches, hosting, SSL certificates, and build failures. Dokly handles all of this—you just focus on writing great docs.
Built-in API Playground
Docusaurus needs plugins for API documentation. Dokly includes interactive API playgrounds out of the box—import your OpenAPI spec and you're ready to go.
Instant Search Included
Docusaurus typically requires Algolia setup (and their pricing). Dokly includes fast, fuzzy search built-in with Cmd+K navigation—no external services needed.
Dokly vs Docusaurus: Side-by-Side
See how Dokly compares to Docusaurus on the features that matter most.
| Feature |  Dokly | Docusaurus |
|---|---|---|
| Setup TimeVisual editor vs code setup | 5 minutes | Hours to days |
| HostingNo DevOps required | Fully managed | Self-hosted |
| Maintenance | Zero maintenance | Updates & security |
| MDX SupportReact components in docs | Full MDX | Full MDX |
| API PlaygroundOpenAPI/Swagger support | Built-in | Plugin required |
| SearchNo external setup | Instant built-in | Algolia plugin |
| VersioningMultiple doc versions | Automatic | Built-in |
| Custom Domain | One-click setup | DNS configuration |
| Analytics | Built-in dashboard | Plugin required |
| CostTime vs money trade-off | From $49/mo | Free + hosting costs |
| CustomizationDepends on your needs | Themes & branding | Unlimited (code) |
| Dark Mode |
What Makes Dokly Different
All the power of a modern docs platform without the DevOps overhead.
Visual Editor with Live Preview
Write and preview your documentation in real-time. No build steps, no waiting for deployments. See exactly how your docs will look as you type.
Fully Managed Infrastructure
Automatic SSL, CDN, backups, and security updates. No Vercel/Netlify configuration, no GitHub Actions, no dependency updates to manage.
Interactive API Playground
Import your OpenAPI or Swagger specs and give users an interactive playground to test your API. Auto-generated code snippets included.
Same MDX Power
Get the full power of MDX—React components, interactive examples, custom UI—without managing a React/Node.js development environment.
Which Should You Choose?
Both are great tools. Here's an honest guide to help you decide.
Choose Dokly When
- You want to launch docs in minutes, not days
- You don't have DevOps resources for hosting
- You need API documentation with playgrounds
- You want built-in search without Algolia setup
- Your team prefers visual editing over code
- You value time over unlimited customization
Choose Docusaurus When
- You need pixel-perfect custom design
- You have dedicated DevOps for maintenance
- Budget is more important than time
- You require specific plugins not in Dokly
- You're already comfortable with React
- You need complete control over everything
The Real Cost of "Free"
Docusaurus is free software, but your time isn't.
Dokly: All-Inclusive
Free
- 1 project
- 5 pages
- Instant search
- Dark mode
- Mobile responsive
Pro
- 10 projects
- Unlimited pages
- Custom domain
- Custom branding
- API Playground
- Analytics dashboard
Scale
- 25 projects
- Unlimited pages
- Everything in Pro
- 5 team members
- 10 GB storage
- Dedicated support
Docusaurus: Hidden Costs
Software
- Open source (MIT)
- Full source code access
- Community support
Hosting (Vercel/Netlify)
- Free tier limits
- Bandwidth costs
- Build minutes
Your Time
- Initial setup: 4-8 hours
- Ongoing maintenance
- Dependency updates
- Plugin configuration
Time vs Money Trade-off
If your time is worth $50/hour and Docusaurus setup takes 8 hours, that's $400 before ongoing maintenance. Dokly Pro at $49/month pays for itself quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about choosing between Docusaurus and Dokly.
Ready to Skip the Setup Hassle?
Get beautiful docs in 5 minutes instead of 5 hours.