# Free docs hosting for an open-source project

The ways to host documentation for free for an open-source project, what Read the Docs and static hosts leave to you, and where a generated, hosted site fits.

On this page

- The short answer
- Hosting you build the docs for
- Docs written and hosted for you
- Keeping it current
- Frequently asked questions
- Where this information comes from
- Keep reading

## The short answer

There are two separate jobs: producing the documentation, and hosting it. Most free options only do the second. Read the Docs hosts docs you build with a documentation tool; a static host serves files you generate yourself. Docup does both: it writes the docs from your repository and hosts the site.

## Hosting you build the docs for

- Read the Docs: its pricing page lists a Community plan as free for open-source software, for public repositories and public documentation, supported by ads.
- A static host such as GitHub Pages: you generate the site with a tool like Docusaurus and publish the files.
- In both cases you write the content and set up the build.

What we say about Read the Docs comes from its pricing page on November 5, 2026. Check about.readthedocs.com for the current terms.

## Docs written and hosted for you

Connect the repository to Docup and it drafts the pages, which you review and edit. Publishing puts them on a hosted site with search, dark mode, an on-this-page list, an optional Ask AI box for readers, llms.txt and a markdown copy of every page.

Your docs live at an address like yourproject.docup.dev, or on your own domain once you add one in Settings. Docup is free while it is in early access, and it is young, so check the changelog for what exists today.

## Keeping it current

Free hosting of docs that nobody updates helps no one. With GitHub connected, Docup updates the pages a push affects and leaves pages you edited alone, offering a suggestion instead.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is Read the Docs free for open source?**: Its pricing page lists a Community plan as free for open-source software, for public repositories and public docs, and says it is supported by ads. Check about.readthedocs.com for current terms.

**Is Docup free for open-source projects?**: Docup is free while it is in early access, for any project. Plans will be announced well before anything is charged.

**Can I use my own domain?**: Yes. Add a domain in Settings and point it at Docup with one DNS record.

## Where this information comes from

The facts about the other product were read from its official pages on November 5, 2026. They can change, so check the sources for the current details: [Read the Docs pricing](https://about.readthedocs.com/pricing/). Tell us at [hello@docup.dev](mailto:hello@docup.dev) if something here is out of date.

## Keep reading

- [Docup vs Read the Docs](https://docup.dev/compare/read-the-docs)
- [Document a TypeScript Library With No Docs](https://docup.dev/guides/document-a-typescript-library)
- [GitHub Documentation Generator](https://docup.dev/guides/github-documentation-generator)

Last updated November 5, 2026