- LaTeX editors and typesetting tools compared
- Ten LaTeX editors and typesetting tools to try
- Not every option here is a LaTeX editor
- Online, desktop or a different way to write?
- What a desktop editor needs that a browser doesn't
- Six questions before you leave your current editor
- My advice for researchers switching LaTeX tools
- Frequently asked questions
The best Overleaf alternatives depend on whether you want to keep writing LaTeX in a browser, move to a desktop editor, or leave LaTeX markup behind. Online editors need nothing installed, desktop editors need a TeX distribution alongside them, and a few tools replace LaTeX with their own approach. Ten options follow, in no particular order.
Overleaf is an online LaTeX editor, and looking for an alternative to it usually means one of three things: an online editor you can share with co-authors, a desktop editor that works offline, or a different way of writing altogether. It helps to know which one you're after before you install anything.
Overleaf itself isn't in this list. The ten below are listed alphabetically, in no particular order, and each description comes from the project's own website, read as of Nov 2026. I've marked online versus desktop, and the operating system, for every one.
LaTeX editors and typesetting tools compared
| Tool | Type | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Gummi | Desktop LaTeX editor for Linux and BSD | A simple editor on Linux or BSD |
| LyX | Desktop document processor | Writing by structure, with an equation editor |
| Papeeria | Online LaTeX editor | Writing together in the browser |
| Quarto | Technical publishing system | Articles, books and slides from code and text |
| Texifier | Desktop and mobile LaTeX editor | LaTeX on Mac, iPad, iPhone and Windows |
| Texmaker | Cross-platform desktop LaTeX editor | An all-in-one free editor on any desktop |
| TeXShop | Desktop LaTeX editor for Mac | LaTeX on an Intel or Arm Mac |
| TeXstudio | Desktop LaTeX environment | Syntax help, a viewer and reference checks |
| TeXworks | Desktop editor and PDF previewer | A plain editor bundled with TeX distributions |
| Typst | Markup typesetting system, not LaTeX | A newer markup in place of LaTeX |
Ten LaTeX editors and typesetting tools to try
Gummi
Best for: Linux and BSD users after a simple LaTeX editor, available through the official package channels of most of those distributions.
LyX
Best for: Theses, articles and books written by structure rather than appearance, on top of LaTeX, with a built-in equation editor, on Linux, Windows or Mac.
Papeeria
Best for: Co-authors writing LaTeX or Markdown in a browser with real-time collaboration and plots, with TeX Live already installed on the service.
Quarto
Best for: Researchers who code, since it publishes articles, websites, books and slides and works with Python, R, Julia and JavaScript.
Texifier
Best for: Writing LaTeX on macOS, iOS or Windows with syntax highlighting, multi-file projects and an integrated PDF view; it was formerly called Texpad.
Texmaker
Best for: Keeping every tool a LaTeX document needs in one free application on Linux, macOS or Windows, with an integrated PDF viewer.
TeXShop
Best for: Mac users who want a free, GPL-licensed LaTeX editor with a current release for both Intel and Arm Macs.
TeXstudio
Best for: Anyone wanting syntax highlighting, an integrated viewer and reference checking in an open source editor for Windows, macOS and Linux.
TeXworks
Best for: Plain TeX editing and PDF preview on Windows, Linux or macOS, from an editor that TeX Live and MiKTeX both include on Windows.
Typst
Best for: Trying a newer markup instead of LaTeX, with an online collaborative app and a free, open source compiler you can download.
Not every option here is a LaTeX editor
Only some of these are drop-in LaTeX editors, and the project pages say so. Papeeria's page says a full TeX Live environment is already installed and ready to run, and that the only required software is a web browser, with real-time collaboration built in. That's the one online editor in this list.
TeXworks' page says it's deliberately modelled on TeXShop for the Mac, and that TeX Live and MiKTeX both include it for Windows, so if you've installed either distribution on a Windows PC you may already have it.
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Typst isn't LaTeX at all. It's its own markup language, with an online collaborative app and a free, open source compiler. LyX calls itself a document processor that encourages writing based on the structure of your documents rather than their appearance, and Quarto describes itself as an open source scientific and technical publishing system rather than an editor.
Online, desktop or a different way to write?
- Online. The browser-based editor here needs no installation and is built for co-authors working at the same time.
- Desktop LaTeX editors. Texmaker runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, Texifier covers macOS, iOS and Windows, Gummi is for Linux and BSD, and the Mac editor named above runs only on the Mac.
- Collaboration on the desktop. If you write with others, check how each desktop editor handles it. TeXstudio's news page says a new release offers collaborative editing with the help of teamtype, currently available on macOS and Linux.
- Different approaches. One tool writes by structure on top of LaTeX, one is a publishing system that works with code, and one replaces LaTeX with its own markup.
What a desktop editor needs that a browser doesn't
A desktop LaTeX editor is the window you type in; the typesetting itself is done by a TeX distribution such as TeX Live or MiKTeX, which you install separately. That's the step people moving from an online editor tend to miss. Install the distribution first, then the editor, and compile a test document before you move a thesis across.
Moving an existing project is usually simple, because a LaTeX project is a folder of plain text files, images and a bibliography. Copy the whole folder to your computer, keep its folder structure unchanged, and check that every package your document loads is installed in your new set-up. Fonts are the other thing to check, since a document that names a font you don't have won't compile the same way.
If your references live in a separate tool, my guides to free reference managers and Zotero alternatives cover that side, and there's a walk-through on building a CV from a LaTeX template if you're new to it.
Six questions before you leave your current editor
- Do I need to write with co-authors at the same time?
- Will I work offline, on a train or in a library with poor Wi-Fi?
- Which operating system, or systems, do I use?
- Am I happy installing a TeX distribution and keeping it updated?
- Do I want to keep LaTeX, or would a different markup suit me better?
- Does my university or journal ask for LaTeX source files?
Do you make a LaTeX editor or typesetting tool? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My advice for researchers switching LaTeX tools
Decide first whether you're leaving the browser or leaving LaTeX. If it's the browser, remember that a desktop editor needs a TeX distribution installed alongside it, while an online editor doesn't, so set that up and test a document well before a deadline. If you write with co-authors, keep an online editor in the mix. And if LaTeX markup is the thing you're tired of, try a newer markup or a structure-based processor on a short document before you move a whole thesis.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Overleaf?
It depends on how you work. An online editor suits co-authors who want nothing to install, a desktop editor suits offline work, and a newer markup or structure-based processor suits people who'd rather not write raw LaTeX.
Is there a free alternative to Overleaf?
Yes. Most tools in this list describe themselves as free or open source on their own pages, as of Nov 2026. Check each project's site for what the free version includes.
Can I use LaTeX offline?
Yes. Install a TeX distribution such as TeX Live or MiKTeX, then a desktop LaTeX editor. Everything then runs on your own computer without an internet connection.
Do I need TeX Live to use a desktop LaTeX editor?
You need a TeX distribution of some kind, and TeX Live and MiKTeX are the common ones. The editor is where you write; the distribution does the typesetting.
Can I move my Overleaf project to a desktop editor?
Usually, yes. A LaTeX project is a folder of text files, images and a bibliography, so copy the whole folder to your computer, keep its structure and check that the packages it uses are installed.
Is there an alternative to LaTeX itself?
Yes. Some tools use their own markup language instead of LaTeX, and some publishing systems build articles, books and slides from text and code. Check whether your journal or university accepts the output before you switch.
