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Overleaf

overleaf.com

From $8.20/mo Free plan Open source WebWindowsmacOSLinuxAPISelf-hosted
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Spec score 9.5 #2 of 135 in Writing Apps

What it is

Overleaf is an online platform for writing, compiling, and revising LaTeX documents with collaborators. Writers can choose a Visual Editor or a Code Editor, while shared documents support simultaneous editing and comments, plus in-document chat. Free templates and example projects cover journal articles, theses, and CVs. Listed connections and add-ons include Git and GitHub synchronization, Dropbox, ReadCube, Zotero, Mendeley, knitr for R code, and Grammarly. Google Drive content can be imported into projects, but Overleaf does not sync directly with Drive. The free plan costs nothing and allows unlimited projects with one collaborator per project. Student and Standard permit 10 collaborators per project, and Pro permits unlimited collaborators; no prices are listed for those tiers. An Organizations plan is described for 20+ users. A seven-day trial gives access to the selected plan, with the card charged afterward unless canceled. Overleaf was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in London, United Kingdom. Listed platforms are extension, self-hosted, and web.

Spec sheet

What it does
Overleaf is a browser-based collaborative LaTeX editor that compiles documents to formatted output while people write together.Read 14 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Purpose
Overleaf is an online platform for collaborating in LaTeX, compiling documents, and refining them.Read 9 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Audience
Overleaf says it was developed by researchers to make scientific and technical writing simpler and more collaborative, and serves research institutions and businesses.Read 9 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Free plan
YesRead 22 Sep 2026 · overleaf.com
Trial
The free trial provides full access to the chosen plan for 7 days, and the card is charged afterward unless the user cancels before then.Read 9 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Integrations
Overleaf documentation lists Git and GitHub synchronization, Dropbox, ReadCube, Zotero, Mendeley, R code (knitr), Grammarly, and Google Drive import among its integrations and add-ons.Read 9 Oct 2026 · docs.overleaf.com
Support
The Organizations plan includes personalized support, personalized onboarding, and a dedicated account manager.Read 9 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Headquarters
London, United KingdomRead 23 Sep 2026 · overleaf.com
Founded
2011Read 23 Sep 2026 · overleaf.com
AI data
Overleaf says it will not use AI tool inputs or outputs to train or develop AI models without consent, except when doing so as part of services provided for the user's exclusive benefit.Read 9 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
API depth
The public developer documentation describes import links and parameters rather than a general project-management SDK.Read 14 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Cloud hosting
Overleaf states that it uses Google Cloud Platform for data storage.Read 14 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Company headquarters
LinkedIn lists Overleaf headquarters at 6 Briset Street, London, England.Read 14 Oct 2026 · uk.linkedin.com
Company history
Overleaf was created in 2011 by John Hammersley and John Lees-Miller and joined Digital Science in 2014.Read 14 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Company size
LinkedIn places Overleaf in the 51–200 employee category and shows 71 employees on its profile.Read 14 Oct 2026 · uk.linkedin.com
Documentation
The official documentation covers getting started, editing, projects, collaboration, integrations, security, on-premises administration, troubleshooting and LaTeX tutorials.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.overleaf.com
Editors
Users can switch between a Visual Editor and a Code Editor.Read 9 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
FedRAMP
FedRAMP Li-SaaS authorization is listed as an Organizations plan feature.Read 9 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Founded year
LinkedIn lists Overleaf as founded in 2012.Read 14 Oct 2026 · uk.linkedin.com
Git integration
Premium Git integration lets users clone, pull and push projects through an Overleaf Git remote.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.overleaf.com
Git limitations
Overleaf Git has one linear branch and does not support branches, tags, symlinks or preserved executable permissions.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.overleaf.com
Google Drive limit
Overleaf does not provide direct synchronization with Google Drive, but content can be pulled from Google Drive into projects.Read 9 Oct 2026 · docs.overleaf.com
History and versioning
Paid plans provide full project history with comparison, labels, downloads and rollback.Read 14 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Investment news
Digital Science announced its investment in WriteLaTeX, the company behind Overleaf, on July 23, 2014.Read 14 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Limit: offline use
Reviewers note that the cloud editor requires an internet connection and edits may not save reliably on unstable connections.Read 14 Oct 2026 · softwareadvice.com
Limit: performance and errors
Reviewers report slow or stalled editing and compilation on large documents and request clearer compile-error explanations.Read 14 Oct 2026 · softwareadvice.com
Limit: pricing
Reviewers complain that paid plans are expensive for students and that larger documents often require an upgrade.Read 14 Oct 2026 · softwareadvice.com
Maker legal entity
The service is operated by Digital Science UK Limited, formerly WriteLaTeX Limited, registered in England and Wales.Read 14 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Notable news
Overleaf announced a redesigned editor in November 2025 and said all users would move to it permanently during 2026.Read 14 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Open-source licence
The public Overleaf repository states that its code is released under the GNU Affero General Public License version 3.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Owner and funding
Crunchbase identifies Digital Science as an investor and reports three funding rounds with three investors, while withholding the total amount.Read 14 Oct 2026 · crunchbase.com
Praise: collaboration
Independent reviewers repeatedly praise simultaneous editing, sharing, comments, track changes and cloud access for coauthor workflows.Read 14 Oct 2026 · softwareadvice.com
Praise: templates and LaTeX
Reviewers commonly praise journal templates, mathematical typesetting, automatic PDF compilation and making LaTeX easier for beginners.Read 14 Oct 2026 · softwareadvice.com
Project-size guidance
Overleaf recommends projects no larger than 500 MB, or under 100 MB when using GitHub synchronization or Git integration.Read 14 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Public API
The official developer page documents an Open in Overleaf interface that loads snippets or project archives through the /docs endpoint.Read 14 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Rating on Capterra
4.6 out of 5 from 35 reviews.Read 14 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Rating on G2
4.6 out of 5 from 76 reviews.Read 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Rating on GetApp
4.6 out of 5 from 35 reviews.Read 14 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
Rating on Software Advice
4.6 out of 5 from 35 reviews.Read 14 Oct 2026 · softwareadvice.com
Rating on SourceForge
5.0 out of 5 from 1 review.Read 14 Oct 2026 · sourceforge.net
Rating on Trustpilot
2.5 out of 5 from 35 reviews.Read 14 Oct 2026 · uk.trustpilot.com
Real-time collaboration
Projects support simultaneous editing, comments and in-document chat.Read 14 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Reference integrations
Overleaf documents integrations with ReadCube, Zotero and Mendeley for synchronized or searchable bibliography data.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.overleaf.com
Security certification
Overleaf says Digital Science's information-security program is independently certified to ISO/IEC 27001:2022.Read 14 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Self-hosting
Overleaf Community Edition and Server Pro can be deployed on premises with the Overleaf Toolkit and Docker-based services.Read 14 Oct 2026 · docs.overleaf.com
Self-hosting hardware
For on-premises deployments, required capacity depends mainly on the number of concurrent users compiling documents.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Standalone compiler service
The open-source CLSI component exposes a JSON REST interface for compiling LaTeX projects and can run standalone in Docker.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Templates
The service provides free templates for journal articles, theses, CVs, proposals and other document types.Read 14 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Track changes
Real-time track changes are offered as a premium capability.Read 14 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Visual and code editors
Users can switch between a visual editor and a LaTeX code editor in the same project.Read 14 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com

Plans and prices

Free Free $0/month 1 collaborator per project · 5 AI uses/day · unlimited projects · basic compile timeout Read 14 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Student $8.25 a month $8.25/month or $98/year 10 collaborators per project · 5 AI uses/day · AI Assistant · 24x basic compile timeout Read 14 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Standard $16.75 a month $16.75/month or $199/year 10 collaborators per project · 10 AI uses/day · AI Assistant · 24x basic compile timeout · Git/GitHub/Dropbox/Zotero/Mendeley/ReadCube integrations Read 14 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Pro $33.25 a month $33.25/month or $399/year Unlimited collaborators per project · maximum AI allowance · AI Assistant · 24x basic compile timeout Read 14 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Free Free 1 collaborator per project · 5 AI uses per day · Unlimited projects · Basic compile timeout Read 9 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Student $8.20 a month $98/year 10 collaborators per project · 5 AI uses per day · AI Assistant · 24x Basic compile timeout Read 9 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Standard $16.60 a month $199/year 10 collaborators per project · 10 AI uses per day · AI Assistant · 24x Basic compile timeout Read 9 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Pro $33.25 a month $399/year Unlimited collaborators per project · Max AI allowance · AI Assistant · 24x Basic compile timeout Read 9 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com
Organizations Priced on request Contact sales SSO · global AI controls · optional FedRAMP authorization · optional on-premises deployment · volume discounts up to 35% Read 14 Oct 2026 · overleaf.com

Every Overleaf plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Visual and Code Editor options
  • Simultaneous editing, comments, and in-document chat
  • Free templates for articles, theses, and CVs
  • Git and GitHub synchronization listed
  • Free tier allows unlimited projects

Limits

  • Free plan allows one collaborator per project
  • Version history is limited
  • Google Drive import, not direct synchronization
  • Trial card is charged unless canceled

Who it suits

Overleaf suits researchers and technical writers who want to collaborate on LaTeX documents, and teams that need shared editing or organization-level plans. Its collaborator limits make the free tier suitable for solo work on each project.

Overleaf in depth

Read the full write-up

Overleaf is an online LaTeX workspace for drafting, compiling, and refining documents. It suits researchers, students, and technical writers who need shared writing projects; solo users can start free, while teams should check collaborator limits and version history first.

Overview

Overleaf brings LaTeX editing and document collaboration into a browser-based workflow, with extension and self-hosted platforms also listed. Its academic focus shows in templates for journal articles, theses, and CVs. Founded in 2011 in London, the company became part of Digital Science in 2014.

Key features

Editing and collaboration

Writers can move between a Visual Editor and a Code Editor, accommodating collaborators who prefer different ways of working with LaTeX. Shared documents support simultaneous editing and commenting, as well as in-document chat. That makes Overleaf a strong fit for coauthoring, but the Free plan’s one-collaborator limit restricts that benefit unless a project moves to a paid tier.

Templates and integrations

Free templates and example projects provide useful starting points for common academic and professional documents. Integrations and add-ons include Git and GitHub synchronization, Dropbox, ReadCube, Zotero, Mendeley, R code through knitr, and Grammarly. Google Drive works differently: users can import content into a project, but there is no direct synchronization. That distinction matters for teams expecting an automatically updated Drive workflow.

Security and AI data

Overleaf is certified in compliance with ISO/IEC 27001:2022. The Organizations plan lists FedRAMP Li-SaaS authorization. Overleaf says it will not use inputs or outputs from AI tools to train or develop AI models without consent, except when doing so for the user’s exclusive benefit as part of its services.

Pricing

Overleaf has a freemium model, with a free plan and a seven-day trial. The trial provides full access to the chosen plan, then charges the card on file unless canceled before the trial ends. That is useful for evaluating a paid tier, but the automatic charge makes the cancellation date important.

PlanPriceProject allowanceBest fitFreefreeUnlimited projects; 1 collaborator per projectSolo writersStudentCustom pricingUnlimited projects; 10 collaborators per projectStudent projects needing a small groupStandardCustom pricingUnlimited projects; 10 collaborators per projectSmall groups needing shared projectsProCustom pricingUnlimited projects; unlimited collaborators per projectProjects that outgrow fixed collaborator capsOrganizationsCustom pricing20+ usersInstitutions and businessesFree is a capable starting point for solo work, but not for a shared project with another collaborator. Student and Standard raise the cap to 10, while Pro removes it; the stated allowances do not distinguish Student from Standard, so compare their terms before choosing. Organizations adds personalized support, onboarding, and a dedicated account manager, which is more relevant to institutional buyers than individuals. All plans allow unlimited projects, but limited version history remains a constraint for anyone who needs a deep record of revisions.

Platforms

Overleaf lists web, extension, and self-hosted platforms. The web option aligns with its online collaboration model; extension and self-hosted options broaden where it can fit, though readers should confirm which deployment matches their needs.

Who it's for

Overleaf is a natural choice for researchers, students, and technical writers producing LaTeX documents with collaborators. Templates, simultaneous editing, comments, and chat suit coauthored work, while unlimited projects leave room to organize multiple documents. It is less compelling for solo users who need a substantial revision history or teams that need direct Google Drive synchronization.

Pros and cons

Pros

Multiple editing modes: Visual and Code Editors let collaborators choose how to work with LaTeX.

Useful coauthoring tools: Simultaneous editing, comments, and in-document chat support group writing.

Unlimited projects: Every plan can hold multiple projects without a stated project cap.

Academic starting points: Free journal article, thesis, and CV templates help with recurring document types.

Cons

Free is effectively solo: One collaborator per project excludes shared writing with another person.

Limited version history: Revision-heavy work may need a stronger change record.

No direct Google Drive sync: Import is possible, but Drive content will not synchronize directly.

Paid prices are custom: Student, Standard, Pro, and Organizations require a price inquiry rather than a straightforward published comparison.

Alternatives

For a desktop-first, free and open-source option with Windows, macOS, Linux, web, and self-hosted platforms, consider JianTeX. VerbTeX is another freemium choice across mobile, desktop, and web platforms; its free tier caps local and cloud projects and the documents and uploads within them. If a free web and mobile option with unlimited collaborators on public projects is the priority, Papeeria offers that, though its free plan limits private work to one active project and its edit history to 24 hours.

TeXstudio is a free Windows, macOS, and Linux editor under GPL v2 for readers who want desktop software they can use and modify. Verbosus is a freemium web and mobile alternative. Oleafly is a free desktop app for Windows, macOS, and Linux, with no subscription; paid AI providers may charge for use. For a paid option with a one-time per-seat license, Texifier lists prices by seat band and supports iOS, macOS, and Windows. Texmaker is a free desktop LaTeX editor for Windows, macOS, and Linux, but requires a separate LaTeX distribution.

Browse more options in LaTeX Editors, Writing Apps, and Document Collaboration Software.

Verdict

Choose Overleaf if you write LaTeX with coauthors and want editing, compilation, templates, and live collaboration in one online workspace. The Free plan works for solo projects, and larger tiers raise or remove collaborator limits. Look elsewhere if extended version history or direct Google Drive synchronization is essential, and compare the custom-priced tiers before committing a team.

Verdict

Overleaf combines LaTeX editing, compilation, and collaboration with templates and a range of listed integrations. Check collaborator allowances and the limited version history against your workflow before choosing a plan.

Where Specifiction places it

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