Dr.Explain vs MadCap Flare
Dr.Explain
drexplain.com
MadCap Flare
madcapsoftware.comSide by side
| Figure | Dr.Explain | MadCap Flare |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $24.17/mo | $262.50/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 8 | 8 |
| Spec score · Help Authoring Tools | 8.5 (#4) | 8.0 (#9) |
| Spec score · Technical Documentation Software | 8.4 (#8) | 8.0 (#19) |
| Spec score · Knowledge base software | 8.0 (#81) | 8.1 (#67) |
| Collaboration | Multiple authors can work on a project using the free Tiwri.com service or a corporate server on the company’s internal network. | Flare Online supports browser-based content review by subject matter experts and non-Flare users, including concurrent authoring and real-time collaboration. |
| Founded | 2004 | 2005 |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Headquarters | New York, New York, USA | Denver, Colorado, USA |
| Platform requirement | The downloadable desktop application runs on Windows 11, 10, 8, or 7 with 64-bit architecture. | MadCap documentation states that Flare Desktop requires Microsoft Windows; Flare Online provides browser-based authoring and review. |
Plans
Dr.Explain
- FreeFree
- Business Temporary$290 a year
- Business Perpetual v.7$690 a month
- Home Perpetual v.7$9,000 a month
- Free Restricted LicenseFree
- Business License — Temporary$290 a year
- Business License — Perpetual for v.7$690, paid once
- Home License — Perpetual for v.7$9,000, paid once
MadCap Flare
- Starter — Flare Desktop Only$3,150 a year
- Flare Online — IndividualPrice not published
- Flare Online — TeamPrice not published
- Flare Online — BusinessPrice not published
- Starter — Flare Desktop Only$3,150 a year
- Flare Online - BusinessPriced on request
- Flare Online - IndividualPriced on request
- Flare Online - TeamPriced on request
In their own words
Dr.Explain
Dr.Explain is a Windows help authoring tool for creating user guides, operating instructions, help files, and manuals. It captures application windows or web pages and adds numbered callouts to interface elements. Documentation can be exported as HTML, CHM, PDF, or DOCX; imports include CHM, HLP, HTML, XML, DOC/DOCX, and TXT, with project structure and formatting preserved. For software integration, it supports Help Context IDs and creates map files in.h,.vb, and.inc formats. Multiple authors can work on a project through the free Tiwri.com service or a corporate server on the company's internal network. An in-program AI Assistant offers generation, translation, and proofreading. The desktop application requires 64-bit Windows 11, 10, 8, or 7. The free license has no time limit but restricts project size and watermarks exported images; it includes 20 topics. Business Temporary costs $290 a year for five users, and Business Perpetual v.7 costs $690, paid once for five users. Home Perpetual v.7 costs $9,000, paid once for one user and excludes commercial use.
MadCap Flare
MadCap Flare is an authoring and publishing platform for technical documentation, online help, knowledge bases, policies, training materials, and API documentation. Topic-based authoring and single-sourcing let teams reuse material across versions and output formats. Flare can publish responsive HTML5, print, PowerPoint, PDF, Word, SCORM, and other formats; it also imports content from Word, Excel, Confluence, FrameMaker, RoboHelp, and DITA. Flare Online adds browser-based review for subject matter experts and non-Flare users, concurrent authoring, and real-time collaboration. Publishing can connect directly to Salesforce, Zendesk, and ServiceNow. Flare supports Unicode, double-byte, Cyrillic, and right-to-left languages, while Flare Online analytics can track topic views, searches without results, and user behavior. The Starter desktop plan costs $3,150 a year, billed at $3,150 per author per year. A free 30-day trial is available without a credit card. Flare Desktop requires Microsoft Windows; Flare Online offers browser-based authoring and review.