4.7
The group essay window that never needs a version in the filename.
Collaborative LaTeX in the browser, with a campus licence if you are lucky.
Best for lab reports, papers, and theses in latex
Reviewed 16 September 2026 · Prices checked the same day
4.8
12K reviews
Overleaf is LaTeX without a local TeX install. Free is one collaborator and less compile time. Many departments pay for the campus plan. Personal Standard starts around $15 a month billed yearly.
If your course is not in LaTeX, skip it. The compile errors are a tax you only pay when the journal or supervisor requires it.
Pricing
freemium
Standard from about $15/mo billed yearly; many campuses licence it
Free version
One collaborator, slower compiles, Overleaf branding on some features
Platforms
Web
The least painful LaTeX onboarding. Still LaTeX. Pair with Zotero via Better BibTeX.
Checked 2026-09-16
| Model | Freemium |
|---|---|
| What free actually includes | One collaborator, slower compiles, Overleaf branding on some features |
| Cheapest paid tier | Standard from about $15/mo billed yearly; many campuses licence it |
| Student pricing | Check for a campus portal before paying personal |
Links from StudyApps include ref=studyapps.
One collaborator, slower compiles, Overleaf branding on some features Checked 16 September 2026.
Cheapest paid plan: Standard from about $15/mo billed yearly; many campuses licence it. Student deal: Check for a campus portal before paying personal. Prices checked 16 September 2026.
Lab reports, papers, and theses in LaTeX
Free collaboration is tiny
The group essay window that never needs a version in the filename.
References, free, until the storage runs out.
Wikis, databases, and class hubs in one doc.