A free Overleaf alternative that lets everyone in.
Overleaf's free plan allows one collaborator per project and stops a compile after 10 seconds. On Texeno's free plan co-authors are unlimited, compiles run for 30 seconds and there is no compile quota.
The short answer: if your advisor and co-authors all need to edit and you don't want to pay, use a free plan without a collaborator cap. Texeno, LetX, Murfy and Papeeria have one; Overleaf and Bibby AI don't.
Summarize with AI:
Which free plans let you add every co-author?
Free plans only, as each editor's own pricing page states them.
| Editor | Collaborators on Free | Compile limit on Free | Other limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texeno | Unlimited | 30 seconds | 150 MB, 2 days of history, no compile quota |
| Overleaf | 1 per project | 10 seconds | 24 hours of history |
| LetX | Unlimited | Up to 2 minutes | 40 compiles a day, the last 15 versions |
| Murfy | Unlimited | 30 seconds | 24 hours of history |
| Papeeria | Unlimited | 60 seconds | One private project, 24 hours of history |
| Bibby AI | No collaboration | 30 compiles a month | 2 projects |
What matters for a thesis or a group paper
A thesis has at least two people on it, you and your advisor, and often a co-author or a second reader. A free plan that allows one collaborator makes someone pay, or makes you pass files around by email.
The second limit is compile time. A long document with figures can take more than 10 seconds, and a free plan that stops there leaves you without a PDF. Texeno's free plan allows 30 seconds per compile and never counts how many compiles you run, only fair use.
The third is history. Free plans usually keep a short history; Texeno keeps 2 days of history on Free, and full version history on Scholar.
How to bring a project over
Download the source
In Overleaf, open the project and choose Menu, then Source under Download. You get a .zip of every file.
Upload it to Texeno
Choose New project, then Upload project, and drop the .zip in. Folders, figures, the bibliography and custom classes come with it.
Invite your co-authors
Choose Share, add their email addresses or send a link. They need a free Texeno account; nobody pays to edit.
When a paid plan is worth it
Pay when a single compile needs more than 30 seconds, when you want the priority lane at busy hours, or for 5 GB and full version history. Scholar is $9 a month or $75 a year, and allows 8-minute compiles. Co-authors stay free either way.
Each editor's free plan is from its own pricing page. Free plans change often, so check the plan before you decide.
Questions
Is there a free Overleaf alternative with unlimited collaborators?
Yes. Texeno's free plan has unlimited co-authors and viewers, 30-second compiles and no compile quota. LetX, Murfy and Papeeria also allow unlimited collaborators on their free plans, with different compile limits.
How many collaborators does Overleaf's free plan allow?
One collaborator per project, according to Overleaf's plans page. Its Student and Standard plans allow 10, and Pro is unlimited.
Do my co-authors need to pay on Texeno?
No. Co-authors are free and unlimited on every plan, with comments, tracked changes and project chat. Each needs a free Texeno account to edit.
Try your own paper in Texeno.
Start free, upload a project as a .zip and press Recompile. Upgrade when you need longer compiles.
Start writing