Blume vs GitBook.Open-source docs, with no seats or credits.
GitBook is a hosted editor priced per site and per user, with AI answers metered in credits. Blume builds the whole site from Markdown in your repo, with no seats, credits, or plan limits, and an agent moves your GitBook pages without changing a URL.
npx blume migrate gitbook --codex| Blume | GitBook | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | BlumeFree and open source, with no seat limits | GitBookFree for one user; Essential from $65 a month per site, plus $12 a user |
| Hosting | BlumeAny host: Vercel, Netlify, Cloudflare, Node, or static files | GitBookGitBook's cloud; only its open-source renderer can be self-hosted |
| Editing | BlumeMarkdown and MDX in your repo, in any editor | GitBookA block-based web editor, with two-way Git Sync to GitHub or GitLab |
| AI assistant | BlumeAn in-page assistant on the model you choose, billed by your provider | GitBookAnswers in search on Essential, chat on Ultimate, metered at 20 credits each |
| Agent features | Blumellms.txt, Markdown mirrors, and a JSON API by default; an opt-in MCP server | GitBookllms.txt, .md pages, and an MCP server for every site, on every plan |
| API references | BlumeOpenAPI, AsyncAPI, and GraphQL, with a Try it playground | GitBookOpenAPI blocks with a Test it playground powered by Scalar |
| Languages | Blumeblume translate fills in every locale with your coding agent | GitBookLanguage variants, with AI translation at 30 credits per 1,000 words |
| Leaving | Blumeblume eject hands you a standalone Astro app | GitBookGit Sync writes GitBook-flavored Markdown; site settings stay in the app |
GitBook details are from its own pages as of October 7, 2026: Pricing, AI credits, Self-hosting, Git Sync, LLM-ready docs, OpenAPI. Something out of date? Let us know
Your docs come with you.Your synced Markdown comes along, and an agent does the move.
- Every page keeps its URL.
- The agent works out each URL from
SUMMARY.md, checks it against your sitemap, and moves each file there, so the route and the sidebar both match. - Blocks become components.
- Hints become
:::directives, and tabs, steppers, content refs, and<details>become Tabs, Steps, Cards, and expandable sections. - Reusable content becomes includes.
- Files in
.gitbook/includesbecome<include>partials, and.gitbook/vars.yamlbecomes Blume'svariables. - Old links still land.
- Redirects from
.gitbook.yamland your site settings move intoblume.config.ts, and a bundled script pins GitBook's heading anchors.
GitBook
Blume
- SUMMARY.mdfolders and meta.ts
- {% hint style="info" %}:::info
- {% stepper %}<Steps>
- {% content-ref %}<Card>
- <details><Expandable>
- .gitbook/includes/_includes/
- README.mdindex.mdx
When GitBook might suit you better.Blume isn't the right fit for every team.
- You want a web editor.
- GitBook's block editor, with change requests and real-time collaboration, lets writers and product managers publish without Git, while Git Sync keeps a repository in step.
- You need private or tailored docs.
- On Ultimate, GitBook signs readers in through Auth0, Okta, Azure AD, or OIDC, and adaptive content shows or hides content for each reader. Blume relies on your host's protection, which covers the whole site.
- You'd rather not run anything.
- GitBook hosts the site, search, assistant, and analytics. With Blume you deploy to your own host and bring your own model provider and analytics.
- 1
Run one command in your docs project.
Using Claude Code? Swap
--codexfor--claude. - 2
Review the agent's edits.
It follows Blume's migration playbook for MintlifyFumadocsDocusaurusStarlightNextraGitBookMkDocsReadMeVitePressFernRedoclyVuePressDocsifyDocusmdBookJekyllGitHub Wiki, rewriting your config and pages in place, so you review the whole move as one diff.
- 3
Preview the result.
Run
npx blume dev, then read the agent's summary of anything it dropped or approximated.
Questions, answered.About moving from GitBook to Blume.
What's the difference between Blume and GitBook?
GitBook is a hosted platform built around a web editor, priced per site and per user, with AI answers metered in credits. Blume is a free, open-source framework that builds the whole site from Markdown in your repo, and you host it anywhere.
Can I keep my GitBook content?
Yes, once your spaces sync to GitHub or GitLab. npx blume migrate gitbook --codex moves every page to the URL SUMMARY.md gave it, converts hints, tabs, steppers, and content refs, and turns reusable content into includes.
Will my old links keep working?
Yes. Pages keep their GitBook URLs, .gitbook.yaml redirects carry over, and a bundled script pins GitBook's heading anchors so deep links still land. Site redirects come along too when you export them with a GitBook API token.
Does Blume have an AI assistant and an MCP server?
Yes. The assistant answers readers in the page using the model and provider you choose, billed by that provider rather than in credits, and an opt-in MCP server lets coding agents search and read your docs. Both run on a server deployment.
What doesn't the migration carry over?
Site themes beyond your accent color, fonts, and mode, page covers, adaptive content and visitor authentication, embeds other than YouTube as players, and spaces or translations that aren't in the repository. The agent reports each one, and GitBook Assistant has no counterpart unless you set up Blume's assistant.
Upgrade your docs with Blume.
Install today and ship a production-grade docs site in minutes. Free and open source, forever.
npx blume init