# Best Help Authoring Tools (HAT) for Medium-Sized Businesses *By [Adam Crivello](https://research.g2.com/insights/author/adam-crivello)* Products classified in the overall Help Authoring Tool (HAT) category are similar in many regards and help companies of all sizes solve their business problems. However, medium-sized business features, pricing, setup, and installation differ from businesses of other sizes, which is why we match buyers to the right Medium-Sized Business Help Authoring Tool (HAT) to fit their needs. Compare product ratings based on reviews from enterprise users or connect with one of G2's buying advisors to find the right solutions within the Medium-Sized Business Help Authoring Tool (HAT) category. In addition to qualifying for inclusion in the Help Authoring Tools (HAT) category, to qualify for inclusion in the Medium-Sized Business Help Authoring Tools (HAT) category, a product must have at least 10 reviews left by a reviewer from a medium-sized business. ## How Many Help Authoring Tools (HAT) Products Does G2 Track? **Total Products under this Category:** 55 ### Category Stats (Jun 2026) - **Average Rating**: 4.02/5 The average rating of products in this category, based on all submitted ratings - **Top Trending Product**: Author-It (+1.64%) - Among all products in this category, Author-It recorded the largest rating increase compared to last month *Last updated: June 25, 2026* ## How Does G2 Rank Help Authoring Tools (HAT) Products? **Why You Can Trust G2's Software Rankings:** - 30 Analysts and Data Experts - 1,700+ Authentic Reviews - 55+ Products - Unbiased Rankings G2's software rankings are built on verified user reviews, rigorous moderation, and a consistent research methodology maintained by a team of analysts and data experts. Each product is measured using the same transparent criteria, with no paid placement or vendor influence. While reviews reflect real user experiences, which can be subjective, they offer valuable insight into how software performs in the hands of professionals. Together, these inputs power the G2 Score, a standardized way to compare tools within every category. --- **Sponsored** ### livepro Knowledge Management livepro is a comprehensive Customer Experience Knowledge Management solution designed to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of customer service operations across various industries. Since its inception in 2001, livepro has been dedicated to providing a robust knowledge management platform that empowers customer service centers & departments that support them in sectors such as Banking and Finance, Airlines, Insurance, Superannuation, Education, Health, and Government. The primary goal of livepro is to streamline the process of delivering accurate information to agents, thereby improving overall customer experience. The target audience for livepro includes organizations that prioritize customer service excellence and seek to optimize their knowledge management processes. By offering a feature-rich yet user-friendly interface, livepro allows customer service representatives to access reliable answers quickly, eliminating the need to sift through lengthy documents. This intuitive design not only enhances the speed of customer service interactions but also significantly reduces the training time required for staff, enabling them to confidently address customer inquiries with minimal onboarding. One of the standout features of livepro is its powerful search functionality, which serves as a single source of truth for organizations. This feature ensures that agents can retrieve consistent and accurate answers across multiple channels, including phone, email, front counter, website, self-service portals, live chat, and even modern virtual assistants. By providing immediate access to information, livepro helps organizations respond to even the most complex customer questions efficiently, thereby fostering a more satisfying customer experience. The benefits of implementing livepro extend beyond improved customer satisfaction. Organizations can expect a reduction in average handling time (AHT) and a decrease in training costs, as staff become more adept at navigating the system with ease. Additionally, livepro minimizes compliance and risk factors by offering clear, easy-to-follow process guidance, which helps ensure that agents adhere to established protocols. Overall, livepro stands out in the knowledge management category by delivering a solution that not only enhances the capabilities of customer service teams but also positively impacts the bottom line through operational efficiencies. [Visit website](https://www.g2.com/external_clickthroughs/record?secure%5Bad_program%5D=ppc&secure%5Bad_slot%5D=category_product_list&secure%5Bcategory_id%5D=317&secure%5Bdisplayable_resource_id%5D=2038&secure%5Bdisplayable_resource_type%5D=Category&secure%5Bmedium%5D=sponsored&secure%5Bplacement_reason%5D=neighbor_category&secure%5Bplacement_resource_ids%5D%5B%5D=2038&secure%5Bprioritized%5D=false&secure%5Bproduct_id%5D=55822&secure%5Bresource_id%5D=317&secure%5Bresource_type%5D=Category&secure%5Bsource_type%5D=category_page&secure%5Bsource_url%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.g2.com%2Fcategories%2Fhelp-authoring-tool-hat%2Fmid-market&secure%5Btoken%5D=ff0766bea53dafbdae4c9033e0d60a11eb7e4759f1268582ec30853341deccd3&secure%5Burl%5D=https%3A%2F%2Flivepro.com%2F&secure%5Burl_type%5D=book_demo) --- ## What Are the Top-Rated Help Authoring Tools (HAT) Products in 2026? ### 1. [Document360](https://www.g2.com/products/document360/reviews) Document360 is an AI-powered knowledge base platform for enterprises needing secure, scalable documentation. It centralizes organizational knowledge into one workspace, including public help centers, internal wikis, SOPs, user manuals, API docs, or product playbooks. Who It's For By Role: Support teams (deflect tickets), technical writers (publish faster), product managers (align teams), engineers (document APIs and workflows). By Industry: SaaS, IT & consulting, finance, healthcare, education, manufacturing. Key Capabilities: 1. Editors: Markdown and WYSIWYG with real-time previews and drag-and-drop media. 2. Step-by-Step Guides: Capture on-screen actions to create editable interactive guides. 3. Category Manager: Drag-and-drop content organization. 4. Interactive Demos: Clickable walkthroughs embedded in articles. 5. Custom Workflows: Automate reviews, roles, and approvals. 6. Pro Analytics: Track performance, engagement, search trends, and ticket deflection. 7. Brand Customization: Tailor design, layout, and themes. 8. Security: SOC 2 and GDPR-aligned; SSO, JWT, SAML, IP restriction. 9. Localization: 50+ languages. Powered by Eddy AI: 1. AI Search: ChatGPT-style answers from your docs for instant self-service. 2. AI Writing Agent: Generate structured docs from video, audio, text, or prompts. 3. AI Chatbot: 24/7 documentation-driven support that cuts costs. 4. AI Glossary Generator: Auto-creates glossaries for complex terms. 5. Article Summarizer: Condenses long docs into bite-sized summaries. 6. MCP Server: Connects your knowledge base to LLMs. 7. Duplicate Content Detection: Flags redundancy with precision. 8. SEO Automation: Auto-generates titles, tags, and glossaries for discoverability. Whether scaling support, streamlining internal knowledge, or building world-class product docs, Document360 brings it all together in one platform. **Average Rating:** 4.7/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 511 **How Do G2 Users Rate Document360?** - **Ease of Use:** 9.3/10 (Category avg: 8.0/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 9.1/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 9.5/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Who Is the Company Behind Document360?** - **Seller:** [Kovai Limited](https://www.g2.com/sellers/kovai-limited) - **Company Website:** https://www.kovai.co/ - **Year Founded:** 2009 - **HQ Location:** London - **Twitter:** @BizTalk360 (1,920 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/kovaico/ (333 employees on LinkedIn®) **Who Uses This Product?** - **Who Uses This:** Technical Writer, Senior Technical Writer - **Top Industries:** Computer Software, Information Technology and Services - **Company Size:** 46% Mid-Market, 39% Small-Business #### What Are Document360's Pros and Cons? **Pros:** - Ease of Use (46 reviews) - Features (31 reviews) - Customer Support (29 reviews) - Helpful (27 reviews) - User Interface (27 reviews) **Cons:** - Missing Features (11 reviews) - Editing Difficulties (10 reviews) - Editing Limitations (9 reviews) - Expensive (9 reviews) - Limited Customization (9 reviews) ### What Do G2 Reviewers Say About Document360? *AI-generated summary from verified user reviews* **Pros:** - Users commend the **ease of use** of Document360, highlighting its intuitive interface and efficient support for quick setup. - Users appreciate the **versatile customization** and intuitive features of Document360, enhancing their documentation experience significantly. - Users praise the **efficient customer support** of Document360, highlighting fast resolutions and knowledgeable assistance during onboarding. - Users value the **versatile customization** of Document360, enhancing integration and streamlining content management seamlessly. - Users love the **versatile and customizable user interface** of Document360, enhancing their platform's branding and layout seamlessly. **Cons:** - Users note the need for improved **missing features** , like better copying options and enhanced visual editing tools. - Users find **editing difficulties** with Document360, especially with lag in long documents and disorganized formatting. - Users find **editing limitations** in Document360, such as lag with long documents and complex image uploads, frustrating. - Users find Document360 **expensive** , with essential features requiring higher payment and limitations in sharing capabilities. - Users express concern over **limited customization** options in Document360, finding it challenging for non-developers to navigate. #### What Are Recent G2 Reviews of Document360? **"[Simplifying Documentation Management with Document360](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/document360-review-12229699)"** **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars *— Vignesh S.* [Read full review](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/document360-review-12229699) --- **"[Our users having great experience through the Document 360 knowledge base.](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/document360-review-11366095)"** **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars *— Atul B.* [Read full review](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/document360-review-11366095) --- #### What Are G2 Users Discussing About Document360? - [What is Document360 used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-document360-used-for) - 1 comment ### 2. [MadCap Flare](https://www.g2.com/products/madcap-flare/reviews) Empowering teams to create, manage, and deliver exceptional content at scale MadCap Flare is the go-to solution for technical content teams that need to streamline workflows and deliver consistent, high-quality content across every channel. Trusted by documentation, training, and knowledge management professionals worldwide, Flare combines the precision of XML-based authoring with the flexibility of multi-channel publishing—all from a single, centralized platform. Why leading teams rely on Flare: Scalable, topic-based authoring: XML-based structure ensures precision and scalability for complex documentation projects. Single-source publishing: Manage all outputs from one project to eliminate redundancy and simplify updates. Multi-channel delivery: Publish effortlessly to self-service portals, online Help, documentation hubs, and training guides. Advanced content reuse: Reuse variables, snippets, and conditions to save time and maintain accuracy. Real-time collaboration with Flare Online: Co-author, review, and manage content simultaneously in the cloud—no check-in delays or version conflicts. Integrated translation management: Accelerate localization and expand your global reach. Flexible publishing formats: Deliver content in HTML5, PDF, Word, SCORM, and more to meet diverse audience needs. Proven ROI: Cut production costs, speed release cycles, and boost customer satisfaction. What sets Flare apart: Unlike traditional content management tools, Flare is purpose-built for technical content teams—offering unmatched flexibility, control, and scalability. With Flare Online, teams gain cloud-based collaboration and instant publishing capabilities for faster, more connected workflows. Together, they form a unified platform for creating, managing, and delivering knowledge at scale—ensuring efficiency, brand consistency, and an exceptional user experience. That’s why thousands of organizations trust Flare to power their global content strategy.gy." **Average Rating:** 4.4/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 484 **How Do G2 Users Rate MadCap Flare?** - **Ease of Use:** 7.4/10 (Category avg: 8.0/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 8.0/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Who Is the Company Behind MadCap Flare?** - **Seller:** [MadCap Software](https://www.g2.com/sellers/madcap-software) - **Company Website:** https://www.madcapsoftware.com - **Year Founded:** 2005 - **HQ Location:** Denver, CO - **Twitter:** @MadCapSoftware (1,678 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/69797/ (120 employees on LinkedIn®) **Who Uses This Product?** - **Who Uses This:** Technical Writer, Senior Technical Writer - **Top Industries:** Computer Software, Information Technology and Services - **Company Size:** 52% Mid-Market, 29% Enterprise #### What Are MadCap Flare's Pros and Cons? **Pros:** - Customer Support (4 reviews) - Ease of Use (4 reviews) - Content Management (2 reviews) - Customization (2 reviews) - Efficiency (2 reviews) **Cons:** - Learning Curve (3 reviews) - Difficulty (1 reviews) - Expensive (1 reviews) - Learning Difficulty (1 reviews) - Performance Issues (1 reviews) ### What Do G2 Reviewers Say About MadCap Flare? *AI-generated summary from verified user reviews* **Pros:** - Users commend the **excellent customer support** of MadCap Flare, which aids in quickly resolving issues and enhancing usability. - Users find MadCap Flare **exceptionally user-friendly** , simplifying authoring, technical documentation, and workflow management significantly. - Users praise the **user-friendly content management** features of MadCap Flare, facilitating smooth authoring and documentation processes. - Users value the **extensive customization options** in MadCap Flare, allowing tailored solutions for various documentation needs. - Users find MadCap Flare exceptionally **efficient** , simplifying authoring, technical documentation, and review processes seamlessly. **Cons:** - Users note a **steep learning curve** with MadCap Flare, requiring consistent use to retain processes and skills. - Users find the **complexity of MadCap Flare** challenging, especially when not using it regularly, but can adapt quickly. - Users find the **cost of MadCap Flare expensive** , especially with travel and entry fees for training conferences. - Users find **learning difficulty** with MadCap Flare challenging, especially after breaks from using the software. - Users report **performance issues** with MadCap Flare, noting slowdowns on large projects during builds and editing. #### What Are Recent G2 Reviews of MadCap Flare? **"[Powerful Tool Once Mastered, Excellent Collaboration Features](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/madcap-flare-review-12862315)"** **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars *— Warren K.* [Read full review](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/madcap-flare-review-12862315) --- **"[Single-Sourcing with MadCap Flare for Content Creation & Maintenance = Flexibility & Time Savings](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/madcap-flare-review-7029866)"** **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars *— Mary M.* [Read full review](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/madcap-flare-review-7029866) --- #### What Are G2 Users Discussing About MadCap Flare? - [What is MadCap Flare used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/madcap-flare-what-is-madcap-flare-used-for) - [How do I publish on MadCap Flare?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-do-i-publish-on-madcap-flare) - [Is MadCap Flare cloud-based?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/is-madcap-flare-cloud-based) - 2 comments - [How much does MadCap Flare cost?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-much-does-madcap-flare-cost) - 1 comment - [How much is MadCap Central?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-much-is-madcap-central) - 2 comments ### 3. [Adobe RoboHelp](https://www.g2.com/products/adobe-robohelp/reviews) Adobe RoboHelp 11 software empowers you to deliver differentiated content for different screens using multiscreen HTML5. Generate stunning responsive HTML5 output with a single click, even for legacy projects, or publish content in EPUB 3, KF8, and MOBI formats. **Average Rating:** 4.0/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 36 **How Do G2 Users Rate Adobe RoboHelp?** - **Ease of Use:** 8.0/10 (Category avg: 8.0/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 7.5/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 7.1/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Who Is the Company Behind Adobe RoboHelp?** - **Seller:** [Adobe](https://www.g2.com/sellers/adobe) - **Year Founded:** 1982 - **HQ Location:** San Jose, CA - **Twitter:** @Adobe (956,842 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/1480/ (42,087 employees on LinkedIn®) - **Ownership:** NASDAQ:ADBE **Who Uses This Product?** - **Who Uses This:** Technical Writer, Senior Technical Writer - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services, Computer Software - **Company Size:** 50% Mid-Market, 29% Enterprise #### What Are Recent G2 Reviews of Adobe RoboHelp? **"[Adobe RoboHelp - Good HAT](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/adobe-robohelp-review-4341687)"** **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars *— Ankush A.* [Read full review](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/adobe-robohelp-review-4341687) --- **"[great for policies and procedures manual due to its search capabilities](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/adobe-robohelp-review-4960841)"** **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars *— Verified User in Banking* [Read full review](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/adobe-robohelp-review-4960841) --- #### What Are G2 Users Discussing About Adobe RoboHelp? - [What is Adobe RoboHelp used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/adobe-robohelp-what-is-adobe-robohelp-used-for) - [How do I install Adobe RoboHelp?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-do-i-install-adobe-robohelp) - [What is RoboHelp server?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-robohelp-server) - [How much does RoboHelp cost?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-much-does-robohelp-cost) - [What is Adobe RoboHelp used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-adobe-robohelp-used-for) - 1 comment ### 4. [Author-It](https://www.g2.com/products/author-it/reviews) Create. Collaborate. Manage. Reuse. Translate. Publish. All on one platform. Author-it is a true and complete Component Content Management System (CCMS) for the creation, management, localization, and publishing of a wide variety of information products. Single sourcing is the core of Author-it, and with loads of functionality like multi-channel publishing, variant management, review and approval workflows, and authoring assistance, we offer a collaborative solution capable of dealing with the needs of any organization, from SMBs to Enterprise. Unlike DITA and XML solutions, Author-it makes importing and authoring content a snap. And with no coding expertise required, collaborating in real time with SMEs and non-technical writers breaks down silos and increases productivity. Manage large content libraries easily without losing control, create modern, personalized courses, reuse and translate content without leaving the platform, and publish to multiple outputs, including HTML5, mobile, PDF, print and more. Save time and eliminate content chaos with Author-it. **Average Rating:** 4.0/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 37 **How Do G2 Users Rate Author-It?** - **Ease of Use:** 7.2/10 (Category avg: 8.0/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 6.8/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 8.0/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Who Is the Company Behind Author-It?** - **Seller:** [Author-It Software Corporation](https://www.g2.com/sellers/author-it-software-corporation) - **Year Founded:** 2000 - **HQ Location:** Wellington, Wellington - **Twitter:** @Authorit (852 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/112181/ (31 employees on LinkedIn®) **Who Uses This Product?** - **Top Industries:** Computer Software, Machinery - **Company Size:** 49% Mid-Market, 30% Enterprise #### What Are Author-It's Pros and Cons? **Cons:** - Difficult Setup (1 reviews) - Not Intuitive (1 reviews) ### What Do G2 Reviewers Say About Author-It? *AI-generated summary from verified user reviews* **Cons:** - Users find the **difficult setup** of Author-It leads to a less intuitive UI and complicated exports. - Users find the **UI not intuitive** , making tasks like exporting to other systems unnecessarily complicated. #### What Are Recent G2 Reviews of Author-It? **"[Reusable Topics Make Building Knowledge Bases Easy](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/author-it-review-12974605)"** **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars *— Emma H.* [Read full review](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/author-it-review-12974605) --- **"[Automated workflows, ProCSS, and XML translation tool – plus first-class, fast support](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/author-it-review-12960297)"** **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars *— Markus L.* [Read full review](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/author-it-review-12960297) --- #### What Are G2 Users Discussing About Author-It? - [What is Author-It used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-author-it-used-for) ### 5. [ClickHelp](https://www.g2.com/products/clickhelp/reviews) ClickHelp is an AI-powered online documentation tool. Create, translate, and publish your technical documentation in a single portal! Here is how ClickHelp makes your tech writing more effective: \* Easy to use WYSIWYG topic editor, as well as HTML source mode. \* Simple customization with a block-based Home page editor. \* Single-sourcing and content reuse. \* AI features (AnswerGenius, WriteAssist, AskYourDocs) \* In-depth analytics and reporting. \* Readability scores and metrics. \* Easy importing and exporting. ClickHelp can import content from Microsoft Word, HTML, Markdown, RTF, CHM, ODT, etc., and export to CHM, HTML5 Web Help, PDF, DOCX, etc. \* Translation ecosystem to create multi-language documentation. \* Machine translation support. \* API features. \* Swagger/OpenAPI Definition import. \* RTL language support. \* Audit trail and IP Allowlist for enhanced security. \* Optional block-based editor \* Automatic domain management \* TwoFactor Authentication Integrations: Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Zendesk, Zapier, AddThis, Google Translate, DeepL, YouTube, and much more. **Average Rating:** 4.8/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 64 **How Do G2 Users Rate ClickHelp?** - **Ease of Use:** 9.3/10 (Category avg: 8.0/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 9.4/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 9.5/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Who Is the Company Behind ClickHelp?** - **Seller:** [ClickHelp](https://www.g2.com/sellers/clickhelp) - **Year Founded:** 2010 - **HQ Location:** Yerevan, Armenia - **Twitter:** @ClickHelpNews (853 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/2957735/ (18 employees on LinkedIn®) **Who Uses This Product?** - **Top Industries:** Computer Software, Information Technology and Services - **Company Size:** 60% Small-Business, 32% Mid-Market #### What Are ClickHelp's Pros and Cons? **Pros:** - Features (2 reviews) - Accessibility (1 reviews) - AI Features (1 reviews) - AI Technology (1 reviews) - Customer Support (1 reviews) ### What Do G2 Reviewers Say About ClickHelp? *AI-generated summary from verified user reviews* **Pros:** - Users value the **AI features** of ClickHelp, notably Answer Genius and Write Assist, enhancing workflow and document quality. - Users value the **accessibility** of ClickHelp, enabling usage from anywhere with just a browser and internet connection. - Users love ClickHelp's **AI features** , such as Answer Genius and Write Assist, significantly enhancing productivity and document quality. - Users appreciate the **AI features** of ClickHelp, greatly enhancing workflow and improving content quality for technical writing. - Users appreciate the **helpful tech support** of ClickHelp, always available to assist with inquiries, even on weekends. #### What Are Recent G2 Reviews of ClickHelp? **"[All-in-One Documentation Portal with Exceptional Support](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/clickhelp-review-12537502)"** **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars *— Verified User in Information Technology and Services* [Read full review](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/clickhelp-review-12537502) --- **"[Easy-to-Use Formatting for Clear, Readable Support Documentation](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/clickhelp-review-12712615)"** **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars *— Verified User in Computer Software* [Read full review](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/clickhelp-review-12712615) --- #### What Are G2 Users Discussing About ClickHelp? - [What is ClickHelp used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-clickhelp-used-for) - 1 comment ### 6. [ReadMe](https://www.g2.com/products/readme/reviews) ReadMe is a documentation platform built around the full customer journey, not just content creation. Teams can sync their OpenAPI spec to auto-generate interactive API docs, publish guides and changelogs in a fully branded hub, and collaborate with branching workflows and bi-directional sync. Built-in AI features like Ask AI and an AI writing assistant help developers get answers faster and improve content quality, while real-time usage insights show how APIs are actually being used. Enterprise-ready controls including SSO, granular permissions, and audit logs ensure security and compliance at scale. Leading brands like NVIDIA, Amazon, and PagerDuty trust ReadMe to power their developer experience. **Average Rating:** 4.5/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 45 **How Do G2 Users Rate ReadMe?** - **Ease of Use:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.0/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 9.5/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 9.2/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Who Is the Company Behind ReadMe?** - **Seller:** [ReadMe](https://www.g2.com/sellers/readme-d9598c4e-09d2-410d-973f-e2de04d99f12) - **Company Website:** https://www.readme.com - **Year Founded:** 2015 - **HQ Location:** San Francisco, US - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/readme (82 employees on LinkedIn®) **Who Uses This Product?** - **Top Industries:** Computer Software, Financial Services - **Company Size:** 57% Small-Business, 39% Mid-Market #### What Are ReadMe's Pros and Cons? **Pros:** - Ease of Use (4 reviews) - Easy Setup (2 reviews) - Features (2 reviews) - Customization (1 reviews) - Helpful (1 reviews) **Cons:** - Billing Issues (1 reviews) - Learning Curve (1 reviews) - Limited Customization (1 reviews) - Limited Reporting (1 reviews) - Missing Features (1 reviews) ### What Do G2 Reviewers Say About ReadMe? *AI-generated summary from verified user reviews* **Pros:** - Users find ReadMe incredibly **easy to use** , making documentation publishing and collaboration seamless for everyone. - Users find the **easy setup** of ReadMe appealing, appreciating its clear design and straightforward navigation. - Users love the **ease of use and powerful API insights** of ReadMe, praising its quick and modern documentation features. - Users love the **theme customizations** that enhance their experience and allow for personalization in ReadMe. - Users find ReadMe to be **extremely helpful** for publishing clear docs and improving user experience through analytics. **Cons:** - Users experience **billing issues** due to the finance team lacking role access to manage payment methods, leading to constant contact. - Users find the **learning curve challenging** , as deeper customization and settings could be more intuitive despite strong defaults. - Users find the **limited customization** of ReadMe restricts flexibility, though recent updates have improved its feature set. - Users are frustrated with **limited reporting** capabilities, impacting search accuracy and functionality of the editor. - Users find ReadMe's **missing features** limit flexibility, though recent updates show progress in enhancing functionality. #### What Are Recent G2 Reviews of ReadMe? **"[Easy to Navigate and Quick to Learn, with Handy Metadata Controls](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/readme-review-12680634)"** **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars *— Rebecca H.* [Read full review](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/readme-review-12680634) --- **"[ReadMe makes knowledge management simple](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/readme-review-12699201)"** **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars *— Ján G.* [Read full review](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/readme-review-12699201) --- ### 7. [Heretto](https://www.g2.com/products/heretto/reviews) Heretto is the ultimate content operations platform for customer-driven companies. Our cutting-edge CCMS, Deploy API, and Portal toolset empowers users to independently resolve product issues, streamlining support and elevating customer experiences. Effortlessly create, distribute, and personalize documentation for exceptional content experiences across all touchpoints all on one cloud-based platform. From the blank page to fully personalized help sites, Heretto's intuitive interface ensures swift content deployment and seamless collaboration for enterprise organizations. Stay ahead in the digital landscape and deliver content that delights modern customers with Heretto's unrivaled capabilities. **Average Rating:** 4.1/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 39 **How Do G2 Users Rate Heretto?** - **Ease of Use:** 7.8/10 (Category avg: 8.0/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 8.5/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 9.5/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Who Is the Company Behind Heretto?** - **Seller:** [Heretto](https://www.g2.com/sellers/heretto) - **HQ Location:** Rochester, NY - **Twitter:** @helloHeretto (506 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/1752877/ (61 employees on LinkedIn®) **Who Uses This Product?** - **Top Industries:** Computer Software, Telecommunications - **Company Size:** 41% Enterprise, 41% Mid-Market #### What Are Recent G2 Reviews of Heretto? **"[A fast CCMS with real-time collaboration and easy version management](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/heretto-review-5341120)"** **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars *— Moshe A.* [Read full review](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/heretto-review-5341120) --- **"[More efficient, effective, and manageable content -- made easy with Heretto!](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/heretto-review-8384387)"** **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars *— Kaitlyn S.* [Read full review](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/heretto-review-8384387) --- #### What Are G2 Users Discussing About Heretto? - [What is Heretto used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-heretto-used-for) ### 8. [wpDocs](https://www.g2.com/products/wpdocs/reviews) wpDocs helps you to create, manage and publish your knowledge base content online and mobile. **Average Rating:** 3.9/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 44 **How Do G2 Users Rate wpDocs?** - **Ease of Use:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.0/10) - **Ease of Admin:** 9.5/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) - **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?:** 9.2/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10) **Who Is the Company Behind wpDocs?** - **Seller:** [Mayvik](https://www.g2.com/sellers/mayvik) - **Year Founded:** 2014 - **HQ Location:** National Harbor, MD - **Twitter:** @DocsWp (11 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/wpdocs/ **Who Uses This Product?** - **Top Industries:** Health, Wellness and Fitness, Information Technology and Services - **Company Size:** 68% Small-Business, 25% Mid-Market #### What Are Recent G2 Reviews of wpDocs? **"[Great Documentation Tool for WordPress sites](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/wpdocs-review-7119793)"** **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars *— Jose Andres G.* [Read full review](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/wpdocs-review-7119793) --- **"[Perfect WordPress Plugin for KB management](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/wpdocs-review-8454866)"** **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars *— Jithin A.* [Read full review](https://www.g2.com/survey_responses/wpdocs-review-8454866) --- ## What Is Help Authoring Tools (HAT)? [Development Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/development) ## What Software Categories Are Similar to Help Authoring Tools (HAT)? - [Knowledge Base Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/knowledge-base-software) --- ## How Do You Choose the Right Help Authoring Tools (HAT)? ### What You Should Know About Help Authoring Tools (HAT)? ### What are Help Authoring Tools (HAT)? Help authoring tools (HAT) are programs designed to assist technical writers in designing, publishing, and maintaining software help documentation. The resulting text is used in explanation guides, FAQs, manuals, and help files. They are aimed at reducing the time and effort needed when creating assistance materials for both employees and end users. Many help authoring tools (HAT) also provide the functionalities of [knowledge base software](https://www.g2.com/categories/knowledge-base), which allows technical writers to maintain and update a central knowledge base containing all software help text that they created about their product. This knowledge base, which is often a user-accessible web page or document, can be updated as soon as technical writers add new text or images. Despite being used by specialized technical writers, HATs are often considered development tools since they allow development teams to create and maintain help documentation for their existing software products and any new features that might be added. Technical writers use help authoring tools to create software help documents and online help resources from start to finish. With these programs, they can write, edit, and export documents to be shared with editors, administrators, and other coworkers. Depending on the documentation tool used, creators can even design images or simply use a screen capture feature to supplement their software help text and enrich the user experience. When the documentation is in a user-ready state, the help authoring tool allows writers to publish the documentation digitally. In some cases, HATs also allow teams to manage other aspects of their customers’ self-help experiences. For example, some tools allow product teams to create and embed widgets at various points in the user journey, guiding the user towards a software help knowledge base if needed. Most HATs allow technical writers to centralize their software help documentation in a single database, which can then be exported in various formats such as HTML, CHM help files, XML, PDFs, and more. Help authoring software also allows technical writers to use and update their pre-existing software program documentation by supporting various file types for import. This also provides flexibility for writers who prefer to use a separate writing tool outside of the HAT, as they can simply import the source text when it’s complete and use the HAT to design, publish, and maintain the finished product. Ultimately, HATs help companies produce, add to, and manage a single source of truth for their users’ software help needs. By streamlining the writing process and providing useful features like content collaboration and file importing, HATs help teams produce technical documentation, content for faqs, help manuals, and more. **What Does HAT Stand For?** HAT stands for Help Authoring Tool. However, HATs can extend beyond documentation authoring to allow teams to manage various aspects of their customers’ software program self-help experiences. ** ** ### What are the Common Features of Help Authoring Tools (HAT)? The following are some core features within help authoring tools (HAT) that can help users create and maintain software help documentation: **Text editing:** At their most basic, HATs provide text-editing functionality to create software help documentation. These editors will often include several features to make the help authoring process more efficient, such as templates, automated style and grammar suggestions, and more. In many cases, a HAT’s user interface will act as a full-fledged word processor. **Code editing:** Many HATs include a code view that allows front-end web developers to manipulate help documentation webpages. This type of editing usually includes HTML, CSS, and JS code editing capabilities so that technical writers can create software documentation that lives in a web-based format as opposed to a text document. Some solutions also include features for HTML help and suggestions, allowing teams to build web pages more easily. **WYSIWYG editing:** Many HATs provide WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editors, so technical writers without experience in front-end development can author and manage software documentation web pages via an intuitive visual user interface. These types of editors can also be helpful for quickly adding useful images to a product’s help documentation. **File importing:** HATs allow technical writers to import source text or source code from various file formats, such as Microsoft Word documents, CHM files, HTML files, and more. The text and images from these source files can then be manipulated and managed within the HAT to produce the desired result for publication. **Content management:** While HATs are used explicitly to author and manage software help documentation, they typically share similar features with [content management systems (CMS)](https://www.g2.com/categories/content-management). Like CMS tools, HATs allow users to manage, store, and track content projects from creation to publication. The key difference is that each content project is specifically related to software explanation guides, faqs, manuals, and help files. **Templates and libraries:** Most HATs provide templates that provide base-level formatting and visual layouts for technical writers to work off of. These templates provide suggested layouts for various software help formats. Along with these templates, many HATs offer media libraries for authors to pull images, motion graphics, and more. **Content collaboration:** Help authoring software allows multiple technical writers to work on the same guides and documents concurrently. This streamlines communication about projects and enables efficient productivity in a remote environment. HATs’ content collaboration capabilities include version control systems; meaning teams can keep track of historical changes and revert to older versions of their documentation when necessary. ### What are the Benefits of Help Authoring Tools (HAT)? The common benefits of help authoring tools (HAT) include: **Scalability:** Software providers must supplement their products with a lot of documentation to guide their users. From simple user guides to complex technical documentation for APIs, user knowledge management must be constantly considered and supported as a company adds to its product lines and features. HATs make this process scalable and manageable by both importing existing documentation and providing standardized tools for adding to that documentation.  **Efficiency:** Most HATs centralize all of a company’s technical documentation, online help content, etc., to a single source. By storing all software help source files in a central database, HATs facilitate more efficient content reuse. Technical writers can manage, edit, and add to their existing documentation once, then use the HAT to choose where, when, and how that documentation is presented. In some cases, teams can even set conditional publishing standards so that different help documentation is shown to different users. This prevents teams from wasting time with repeated tasks, allowing them to focus on new documentation rather than manually managing existing content.  **Better customer support:** HATs primarily boost a company’s ability to provide helpful documentation to its customers. By curating user-friendly documentation with clear elements like a table of contents, visual aids, and more, companies empower their users to self help rather than rely on customer support channels. Having thorough self-help systems in place saves companies time and mitigates costs related to supporting their customers. ### Who Uses Help Authoring Tools (HAT)? **Technical writers:** Technical writers produce documentation to facilitate clear and thorough communication between two parties. They use HATs to create user manuals, tutorials, and other software help documentation for the benefit of their company’s employees and customers.  **Developers:** Developers can use HATs to add helpful documentation to their consumer-facing software. A common use case for developers using HATs is API documentation, which guides other developers on how to properly interface with their API. Front-end developers building software help web pages can also utilize HATs and take advantage of their HTML help suggestions to tackle issues and solve problems with their design. #### Software Related to Help Authoring Tools (HAT) Related solutions that can be used together with help authoring tools (HAT) include: [Knowledge base software:](https://www.g2.com/categories/knowledge-base) Knowledge base software stores and organizes information about businesses and their products, services, and processes in a central repository accessible by the rest of the organization. Businesses use knowledge bases to bring information from different sources, such as internal communications platforms or email software, into a self-serve digital library that acts as a single source of truth. HATs often interact with and add to a company’s help documentation stored in a central knowledge base. [Enterprise content management (ECM) systems:](https://www.g2.com/categories/enterprise-content-management-ecm) Enterprise content management (ECM) systems help companies organize, manage, and distribute unstructured content such as documents, images, health or accounting records, surveys, product information, emails, and web pages. Companies use this software to store, track, edit, and collaborate on content creation and other information-related projects. In many ways, HATs are a more narrow version of a content management system. ### Challenges with Help Authoring Tools (HAT) Software solutions can come with their own set of challenges.  **File support:** Companies onboarding a new HAT must be mindful of the tool’s supported file types. If the tool can’t seamlessly import a company’s existing help documentation, then the company is faced with the frustrating task of repeating work. Given that technical help documentation is often formatted with specific layouts in mind, especially when dealing with web pages, the process of recreating that formatting can be particularly tedious. Buyers should be mindful of which file types a prospective HAT supports, such as CHM help files, HTML files, Markdown files, and more. **Standardization:** One key element companies should strive to achieve when authoring help documentation is standardization. Employees and customers engaging with a company’s self-help systems should experience a consistent user journey to avoid confusion. A good HAT will help teams produce consistent technical writing via templates and customizable writing guidelines.  **Learning curve:** Using a new HAT can come with a learning curve, especially for newer employees in technical writing. Choosing a HAT with a smooth learning curve is important so that the efficiency gained by using the tool isn’t canceled out by the effort involved in learning it.  ### How to Buy Help Authoring Tools (HAT) #### Requirements Gathering (RFI/RFP) for Help Authoring Tools (HAT) G2.com can assist buyers in finding the best help authoring tool (HAT), whether a buyer is searching for HATs for the first time or looking to replace legacy software. Generally, the most important considerations are price, feature set, and file support. One of the primary purposes of HATs is to make software documentation management more convenient, so ensuring that the tool of choice can seamlessly import the company’s existing documentation is often essential. Using G2 reviews as a reference, buyers can determine the features that will best help them manage their software help documentation, ensuring a pain-free learning curve and comprehensive solution.  After narrowing down a potential pool of products, teams can then apply further considerations for budget, requirements, and more. Using this approach, buyers can move forward in the buying process with confidence, referencing their checklist in conjunction with G2 scores to find the right solution for their needs. #### Compare Help Authoring Tools (HAT) Products **Create a long list** Buyers should consider the many HAT solutions on the market. Some HATs include WYSIWYG functionality to provide technical writers with a non-developer solution to publishing web pages, while others shine in the hands of users proficient in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Buyers should consider options like these to produce a long list of potentially viable products. **Create a short list** Once a long list is created, buyers should employ a more granular approach to trim it down. Along with a matrix of must-have functionality and pricing, buyers can use G2 reviews to explore any potential advantages and disadvantages among the products they’re considering. With these factors in mind, buyers should narrow down their search to a list of three to five products. **Conduct demos** All software products on a company’s short list need to be investigated firsthand via demos to ensure that real-time functionality matches on-paper expectations. During demos, buyers should make inquiries based on the requirements gathering they’ve done prior; for example, one might ask to be walked through a HAT’s collaborative content management features to ensure the company’s needs will be met.  #### Selection of Help Authoring Tools (HAT) **Choose a selection team** Companies of any size should try to involve the most relevant personas when beginning the HAT selection process. Large companies might have the resources to include individual team members to fill roles such as project manager, decision maker, and technical writer. Smaller companies can overlap roles to compensate for their relatively fewer employees.  **Negotiation** Some vendors offer HATs that can do far more than what the buyer requires, such as full-featured web design. While some vendors may only offer an all-or-nothing package, buyers who want to optimize spending should try to negotiate a fairly priced package, including only the functionalities that matter to them. For example, a product’s pricing page could show that the buyer’s must-have features are only included with an expensive all-in-one package, whereas a sales conversation may prove otherwise.  **Final decision** To conclude the process, performing a trial run with a small pool of technical writers or developers is essential. This will aid buyers in ensuring that their chosen HAT is easy to use, integrates well with existing workflows, and meets team members’ needs. If the HAT is received well and utilized often, the buyer’s selection is probably the right one. If not, it may be time to try another product from the short list.