The Best Open Source Wikipedia AlternativesTop Encyclopedias and other similar apps like Wikipedia

Alternatives list

1. 

   

   Kiwix

    121 likes

   Provides offline access to Wikipedia and HTML content via ZIM format, featuring a full-text search engine, multi-language interface, export capabilities, bookmarks, content manager, and support for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, USB drives, and local servers.

   27 Kiwix alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source (GPL-3.0)

   Application type

   • Encyclopedia

   Origin

   • Switzerland

   Platforms

   • Mac
   • Windows
   • Linux
   • Android
   • iPhone
   • Android Tablet
   • iPad
   • Microsoft Edge
   • Google Chrome
   • Flathub
   • Wine
   • Mozilla Firefox

   • Switzerland

   

   

   

   +4

   

   More about Kiwix  

   

   Good alternative?Is Kiwix a good alternative to Wikipedia?

    

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   2comments

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   Kiwix vs Wikipedia Comments

   Negative comment by intp · Jan 31, 2025

   It's a great tool for accessing such content offline, but not a true alternative. More of a compliment

   Positive comment by PERCE_NEIGE · Nov 25, 2020

   It's a good alternative (but it's an app, not a site), as it's offline Wikipedia. But they made weird choices because they chose the .zim extension for their archive. That's weird and everything but handy. And they should add a way to download only some articles, and turning them into .pdf or .epub, it would make the application really modern and handy!

   2 of 2 comments

   

   

   • Kiwix is Free and Open SourceWikipedia is also Free and Open Source
2. 

   

   Wikiless

    17 likes

   Wikiless is a free open source alternative Wikipedia front-end focused on privacy.

   61 Wikiless alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source (AGPL-3.0)

   Application type

   • Encyclopedia

   Platforms

   • Online
   • Self-Hosted

   

   

   

   More about Wikiless  

   

   Good alternative?Is Wikiless a good alternative to Wikipedia?

    
4. 

   

   WikiReader

    13 likes

   Supports light mode, dark mode, Material You dynamic colors and 300+ Wikipedia languages

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source (GPL-3.0)

   Application type

   • Encyclopedia

   Platforms

   • Android
   • F-Droid

   

   

   

   +5

   

   More about WikiReader  

   

   Good alternative?Is WikiReader a good alternative to Wikipedia?

    
5. 

   

   Citizendium

    11 likes

   Citizendium, powered by MediaWiki, is "an open wiki project dedicated to creating a free, comprehensive, and reliable repository of structured knowledge". Unlike with Wikipedia, a contributor must register using their real name and verify their identity.

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source

   Application type

   • Encyclopedia

   Platforms

   • Online
   • MediaWiki

   

   More about Citizendium  

   

   Good alternative?Is Citizendium a good alternative to Wikipedia?

    

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   2comments

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   Citizendium vs Wikipedia Comments

   Positive comment by the_real_dvs1 · May 18, 2018

   By requiring users to register with their real names and verify their identity, Citizendium avoids sockpuppetry and holds people accountable for their writing.

   Positive comment by DLwebmaster · Dec 4, 2021

   There is a level of accountability that is not provided by free sites - you have to register properly otherwise you cannot contribute.

   2 of 2 comments

   

   

   • Citizendium is Free and Open SourceWikipedia is also Free and Open Source
6. 

   

   XOWA

    13 likes

   XOWA is the free, open-source application that lets you download Wikipedia to your computer. Access all of Wikipedia offline -- without an internet connection!

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source

   Origin

   • International

   Alerts

   • Discontinued

   Platforms

   • Mac
   • Windows
   • Linux
   • Android
   • Android Tablet
   • Raspberry Pi

   • Global

   

   

   

   More about XOWA  

   

   Good alternative?Is XOWA a good alternative to Wikipedia?

    

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   1comment

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   Discontinued

   The latest version (4.6.15.2101) was released in January 2021.

   XOWA vs Wikipedia Comments

   Positive comment by Guest · Oct 25, 2020

   Best offline Wikipedia-reader software

   1 of 1 comments

   

   

   • XOWA is Free and Open SourceWikipedia is also Free and Open Source
8. 

   

   WikiSpooks.com

    29 likes

   WikiSpooks is a global alternative encyclopedia on politics, spy craft, deep state intelligence, and conspiracies, free of corporate influence, partisan politics, or government propaganda for historians and truth-seekers to read, edit, and share.

   79 WikiSpooks.com alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source

   Application type

   • Encyclopedia

   Platforms

   • Online

   

   Good alternative?Is WikiSpooks.com a good alternative to Wikipedia?

    
9. 

   

   WikiIndex

    15 likes

   Welcome to WikiIndex, a wiki of all wiki, wiki people, wiki software, wiki farms, and wiki ideas, a 'work in progress' founded in 2006.

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source

   Platforms

   • Online

   

   More about WikiIndex  

   

   Good alternative?Is WikiIndex a good alternative to Wikipedia?

    
10. 

    

    Oppia

     26 likes

    Oppia is a free, open-source learning platform. Full of interactive activities called 'explorations', Oppia helps curious minds learn and teach.

    79 Oppia alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (Apache-2.0)

    Application type

    • Online Education

    Origin

    • United States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Self-Hosted

    • United States

    

    More about Oppia  

    

    Good alternative?Is Oppia a good alternative to Wikipedia?

     

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    1comment

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    Oppia vs Wikipedia Comments

    Positive comment by Nikolas Paiva · Mar 22, 2025

    It's like code academy and Khan academy

    1 of 1 comments

    

    

    • Oppia is Free and Open SourceWikipedia is also Free and Open Source
    • Oppia is an Online Education Wikipedia is an Encyclopedia
11. 

    

    Metacademy

     19 likes

    Metacademy - a free open source platform for efficient, personalized learning.

    11 Metacademy alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (GPL-3.0)

    Platforms

    • Online

    

    

    More about Metacademy  

    

    Good alternative?Is Metacademy a good alternative to Wikipedia?

     
12. 

    

    Libregamewiki

     11 likes

    LibreGameWiki the free gaming encyclopedia for games developed as open source and using open media.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Online
    • MediaWiki

    

    Good alternative?Is Libregamewiki a good alternative to Wikipedia?

     
13. 

    

    Wike

     2 likes

    Wike is a Wikipedia reader for the GNOME Desktop. Provides access to all the content of this online encyclopedia in a native application, with a simpler and distraction-free view of articles.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (GPL-3.0)

    Origin

    • United States

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • GNOME
    • Linux Mobile

    • United States

    

    

    More about Wike  

    

    Good alternative?Is Wike a good alternative to Wikipedia?

     
14. 

    

    Encyclopaedia of Mathematics

     5 likes

    The Encyclopedia of Mathematics wiki is an open access resource designed specifically for the mathematics community. The original articles are from the online Encyclopaedia of Mathematics, published by Kluwer Academic Publishers in 2002.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Online

    

    More about Encyclopaedia of Mathematics  

    

    Good alternative?Is this a good alternative to Wikipedia?