OSI-licensed only · self-hostable
TinyMCE is a rich text editor you embed in web apps. Its README describes it as an open source editor, currently licensed under GPL-2.0-or-later. Teams look at alternatives when they want a permissive licence, a headless framework, or block-style output.
Every library below is under an OSI-approved licence (MIT, BSD-3-Clause, Apache-2.0 or GPL-2.0-or-later), checked against its repository. Check licence fit carefully: CKEditor 5 is GPL-2.0-or-later with commercial terms offered as an alternative.
Licences checked against each repository on November 7, 2026.
| Tool | Best for | Licence | Runs as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiptap | Headless, extension-based editor | MIT | Server |
| Quill | Simple, compatible rich text editing | BSD-3-Clause | Server |
| Lexical | Reliable, accessible editor framework | MIT | Server |
| CKEditor 5 | Feature-rich, closest to TinyMCE | GPL-2.0-or-later | Server |
| Summernote | Drop-in simple WYSIWYG | MIT | Server |
| Editor.js | Block-style editing with JSON output | Apache-2.0 | Server |
| Jodit | TypeScript WYSIWYG with file browser | MIT | Server |
Best for: Headless, extension-based editor
The headless rich text editor framework: framework-agnostic and extendable through extensions.
Best for: Simple, compatible rich text editing
A contemporary rich text editor built for compatibility and extensibility, maintained by Slab.
Best for: Reliable, accessible editor framework
An extensible text editor framework from Meta that provides reliability, accessibility and performance.
Best for: Feature-rich, closest to TinyMCE
A modern JavaScript rich-text editor with a modular architecture and collaborative editing features. Dual-licensed: GPL-2.0-or-later or commercial terms.
Best for: Drop-in simple WYSIWYG
A JavaScript library for creating WYSIWYG editors with a simple, easy-to-use interface.
Best for: Block-style editing with JSON output
A block-style editor that outputs clean JSON instead of HTML markup.
Best for: TypeScript WYSIWYG with file browser
A pure-TypeScript WYSIWYG editor with a built-in file browser and image editor.
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| If you need… | Start with |
|---|---|
| Closest feature match to TinyMCE | CKEditor 5 |
| Custom UI in a React or Vue app | Tiptap |
| Simple editor, little setup | Quill or Summernote |
| Structured block content | Editor.js |
| Maximum accessibility and a framework base | Lexical |
| File browser built in | Jodit |
Quick answers to common questions
Its README describes it as open source and states it is licensed under GPL-2.0-or-later. Commercial licences are also offered by its vendor.
Tiptap and Quill are popular MIT and BSD options; CKEditor 5 is closest in features but is GPL-2.0-or-later.
Tiptap, Lexical, Summernote and Jodit are MIT, and Quill is BSD-3-Clause.
Most editors read HTML, so existing content generally loads, but check tables and custom styles. Block editors like Editor.js need conversion.
If you distribute software containing a GPL editor, the GPL's terms may apply to your combined work. Check with your legal advisor before shipping.
List it on TechLogHub and we'll review it for this page.
