Side by side
Atlas vs Overleaf, honestly
| Atlas | Overleaf | |
|---|---|---|
| LaTeX editing | Built-in .tex editor with live compile and BibTeX support | Full-featured collaborative LaTeX editor, the field standard |
| Where results come from | Reactive Python notebooks in the same workspace — rerun analysis, update the figures | Figures and tables produced elsewhere and uploaded |
| AI model | Agent drafts LaTeX, runs the analysis behind it, and compiles — with your approval on changes | AI writing assistance on paid plans |
| Source library | PDF library with RAG — query the literature you're citing | Reference managers connect via integrations |
| Journal workflows | Compile to PDF; no journal template gallery or submission pipeline | Thousands of journal templates and direct submission integrations |
| Real-time co-writing | Workspaces and teams, without simultaneous cursors | Real-time multi-author editing with track changes |
| Pricing | $20/mo individual · $39/seat/mo teams, notebooks and AI included | Free tier · paid plans for collaboration and advanced features |
Choose Atlas if
- Your paper is downstream of live analysis — figures should update when the data does
- You want one workspace for literature, notebooks, and the manuscript
- You want an AI agent drafting sections and regression tables from real results
Choose Overleaf if
- You co-author pure LaTeX with many collaborators in real time
- You need journal templates and direct submission workflows
- Your figures are final and the writing is the whole job
FAQ
Common questions
Is Atlas an Overleaf replacement?
For analysis-driven papers, it can be: you write and compile LaTeX with BibTeX in the same workspace that runs your notebooks. For pure-writing collaborations that need journal templates and submission integrations, Overleaf remains the better fit.
Does Atlas compile real LaTeX?
Yes — documents compile with Tectonic, a modern TeX engine, with live preview and error output in the editor.
Can the AI write LaTeX for me?
Yes. The agent can draft sections, build tables from notebook results, manage the bibliography, and compile — and every file change waits for your approval.