Alternatives/DocsAlot
Comparison

BeforeQuery vs DocsAlot

DocsAlot is a hosted documentation platform that bundles publishing, AI-readable outputs (llms.txt, skill.md), and an MCP server. BeforeQuery is an AI knowledge assistant that layers onto whatever docs platform you already use — Mintlify, Docusaurus, GitBook, ReadMe, VitePress, or a custom site. Different jobs; only overlap is the AI layer.

Feature comparison

Information about DocsAlot is drawn from their public website.

Feature
BeforeQuery
DocsAlot
Product type
AI knowledge assistant that works with any docs platform
Hosted docs platform with built-in AI output (llms.txt, MCP)
Migration required
No — connect a source URL, keep publishing where you already do
Yes — content lives on their hosted platform
Works with Mintlify / Docusaurus / GitBook / ReadMe / VitePress
Yes — first-class installers for each; widget embeds in one script tag
Migration path from these to DocsAlot
Widget for docs chat
Yes — hosted, themeable, reCAPTCHA, hide-branding on Enterprise
Docs site includes an AI experience; separate widget not documented
Slack bot
Yes
Not documented
Discord bot
Yes
Not documented
Microsoft Teams bot
Yes
Not documented
MCP server (Cursor / Claude / ChatGPT)
Yes — per-knowledge-base endpoint
Yes — hosted MCP server for their docs
llms.txt / AI-readable outputs
Public API + MCP endpoint; llms.txt on roadmap
Yes — llms.txt, skill.md generation
Source connectors
18: websites, GitHub/GitLab, Notion, Confluence, Google Drive, SharePoint, Zendesk, Jira, Linear, Salesforce, Shopify, Slack, Discourse, Stack Overflow, YouTube, files
Migration from Notion, Intercom, Zendesk, Confluence, GitHub, Markdown; OpenAPI
Retrieval
Hybrid: pgvector + BM25, RRF fusion, LLM query rewrite, cross-encoder reranking, abstention
AI-optimised outputs consumed by external AI systems
Analytics + AI evals
Full analytics + LLM-as-judge groundedness/citation evals
Not documented
Pricing
Free / $99 Pro / Enterprise custom
$39 Startup / $99 Team / Enterprise custom
Free tier
Yes — 100 questions/month, no credit card
No free tier listed

Where BeforeQuery focuses differently

Additive, not replacive

DocsAlot asks you to migrate content onto their platform. BeforeQuery layers on top of whatever docs platform you use today — Mintlify, Docusaurus, GitBook, ReadMe, VitePress, MkDocs, Sphinx, Next.js, WordPress, Shopify, Webflow, or plain HTML. Drop a script tag; keep publishing where you already do.

The assistant, not the docs host

If you like your docs platform, you don't need a new one — you need an AI layer that answers from your existing content and surfaces answers wherever your users are (widget, Slack, Discord, Teams, MCP, form deflector). That's what BeforeQuery is.

Bots on every chat platform

Native Slack, Discord, and Microsoft Teams apps included on Pro. Your knowledge base answers questions in the channels your team and community already use — DocsAlot's AI story is around AI IDEs and llms.txt, not chat platforms.

Retrieval quality with abstention

Hybrid retrieval (vector + full-text + reranking) plus an abstention gate that refuses to answer when confidence is low. Automated evals track groundedness and citation quality per answer — the pieces that make a docs assistant deployable customer-facing without support-team complaints.

Frequently asked questions

Should I use DocsAlot instead of my current docs platform?

Only if you're starting from scratch or actively looking to consolidate hosting and want their llms.txt + hosted MCP model. If your docs already live on Mintlify, Docusaurus, GitBook, ReadMe, or VitePress and you want to add an AI assistant, BeforeQuery is additive — no migration.

Does BeforeQuery generate llms.txt?

The public REST API and per-knowledge-base MCP endpoint already give AI systems structured access to your content. An llms.txt file for external AI systems is on the roadmap.

Does BeforeQuery have an MCP server?

Yes. Every knowledge base has an MCP endpoint with search + ask tools, so Cursor, Claude Desktop, ChatGPT with MCP, and any MCP-compatible agent can query your docs.

How does pricing compare?

BeforeQuery starts at Free (100 questions/mo, no credit card). Pro is $99/month with 1,000 questions and 5 KBs. DocsAlot's cheapest tier is $39/month (docs hosting + AI), $99 Team, no free tier listed.

Can I use both — DocsAlot for docs hosting and BeforeQuery for the assistant?

Yes. BeforeQuery indexes any public docs URL, so it works on top of DocsAlot-hosted docs the same way it works on top of Mintlify, Docusaurus, or a custom site.

See for yourself

Connect your docs and get your first AI-powered answer in under 5 minutes. No credit card required.