readthe.wiki vs wiki.gg

The wiki.gg alternative with no application and your own domain.

wiki.gg is a fairer gaming host than Fandom, with far fewer ads. But you have to apply, you stay on a wiki.gg subdomain, and it runs on MediaWiki. Here is where readthe.wiki fits better, and where wiki.gg is still a great home.

Last reviewed June 2026

The short version

Which one fits your wiki

wiki.gg is a good host. This is the honest split before the details.

Choose readthe.wiki if

  • You want to start now, with no application and no waiting list
  • You want your own domain, not a shared subdomain
  • You want a block editor, not wikitext and templates
  • Your wiki is not about a game, or did not get accepted

Choose wiki.gg if

  • You run a big, established game wiki on MediaWiki
  • Your editors already know wikitext, templates and Lua
  • You want into a curated gaming network and its traffic

Side by side

readthe.wiki and wiki.gg, feature by feature

Feature comparison of readthe.wiki and wiki.gg
Featurereadthe.wikiwiki.gg
Getting started
Start without asking Self-serve, live in minutes Request and wait for review
Custom domain On the affordable plan wiki.gg subdomain only
Who can host Any community, any topic Mostly games, curated
Writing
Block editor Slash commands, like Notion MediaWiki and wikitext
No wikitext to learn Anyone can edit Templates need wikitext
Structured data without code Infoboxes as simple forms Lua templates
Reading and ownership
Ads on your pages Ad-free by default Ad-light, but ad-supported
Fast public pages Prebuilt, fast on mobile Solid MediaWiki pages
Export and ownership Markdown and JSON, exit promise MediaWiki XML dumps
Reach and depth
Built-in gaming audience You grow your own Curated gaming network
Built-in SEO Schema, sitemaps, redirects Strong gaming SEO
Deep MediaWiki templating Forms, not Lua Full templates and bots

From their own docs

What wiki.gg's own pages say

Nothing here is a rumor. These are wiki.gg's own documented limits.

wiki.gg hosts wikis on wiki.gg subdomains. Custom domains are being explored, but not guaranteed.
On custom domains wiki.gg docs
To open a wiki, you submit a request through their service portal for review.
On starting a wiki wiki.gg docs
wiki.gg is a MediaWiki host focused mostly on video game wikis.
On what wiki.gg is MediaWiki.org

To be fair to wiki.gg

wiki.gg is a genuinely better deal than Fandom. It caps ads, runs solid MediaWiki infrastructure, and has built real gaming-SEO muscle. If you have a large established game wiki, your editors love wikitext and templates, and you want into a curated gaming network, wiki.gg is a strong, respectable home. readthe.wiki is for the long tail it does not take, and for anyone who wants their own domain and a block editor.

Questions

wiki.gg and readthe.wiki

Do I have to apply and wait?

No. You start your wiki instantly, with no application and no review queue. Invite your editors and publish the same day.

Can I use my own domain?

Yes. wiki.gg keeps you on a wiki.gg subdomain. readthe.wiki gives you your own domain on the affordable plan, with a free subdomain to start.

Do I need to know wikitext?

No. wiki.gg runs on MediaWiki, so templates and structured data mean wikitext and Lua. readthe.wiki uses a block editor, and infoboxes are simple forms.

Does my wiki have to be about a game?

No. wiki.gg is mostly games and curates what it accepts. Any community can use readthe.wiki, on any topic, with no gate.

Is wiki.gg better than Fandom?

In important ways, yes. It has far fewer ads. If your only goal is to escape Fandom and you have a big MediaWiki wiki, wiki.gg is a fair choice. If you also want your own domain, a block editor and no application, that is us.

Keep comparing

Other comparisons

See all comparisons

No application. No waiting. Just your wiki.

Start free on a subdomain, move to your own domain when you are ready, and let anyone edit in a block editor. No gate, no wikitext, no ads.

Free plan, no card needed. Any community, any topic.

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