What is WinCHM Pro
WinCHM Pro is a help‐authoring tool by Softany Software. softany.com+2softany.com+2
It lets you create help files, documentation and manuals in formats like:
- CHM (Compiled HTML Help) softany.com+2softany.com+2
- Web‑help (HTML / help for websites) softany.com+1
- PDF and Word documents softany.com+1
You can also edit existing CHM files, convert sets of HTML files into CHM, build a TOC (table of contents), add index/search/bookmarks, etc.
Key Features
Here are some of the highlighted / distinguishing features of version 5:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| WYSIWYG HTML editor | Allows editing content visually, without needing a separate HTML editor. softany.com+1 |
| Template support | Helps enforce uniform styles and layouts across help files. softany.com+1 |
| Super TOC hierarchy editor | You can arrange and rearrange table of contents, multi‑select items, change icons, etc. softany.com+1 |
| Edit existing CHM files | You can open and modify CHM that already exist. softany.com+1 |
| Multiple output formats | CHM, WebHelp (HTML + search/bookmark/index), Word, PDF. softany.com+1 |
| Single HTML output | Useful for distributing a help/manual as a single page. softany.com+1 |
| Unicode support | Makes it possible to handle non‑ASCII content, multiple languages. softany.com |
System Requirements & Version Info
Runs on Windows XP / Vista / 7 / 8 / 8.1 / 10 / 11. softany.com+2Softpedia+2
Size of installer is small (~6 MB for many versions) softany.com+1
Version history shows incremental improvements: newer builds add features like direct Word/PDF export (instead of via HTML), improved table of contents, more templates, bug fixes. softany.com+1
Licensing & Pricing
Softany sells WinCHM Pro under various license types: single‑user, multi‑user (2, 3, 5, 10, 20, 50), and even an unlimited‑user license. softany.com+1
The single‑user license is priced around US$129. softany.com+2softdeluxe.com+2
More users → higher prices (e.g. 2‑user, 3‑user license, etc.). softany.com
License includes free minor version upgrades and free email support. softany.com
Pros & Cons
Here’s what’s good and what to watch out for.
Pros:
Very easy / fast to get started; low learning curve. Good for people who just need to generate help/manuals without heavy technical setup.
Variety of output formats is useful, especially CHM + Web / PDF / Word.
Templates and TOC editor make it easier to produce well‑structured manuals.
Editing existing CHMs is a nice bonus.
Cons / Limitations:
The design/UI is somewhat dated compared to newer help authoring tools.
It might lack some of the more advanced features of modern documentation tools (e.g. version control integration, collaborative editing, advanced layout/design beyond templates).
CHM as a format is legacy; many users have moved to more modern, web‑based help‑systems or documentation‑as‑code tools. So when distributing to modern environments / web, CHM may not always be the best choice.
No mention of multi‑platform output beyond Windows / web / PDF; for example mobile‑first or modern single page applications help formats might not be supported.
Is It Worth Using in 2025?
If your needs are basic to moderate (help files, internal documentation, simple manuals), and you prefer tools that are simpler to use, then yes — WinCHM Pro 5 is still a solid option.
If however you need:
collaborative writing (team docs),
documentation versioning,
integration with code repositories,
modern responsive HTML help, etc.,
then you might also consider newer tools like:
DocFX, Docusaurus, or Sphinx (for docs as code),
Help & Manual, Adobe RoboHelp, MadCap Flare, etc., for high‑end help authoring.
