ReadMe vs Stoplight
ReadMe and Stoplight are both API & developer docs tools aimed at developers and enterprise. Stoplight costs less, from $56/mo versus $250/mo for ReadMe. Both have a free plan.
| Pricing | Freemium · $250 | Freemium · $56 |
| Starting price | $250/mo | $56/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | 14 days |
| Built for | Developers, Enterprise | Developers, Enterprise |
| Platforms | web | web |
| Country | US · 2014 | US · 2015 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose ReadMe if
API-first companies wanting docs plus usage analytics.
- API usage metrics connected to docs
- Personalized developer experience
- Mature platform
Look elsewhere if: Small projects (Docusaurus, Scalar).
Choose Stoplight if
API-first organizations.
- Design-first workflow
- Spectral linting
- Mocking
Look elsewhere if: Small projects.
ReadMe vs Stoplight pricing
ReadMe
- Starter$01 project, 1 published version, 1 admin
- Pro$250/moBilled annually; 5 admins, unlimited versions
- EnterpriseCustomAnnual billing only
Stoplight
- Free$01 user, 1 project
- Basic$56/mo$44/mo billed annually; 3 users, unlimited projects
- Startup$147/mo$113/mo billed annually; 8 users
- Pro Team$453/mo$362/mo billed annually; 15 users, up to 20 teams
- EnterpriseCustom
ReadMe · Key features
- Interactive API reference with try-it
- Guides, recipes and changelogs
- API metrics per developer and endpoint
- Personalized docs with user keys
- AI search (Owlbot)
- Versioning and staging
Cons
- Pro plan is expensive
- Design flexibility limited
- Docs-as-code workflow less native than Mintlify
Stoplight · Key features
- Visual API design
- Mock servers
- Style guides (Spectral)
- Hosted docs
- Git sync
- Governance
Cons
- Pricey tiers
- SmartBear integration changes
- UI heavier
ReadMe vs Stoplight: FAQ
Which is cheaper, ReadMe or Stoplight?
Stoplight starts at $56/mo and ReadMe at $250/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do ReadMe and Stoplight have a free plan?
Yes, both ReadMe and Stoplight have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.