Scalar vs Stoplight
Scalar and Stoplight are both API & developer docs tools. Scalar is aimed at developers, while Stoplight is aimed at developers and enterprise. Stoplight costs less, from $56/mo versus $150/mo for Scalar. Both have a free plan.
| Pricing | Open source · $150 | Freemium · $56 |
| Starting price | $150/mo | $56/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | 7 days | 14 days |
| Built for | Developers | Developers, Enterprise |
| Platforms | web | web |
| Country | DE · 2023 | US · 2015 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Scalar if
Developers wanting modern free API docs.
- Beautiful UI
- Open source
- Free
Look elsewhere if: Enterprise portals.
Choose Stoplight if
API-first organizations.
- Design-first workflow
- Spectral linting
- Mocking
Look elsewhere if: Small projects.
Scalar vs Stoplight pricing
Scalar
- Free$0Up to 3 APIs, 1 editor seat, 1 SDK up to 25 endpoints
- Pro$150/mo$125/mo billed yearly; 5 seats, 15 APIs
- Business$600/mo$500/mo billed yearly; SSO, 10 seats, 25 APIs
- EnterpriseCustomSLAs and migration services
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
Scalar · Key features
- Modern API reference
- API client
- Framework integrations
- Hosted docs
- Open source
- Themes
Cons
- Younger
- Fewer enterprise features
- Smaller community
Stoplight · Key features
- Visual API design
- Mock servers
- Style guides (Spectral)
- Hosted docs
- Git sync
- Governance
Cons
- Pricey tiers
- SmartBear integration changes
- UI heavier
Scalar vs Stoplight: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Scalar or Stoplight?
Stoplight starts at $56/mo and Scalar at $150/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Scalar and Stoplight have a free plan?
Yes, both Scalar and Stoplight have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.