Bump.sh vs ReadMe (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, ReadMe grades higher than Bump.sh: 2.2 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
ReadMe grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Bump.sh
API documentation portals built from OpenAPI and AsyncAPI files
ReadMe
Hosted API documentation with an interactive reference
Which one is for you
Pick Bump.sh if
- Fits if you keep OpenAPI or AsyncAPI files and want a published portal with a changelog
- Works for API teams that also want to turn their APIs into MCP servers
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a free plan, because there isn't one and the trial is on Pro
- Tight if you're on Basic: 10 API docs, 3 internal users and 20 guests
- Pricey if you need API Explorer, branches or release rollback, which are all Pro at $120
- Watch out: SSO and embed mode need the sales-only plan, and the pricing page shows monthly prices only
Pick ReadMe if
- Fits if you ship an API and want an interactive reference for developers
- Works for a team of one project and one version that can stay on Starter
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you need more than one version, as Pro is $250 a month
- Watch out: Ask AI is $150 a month and the Developer Dashboard $100, both on top of the plan
- Tight if you stay free, with 1 project, 1 version and 7 days of metrics
- Watch out: roles, audit logs, SAML and OAuth 2.0 are Enterprise only, with no published price
How we grade them
| 1.8GPABump.shWeak | 2.2GPAReadMeFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D$50 a month for Basic and $120 for Pro against a category that starts at $7 and has a middle of $19; the features most people want sit on Pro. | DPro is $250 a month billed annually, which is in the category's dearest tenth that starts at $249 and far above its $18 middle. The page shows no monthly-billed price. |
| Free plan and trial | D14-day free trial on Pro. The pages read don't say whether a card is needed, and there is no free plan. | BStarter is free with 1 project and 1 published version, a custom domain, an interactive reference, bi-directional sync, 7 days of analytics and an MCP server. The 14-day trial gives all Pro features. |
| Features | CDoc portals, changelogs, diffs and a CLI. The listing shows gaps on Basic: API Explorer, branches and automatic changelog are Pro only. | CInteractive reference, branches and reviews, bi-directional sync, AI features and analytics. Gaps: Ask AI is a $150 a month add-on, the Developer Dashboard is $100, and roles, audit logs and SAML are Enterprise only. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You connect your API files through the CLI or GitHub, so there is setup work. | CNo store rating on record. Importing an API spec is quick, but projects, versions and the layout need your setup. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb product with GitHub and Slack integrations and a public API. No desktop or phone app is named. | BWeb, with Google Analytics, Intercom, Segment, Slack, Zendesk and Statuspage, plus an MCP server. |
| Best for | API documentation from OpenAPI files | API documentation with an interactive reference |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Bump.sh and ReadMe. How we grade
Price against what you get
Bump.sh starts at $50 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. ReadMe starts at $250 a month and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and Bump.sh starts $200 a month lower. Of the other docs and wiki tools on the chart, 25 score higher than Bump.sh for less, and 34 score higher than ReadMe for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Bump.sh also covers reports.
- ReadMe also covers Markdown.
At a glance
| Bump.sh | ReadMe | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $50 per month | $250 per month, billed annually |
| Free plan | None | Starter plan: 1 project and 1 published version, with custom domain, bi-directional sync, interactive API reference, 7 days of usage analytics, Markdown editor and themes. |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial on the Pro plan | 14-day free trial with all Pro features |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Bump.sh | ReadMe |
| Price read from | bump.sh | readme.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Bump.sh
- The cheapest plan has no free tier and caps at 10 API docs, 3 internal users and 20 guests.
- API Explorer, branches management, automatic changelog and release rollback are Pro only.
- Removing the 'Powered by Bump.sh' mark, custom CSS and JS, SSO and embed mode are not on Basic or Pro; SSO and embed need the sales-only plan.
- The pricing page shows monthly prices only.
ReadMe
- Pro is $250 a month; the page shows annual billing only and no monthly-billed price.
- Ask AI is a $150 per month add-on, and the Developer Dashboard is $100 per month for 5M API logs, then $10 per extra 1M.
- Starter is limited to 1 project, 1 version and 7 days of metrics.
- User roles, audit logs, SAML and OAuth 2.0 are Enterprise only, which has no published price.
Key features
Bump.sh
- Specification support
- Reads OpenAPI, AsyncAPI and Arazzo documents, and OpenAPI Overlays.
- Doc portals and hubs
- Publishes API reference pages and a hub that groups several APIs, with unified search.
- Changelog and diffs
- Detects breaking changes between versions, shows previews, and on Pro writes an automatic changelog.
- CI and CLI
- A CLI, an API and a GitHub Action deploy docs and comment on pull requests.
- Managed MCP servers
- Turns APIs into MCP servers with a debugger and secrets vault; private servers need Pro.
ReadMe
- Interactive API reference
- An API reference is part of every plan, including Starter, next to Markdown guides.
- Branching and reviews
- Pro adds branches with reviews, multiplayer editing and notifications for teams that edit docs together.
- Bi-directional sync
- Bi-directional sync is listed on every plan, including Starter. The pricing page does not say what it syncs with.
- AI features
- Every plan includes an LLMs.txt file and an MCP server. Pro adds ReadMe Agent, an AI linter and an AI writer.
- Usage analytics and Developer Dashboard
- Doc metrics are included, and the paid Developer Dashboard shows how users call an API, priced by log volume.
Plans
Bump.sh
Basic$50
per month for up to 10 API docs and 5 MCP tools
3 internal users and 20 external guests, custom domain and logo, CLI and GitHub integration.
Pro$120
per month for up to 30 API docs and 50 MCP tools
5 internal users and 40 guests, adds branches management, API Explorer, automatic changelog, private MCP servers and release rollback.
CustomCustom
Unlimited users, SSO, embed mode, on-premise MCP dataplane, custom reports and a stated 99.99% SLA. Sold through sales.
ReadMe
Starter$0
1 project and 1 published version, custom domain, bi-directional sync, interactive API reference, 7-day analytics, LLMs.txt and MCP server.
Pro$250
per month, billed annually; the page shows no monthly-billed price
Everything in Starter plus unlimited versions, team editing, branches and reviews, private docs, a changelog, custom MDX components, CSS/HTML and 5 admins ($20 per extra admin).
EnterpriseCustom
Everything in Pro plus unlimited seats, multiple combined projects, user roles, audit logs, SSO and no ReadMe branding. Annual billing only.
Ways to pay less
Bump.sh
- Other savings
Free Pro plan for open-source projects
Open-source projects that submit their project get free access to the Pro plan.
ReadMe
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Bump.sh or ReadMe?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Bump.sh is cheaper to start with: $50 a month, against $250 a month for ReadMe. Bump.sh starts at $50 per month, and ReadMe starts at $250 per month, billed annually.
Which has a free plan, Bump.sh or ReadMe?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only ReadMe has a free plan. Bump.sh does not, though it has a free trial.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.