Fern vs Stoplight (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Fern grades higher than Stoplight: 2.6 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Fern grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Fern
API documentation sites and SDKs generated from an API spec
Stoplight
OpenAPI design and documentation platform for API teams
Which one is for you
Pick Fern if
- Fits if you maintain an OpenAPI spec and want a hosted docs site at no cost to start
- Works for small API teams that want an API explorer and a custom domain on the free plan
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you need SSO or SCIM, which are Enterprise only
- Tight if you outgrow 1 site, 1,000 pages or 10 members, as the next step is a sales quote
- Not for you if you want to remove Fern branding or add custom CSS and JavaScript without Enterprise
- Watch out: SDK pricing sits on a separate tab that this listing did not read
Pick Stoplight if
- Fits if your team designs APIs in OpenAPI and wants docs and mocks from them
- Works for small API teams that can live on a workspace price
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a company wiki, because it handles API docs only
- Tight if you stay free, as it's 1 user and 1 project
- Pricey if you want private projects, which start at Startup, $113 a month billed annually
- Watch out: SSO, shared style guides and removing Stoplight branding need Pro Team at $362 a month
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAFernGood | 2.2GPAStoplightFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BThe Free plan costs $0 and the only other plan is a sales quote. Free is in the cheapest group, but there is no published price in between. | CBasic is $44 a month for 3 users billed annually, so about $66 for five people with extra users at $11. That's under the dearer quarter of $82.50 for docs tools. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree plan with 10 members, 1 site, 1,000 pages and 2,000 page generations a month, which one small team could live on. | CA free plan for 1 user and 1 project, and a 14-day trial of paid plans. Private projects aren't on it. |
| Features | CDocs from several API spec types, an explorer, a web editor and SDK generation. The listing shows gaps: SDK pricing was not read, and custom CSS, SSO and branding removal are Enterprise only. | CVisual OpenAPI design, interactive docs, mock servers, Git sync and style guides. It's for API docs only, not a general wiki. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You point it at your API definitions or a repository, which takes some setup. | CNo store rating on record. You write or import OpenAPI files and connect Git. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb product that reads OpenAPI, AsyncAPI, GraphQL and gRPC, plus Postman. No desktop or phone app is named. | BWeb app with GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket and Azure DevOps links, plus Spectral and Prism. |
| Best for | API docs and SDKs from one spec | teams designing and documenting OpenAPI APIs |
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: Fern and Stoplight. How we grade
Where they differ
- Fern also covers AI search and Markdown.
- Stoplight also covers templates.
At a glance
| Fern | Stoplight | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | Not published | $44 per month for 3 users, billed annually ($56 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | 10 team members, 1 site with up to 1,000 pages, 250 AI credits and 2,000 page generations per month, custom domain, API explorer and web editor. | 1 user and 1 project; paid plans are priced per workspace. |
| Free trial | None listed | 14-day free trial on Basic, Startup and Pro Team |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Fern | SmartBear Software |
| Price read from | buildwithfern.com | stoplight.io |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Fern
- Only two documentation plans are listed, Free and a sales-only Enterprise, so there is no published mid-tier price.
- SSO, SCIM, custom CSS and JavaScript, removing Fern branding and self-hosting are Enterprise only.
- The Free plan is limited to 1 site, 1,000 pages and 10 members.
- SDK pricing was not read for this listing; the pricing page has a separate SDKs tab.
Stoplight
- The Free plan is limited to 1 user and 1 project.
- Prices are per workspace with a fixed number of included users, then per extra user.
- Private projects need Startup; SSO, style guides and removing Stoplight branding need Pro Team at $362 a month billed annually.
- Stoplight is an API documentation tool, not a general company wiki.
Key features
Fern
- Docs from API specs
- Supports OpenAPI, AsyncAPI, gRPC, GraphQL, OpenRPC and Arazzo, plus Markdown guides and changelogs.
- API explorer
- A try-it-out explorer with an option to fill in the visitor's API key.
- Web editor and docs-as-code
- Pages can be edited in a web editor or kept as files in a repository.
- AI features
- Ask Fern search, an AI writing agent, AI translations, an llms.txt file and an MCP server are on the pricing page.
- SDK generation
- Client libraries are generated from the same API definition; the SDK pricing is a separate tab.
Stoplight
- Visual OpenAPI designer
- A form-based editor for OpenAPI and JSON Schema, alongside code-based editing, with schema reuse and design validation.
- Interactive documentation
- Docs are generated from the API definition, with a documentation editor and, from the Startup plan, custom domains and theming.
- Mock servers
- Instant mock servers are listed from the Basic plan, so front-end work can start before an API is built.
- Git sync and branches
- Projects sync with Git, and Startup adds multi-branch support. Pro Team lists self-hosted Git providers.
- Shared style guides
- Pro Team adds shared style guides, component libraries and workspace groups for governing APIs across teams.
Plans
Fern
Free$0
10 members, 1,000 pages, 250 AI credits and 2,000 page generations per month, custom domain and subpath, API explorer, Ask Fern and MCP server.
EnterpriseCustom
Adds SSO, SCIM and advanced RBAC, multiple repos and docs sites, custom CSS, JavaScript and React, advanced analytics, self-hosting and an uptime SLA. Sold through sales.
Stoplight
Free$0
1 user and 1 project.
Basic$44
per month for 3 users, billed annually ($56 billed monthly)
Visual OpenAPI designer, interactive docs and mock servers; extra users $11 a month billed annually ($14 monthly).
Startup$113
per month for 8 users, billed annually ($147 billed monthly)
Adds private projects, multi-branch support, custom domains and theming; extra users $11 a month annually ($14 monthly).
Pro Team$362
per month for 15 users, billed annually ($453 billed monthly)
Up to 20 teams, shared style guides, SSO, activity logs, self-hosted Git; extra users $22 annually ($27 monthly).
EnterpriseCustom
Unlimited projects and teams, custom payment terms, invoicing and priority support. Sold through sales.
Ways to pay less
Fern
No public discounts listed.
Stoplight
- Annual discount
Lower prices with annual billing
Basic is $44 a month billed annually against $56 billed monthly; Startup $113 against $147; Pro Team $362 against $453.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Fern or Stoplight?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Fern publishes no starting price, and Stoplight starts at $44 per month for 3 users, billed annually ($56 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, Fern or Stoplight?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Fern and Stoplight have a free plan.
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.