The Stoplight Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Stoplight in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Stoplight
The Insider’s Guide
OpenAPI design and documentation platform for API teams
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among docs and wiki tools, read from Stoplight’s own pages.
Made by SmartBear Software · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Stoplight’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Stoplight’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 17 of the 86 other docs and wiki tools we grade
Stoplight is a hosted platform for designing APIs in the OpenAPI format, generating interactive documentation and mock servers from the same definition. Plans are priced per workspace with a set number of included users. The company is part of SmartBear, and also maintains the open-source tools Spectral, Prism and Elements.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Stoplight, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You write or import OpenAPI files and connect Git.
- 1
Best for teams designing and documenting OpenAPI APIs
Stoplight designs and documents APIs from OpenAPI, with mock servers and Git sync.
- 2
Paid plans start at $44 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $44 per month for 3 users, billed annually ($56 billed monthly).
- 3
There is a free plan
1 user and 1 project; paid plans are priced per workspace.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Visual OpenAPI designer
A form-based editor for OpenAPI and JSON Schema, alongside code-based editing, with schema reuse and design validation.
- 6
Interactive documentation
Docs are generated from the API definition, with a documentation editor and, from the Startup plan, custom domains and theming.
- 7
Mock servers
Instant mock servers are listed from the Basic plan, so front-end work can start before an API is built.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 17 of 86
That is against the other docs and wiki tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Your call
A wiki at its plainest is pages that link to each other.
Stoplight at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $44 per month for 3 users, billed annually ($56 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial on Basic, Startup and Pro Team
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- SmartBear Software
- Category
- Docs & Wikis
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for teams designing and documenting OpenAPI APIs
Stoplight designs and documents APIs from OpenAPI, with mock servers and Git sync. The free plan is 1 user and 1 project, private projects need Startup at $113 a month, and it isn't a company wiki.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Basic 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 | C | A free plan for 1 user and 1 project, and a 14-day trial of paid plans. Private projects aren't on it. |
| Features | C | Visual OpenAPI design, interactive docs, mock servers, Git sync and style guides. It's for API docs only, not a general wiki. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. You write or import OpenAPI files and connect Git. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web app with GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket and Azure DevOps links, plus Spectral and Prism. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Stoplight is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Teams that design APIs OpenAPI-first and publish docs from the same file
- API programs that want shared style guides across teams
- Developers who already use the open-source Spectral and Prism tools
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$44
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Stoplight has a free plan. Paid plans start at $44 per month for 3 users, billed annually ($56 billed monthly).
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).
Enterprise
Custom
Unlimited projects and teams, custom payment terms, invoicing and priority support. Sold through sales.
The free plan
1 user and 1 project; paid plans are priced per workspace.
Trying it first
14-day free trial on Basic, Startup and Pro Team
Read from stoplight.io on Nov 13, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on stoplight.io
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
OpenAPI design and documentation platform for API teams. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, templates, documents.
Visual OpenAPI design, interactive docs, mock servers, Git sync and style guides.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- GitHub
- GitLab
- Bitbucket
- Azure DevOps
- Google Analytics
- Spectral
- Prism
Stoplight is made by SmartBear Software.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
17/86
Other docs and wiki tools it is graded above
Stoplight's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 17 of the 86 other docs and wiki tools we grade, and level with 16.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 28 of 86) and worst on features (C, above 2).
Its paid plans start at $44 a month, against a middle price of $18.50 for the category: 36 of the 57 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 24 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 87 docs and wiki tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Stoplight’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 19 of 86
- CFree plan and trialAbove 9 of 86
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 86
- CEase of useAbove 25 of 86
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 28 of 86
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 79 docs and wiki tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Stoplight is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Your call
A wiki at its plainest is pages that link to each other.
You could make the core of Stoplight for yourself: documents and templates. What you would give up is listed below. Whether that is worth the price is your call. It costs $528 a year.
What you could make
- Documents and templates: an app builder makes these well.
- It runs in a browser, which is where something home-made would run too.
What you could not
- It plugs into other products, GitHub, GitLab and Bitbucket among them, and has an API.
What this rests on. Stoplight’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Redocly, Bump.sh, Fern, ReadMe and GitBook
The 5 tools Stoplight is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 1.8GPA
Redocly
Free trial · from $249/mo
API reference and docs-as-code publishing platform.
- Stoplight has a free plan. Redocly does not, though it has a free trial.
- Redocly also covers Markdown.
- 1.8GPA
Bump.sh
Free trial · from $50/mo
API documentation portals built from OpenAPI and AsyncAPI files.
- Stoplight has a free plan. Bump.sh does not, though it has a free trial.
- Stoplight also covers templates.
- Bump.sh also covers reports.
- 2.6GPA
Fern
Free plan
API documentation sites and SDKs generated from an API spec.
- Stoplight also covers templates.
- Fern also covers AI search and Markdown.
- 2.2GPA
ReadMe
Free plan · from $250/mo
Hosted API documentation with an interactive reference.
- Stoplight also covers templates.
- ReadMe also covers Markdown.
- 2.4GPA
GitBook
Free plan · from $65/mo
Documentation platform for product and API docs, synced with Git.
- Stoplight also covers templates.
- GitBook also covers AI search, Markdown and AI agents.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Stoplight free?
Stoplight has a free plan. 1 user and 1 project; paid plans are priced per workspace.
How much does Stoplight cost?
Stoplight lists 5 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Stoplight work on?
Stoplight is available on Web.
Does Stoplight offer any discounts?
Stoplight publicly lists the following: Lower prices with annual billing.
Does Stoplight have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Stoplight is listed for Web.
Does Stoplight have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Stoplight is listed for Web.
Is Stoplight open source?
Stoplight is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Does Stoplight have an API?
Yes. Stoplight offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Stoplight integrate with?
Stoplight's listing names GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Azure DevOps, Google Analytics, Spectral and Prism.
Does Stoplight have a free trial?
Yes. 14-day free trial on Basic, Startup and Pro Team.
Who makes Stoplight?
Stoplight is made by SmartBear Software.
What are the alternatives to Stoplight?
The closest alternatives to Stoplight in our directory are Redocly, Bump.sh, Fern, ReadMe and GitBook.
How does Stoplight compare with other docs and wiki tools?
Stoplight's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 17 of the 86 other docs and wiki tools we grade, and level with 16.
Is Stoplight good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Stoplight C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $44 a month, against a middle price of $18.50 for the category: 36 of the 57 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Stoplight?
A wiki at its plainest is pages that link to each other. You could make the core of Stoplight for yourself: documents and templates.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Stoplight’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Stoplight's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by SmartBear Software. Prices change, so check stoplight.io before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Stoplight, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/stoplight
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Stoplight: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/stoplight
Know someone choosing between docs and wiki tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/stoplight/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded docs and wiki tools after Stoplight, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Docs & Wikis Insider's GuideEvery one of the 87 docs and wiki tools we grade, compared
- Zoho Writer Insider's GuideFree online word processor with AI and document automation3.6 GPA
- Google Docs Insider's GuideBrowser-based word processor, free with a Google Account3.4 GPA
- ONLYOFFICE Insider's GuideOpen-source office suite for documents, sheets, slides and PDFs3.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Stoplight’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Stoplight is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by SmartBear Software. Prices and plans change: check stoplight.io before you buy.