Readme creates beautiful, interactive API documentation with built-in metrics. See which endpoints developers use, where they get stuck, and improve based on data. The best developer experience.
Starting priceFree/$99
Strengths
Best developer experience
Usage analytics
Interactive console
Beautiful design
Limitations
Premium pricing
Enterprise features locked
Who it's for: Best for companies serious about developer experience and API adoption.
Stoplight is a design-first API platform. Design your API spec visually, generate mocks for testing, and publish documentation. Great for governance at scale.
Starting priceFree/$99
Strengths
Design-first approach
Visual API editor
Mock servers
Enterprise governance
Limitations
Complex for simple needs
Enterprise pricing
Who it's for: Ideal for enterprises with API-first development and governance needs.
Swagger UI is the industry standard for OpenAPI documentation. Generate interactive docs from your OpenAPI spec for free. Self-hosted with full control.
Starting priceFree
Strengths
Completely free
Industry standard
Self-hosted
Interactive testing
Limitations
Basic design
No analytics
Who it's for: Great for teams wanting free, self-hosted OpenAPI documentation.
Redocly creates stunning API documentation with a focus on performance and design. The three-panel layout is clean and navigable. Free tier is generous.
Starting priceFree/$69
Strengths
Beautiful design
Fast performance
Good free tier
Easy setup
Limitations
Less interactive than Readme
Fewer analytics
Who it's for: Perfect for teams wanting beautiful API docs without complexity.
Postman can publish documentation directly from your API collections. If you already use Postman for testing, this is a natural addition without new tools.
Starting priceFree/$14
Strengths
Docs from collections
Built-in API testing
Team collaboration
Run in Postman button
Limitations
Less customizable
Collection-centric
Who it's for: Best for teams already using Postman for API development and testing.