Softwr

APIs · head to head

GraphQL Apollo vs Sphinx

GraphQL Apollo logo

GraphQL Apollo

APIs

Complete platform for building GraphQL APIs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sphinx logo

Sphinx

Documentation

Documentation generator built for large technical projects

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: GraphQL Apollo standard and Enterprise plans require sales contact for custom pricing; Sphinx reStructuredText is harder to write than Markdown and puts off contributors, though MyST now allows Markdown
  • They diverge on capability: GraphQL Apollo covers Apollo Server, Sphinx covers Cross-references.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GraphQL Apollo and Sphinx actually diverge.

Attributes where GraphQL Apollo and Sphinx differ
AttributeGraphQL ApolloSphinx
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsJavaScript, Node.js, Web, MobileLinux, macOS, Windows
CategoryAPIsDocumentation
Founded2016Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in GraphQL Apollo

  • Apollo Server
  • Apollo Client
  • GraphQL Federation
  • REST APIs
  • Microservices
  • Databases
  • JavaScript support
  • Node.js support

Only in Sphinx

  • Cross-references
  • API autodoc
  • Multi-format output
  • Extension ecosystem

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

GraphQL Apollo

  • GraphQL API managementnot Sphinx
  • Schema federationnot Sphinx
  • API analytics and monitoringnot Sphinx
  • Developer-focused infrastructurenot Sphinx

Sphinx

  • Large technical documentation needing reliable cross-referencesnot GraphQL Apollo
  • Python projects generating API docs from docstringsnot GraphQL Apollo
  • Documentation that must ship as PDF as well as HTMLnot GraphQL Apollo

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

GraphQL Apollo

  • Standard and Enterprise plans require sales contact for custom pricing
  • Free plan limited to 3 developers and 1-day retention
  • Self-hosted router on free tier heavily rate-limited to 60 requests/minute

Sphinx

  • reStructuredText is harder to write than Markdown and puts off contributors, though MyST now allows Markdown
  • Configuration is complex and the default output is dated-looking without theme work
  • Build times on large documentation sets are slow
  • Heavier than the problem for a small project that only needs a few pages

Pricing, plan by plan

GraphQL Apollo

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 developers
    • 1-day data retention
    • Community support only
  • Developer$5/per million requests
    • $50 usage credit for new signups
    • Up to 10 developers
    • 7-day data retention
  • Standard$null/custom
    • Up to 30 developers
    • 90-day data retention
    • Standard support with SLA (8x5)
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Unlimited developers
    • 18-month data retention
    • Business support 24x7x365 with SLA

Sphinx

Free
  • SphinxFree
    • Full functionality
    • Commercial use permitted
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose GraphQL Apollo if

  • You need apollo server.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on JavaScript, Node.js, Web, Mobile.
  • You also want apollo client.
GraphQL Apollo review

Choose Sphinx if

  • You need cross-references.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want api autodoc.
Sphinx review

Questions people ask

Is GraphQL Apollo or Sphinx better?
Neither clearly leads. GraphQL Apollo starts at Free and Sphinx at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GraphQL Apollo or Sphinx?
GraphQL Apollo starts at Free and Sphinx at Free.
Does GraphQL Apollo or Sphinx run on more platforms?
GraphQL Apollo runs on JavaScript, Node.js, Web, Mobile. Sphinx runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.
Can I use GraphQL Apollo for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is GraphQL Apollo best used for?
GraphQL Apollo is most often used for graphql api management, schema federation, api analytics and monitoring, developer-focused infrastructure. Of those, graphql api management and schema federation are not what Sphinx is typically brought in for.
What can GraphQL Apollo do that Sphinx cannot?
GraphQL Apollo covers Apollo Server, Apollo Client, GraphQL Federation, REST APIs. Sphinx covers Cross-references, API autodoc, Multi-format output, Extension ecosystem.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GraphQL Apollo: How much does Apollo GraphQL cost?

Apollo GraphQL is free for up to 3 developers. Paid plans start at $5 per million GraphQL requests on the Developer plan, which includes $50 usage credit for new signups. Standard and Enterprise plans require custom pricing via sales contact.

Source
Sphinx: Is Sphinx free?

Yes, open source under the BSD licence.

GraphQL Apollo: Is there a free version of Apollo GraphQL?

Yes, Apollo GraphQL offers a forever-free plan with no credit card required for up to 3 developers, including 1-day data retention, community support, and self-hosted GraphOS Router rate-limited to 60 requests per minute.

Source
Sphinx: Do I have to write reStructuredText?

Not any more. The MyST extension allows Markdown, though reStructuredText remains the native format and most examples use it.

GraphQL Apollo: What does Apollo's Enterprise plan include that Standard does not?

The Enterprise plan offers unlimited developers versus 30 on Standard, 18-month data retention versus 90 days, and 24x7x365 business support with SLA instead of 8x5 support. It also includes premium and professional services add-ons and custom MSA agreements. Both require custom pricing.

Source
Sphinx: Why do large projects choose Sphinx?

Automatic cross-referencing and API extraction from docstrings, which lighter generators do not provide.

Share

Related pages

More on GraphQL Apollo

More on Sphinx

Keep looking

Other head to heads