Softwr

Content Creation · head to head

Mintlify vs ReadMe

Mintlify logo

Mintlify

Content Creation

Documentation platform for building and maintaining developer docs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ReadMe logo

ReadMe

Documentation

Hosted developer hub priced per API project, with docs personalised from live request logs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Mintlify starter plan excludes webhooks, analytics, and integrations, pushing most teams toward the $450/month Pro tier; ReadMe pricing is per project, so an organisation with several distinct APIs multiplies the monthly bill rather than adding seats, and the sensible workaround, merging unrelated APIs into one documentation project, distorts the information architecture to fit the invoice.
  • They diverge on capability: Mintlify covers Web editor, ReadMe covers OpenAPI reference.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mintlify and ReadMe actually diverge.

Attributes where Mintlify and ReadMe differ
AttributeMintlifyReadMe
Pricing modelfreemiumPer project per month
Platformsweb, apiWeb
CategoryContent CreationDocumentation
Founded2022Unknown

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 Mintlify

  • Web editor
  • Custom domain
  • Authentication
  • MCP server
  • API playground
  • AI agent and assistant
  • Automations

Only in ReadMe

  • OpenAPI reference
  • Try It playground
  • API metrics
  • Personalised docs
  • Versioning
  • Guides and recipes
  • Git sync via rdme
  • Changelog and support widget

What people use each for

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

Mintlify

  • Hosting versioned API and product documentationnot ReadMe
  • Building docs that AI agents can query via MCPnot ReadMe
  • Collaborative documentation editing for engineering teamsnot ReadMe
  • Gating internal or partner docs behind authenticationnot ReadMe
  • Automating documentation updates alongside code changesnot ReadMe

ReadMe

  • Publishing a public API reference where a developer can send a live request with their own key from the documentation pagenot Mintlify
  • Cutting support load by showing an integrating developer their own recent failing requests next to the endpoint descriptionnot Mintlify
  • Keeping documentation versions aligned with API versions so customers on an older release read the matching referencenot Mintlify
  • Shipping documentation from the same pull request as the code change using the rdme command line tool in CInot Mintlify

Where each one falls short

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

Mintlify

  • Starter plan excludes webhooks, analytics, and integrations, pushing most teams toward the $450/month Pro tier
  • Pro plan AI credits are metered with per-credit overage charges, making costs variable for heavy agent usage
  • Jump from free Starter to Pro is a large price step with no mid-tier option
  • Enterprise features like SSO and SLAs require contacting sales rather than transparent pricing

ReadMe

  • Pricing is per project, so an organisation with several distinct APIs multiplies the monthly bill rather than adding seats, and the sensible workaround, merging unrelated APIs into one documentation project, distorts the information architecture to fit the invoice.
  • The metrics and personalisation features require your API to stream request logs to ReadMe, which means production request metadata leaves your infrastructure and needs a scrubbing layer plus a security review before anything is switched on.
  • Single sign-on and private documentation sit on the higher tier, so a company that only needs to gate partner documentation behind SAML pays a large step up for one control.
  • The platform is built for describing REST APIs, and long-form product manuals, internal knowledge bases or non-OpenAPI protocols fit it badly, so most customers end up running a second documentation tool alongside it.
  • Theming is bounded by ReadMe templates and limited custom CSS, so a documentation site that must match a strongly designed marketing site will not get there without compromise.
  • Content uses ReadMe-specific Markdown extensions and platform features, so migrating away is an export plus a rewrite rather than moving a folder of Markdown files.

Pricing, plan by plan

Mintlify

Free
  • StarterFree
    • 5 editor seats
    • Custom domain
    • Web editor
  • Pro$450/month
    • Unlimited editor seats
    • Agent and Assistant
    • Automations
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited editor seats
    • SSO, SCIM, RBAC
    • Performance SLA

ReadMe

Free
  • FreeFree
    • One project on a ReadMe subdomain
    • OpenAPI reference and guides
    • Basic editing and publishing
  • Startup$99/month
    • One project
    • Custom domain
    • API metrics from request logs
  • Business$399/month
    • One project
    • SAML single sign-on
    • Private and partner-only documentation
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Multiple projects under one contract
    • Negotiated support and uptime terms
    • Security review and custom deployment questions

Which should you pick?

Choose Mintlify if

  • You need web editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want custom domain.
Mintlify review

Choose ReadMe if

  • You need openapi reference.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want try it playground.
ReadMe review

Questions people ask

Is Mintlify or ReadMe better?
Neither clearly leads. Mintlify starts at Free and ReadMe at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mintlify or ReadMe?
Mintlify starts at Free and ReadMe at Free.
Does Mintlify or ReadMe run on more platforms?
Mintlify runs on web, api. ReadMe runs on Web.
Can I use Mintlify for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Mintlify best used for?
Mintlify is most often used for hosting versioned api and product documentation, building docs that ai agents can query via mcp, collaborative documentation editing for engineering teams, gating internal or partner docs behind authentication. Of those, hosting versioned api and product documentation and building docs that ai agents can query via mcp are not what ReadMe is typically brought in for.
What can Mintlify do that ReadMe cannot?
Mintlify covers Web editor, Custom domain, Authentication, MCP server. ReadMe covers OpenAPI reference, Try It playground, API metrics, Personalised docs.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Mintlify: Is there a free plan for Mintlify?

Yes, the Starter plan is free with no credit card required, offering 5 editor seats, custom domain hosting, the web editor, authentication, MCP server, and an API playground.

Source
ReadMe: Is ReadMe priced per user?

No. It is priced per project, meaning per documented API. Team size does not change the bill, and a second API generally does.

Mintlify: What does the Pro plan cost and include?

Pro costs $450/month (or discounted annually) with unlimited editor seats plus the AI Agent, Assistant, Automations, preview deployments, and admin APIs.

Source
ReadMe: Do I have to send my API logs to ReadMe?

Only for metrics and personalised documentation. The reference, guides and playground work without it, but the features that most distinguish the product are the ones that need the log stream.

Mintlify: How are AI credits metered?

Pro includes 10,000 AI credits per month consumed by the Assistant, Agent, and Automations, with overage billed at $0.01 per credit; additional credit packs can be purchased.

Source
ReadMe: Can I keep documentation in Git?

Yes. The rdme command line tool synchronises Markdown and OpenAPI files from a repository, so documentation can ship in the same pull request as the code.

Mintlify: What do new users get to try AI features?

New users receive their first month of AI credits free, letting them try the Agent and Assistant before being billed for usage.

Source
ReadMe: Can I self-host it?

No. ReadMe is a hosted product only, so buyers with a hard on-premises requirement need a different platform.

Mintlify: What does Enterprise add over Pro?

Enterprise adds SSO, SCIM, RBAC, a performance SLA, advanced insights, enterprise-grade security and legal terms, and migration support, priced via custom sales contact.

Source
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