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Documentation · head to head

ReadMe vs Starlight

ReadMe logo

ReadMe

Documentation

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Starlight logo

Starlight

Documentation

Documentation site framework built on Astro that ships no JavaScript to the reader by default

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Starlight there is no editing interface, so every correction requires a git client, a Node install and a CI run, which puts documentation changes out of reach for anyone who does not already work in a repository.
  • They diverge on capability: ReadMe covers OpenAPI reference, Starlight covers File based routing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ReadMe and Starlight actually diverge.

Attributes where ReadMe and Starlight differ
AttributeReadMeStarlight
Pricing modelPer project per monthOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWebWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux

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

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 ReadMe

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

Only in Starlight

  • File based routing
  • Pagefind search
  • Internationalisation
  • Component overrides
  • Zero client JavaScript
  • Expressive Code blocks
  • Auto generated sidebar

What people use each for

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

ReadMe

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

Starlight

  • A developer tool whose docs live in the same repository as the code and are reviewed in the same pull requestnot ReadMe
  • A team that already runs Astro for its marketing site and wants one build pipeline for bothnot ReadMe
  • Documentation that must be served from a CDN or an air gapped static host with no search backendnot ReadMe
  • A multilingual open source project that needs per locale content trees and untranslated page fallbacknot ReadMe

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Starlight

  • There is no editing interface, so every correction requires a git client, a Node install and a CI run, which puts documentation changes out of reach for anyone who does not already work in a repository.
  • Starlight versions track Astro versions, so an Astro major release becomes a documentation site migration on someone else timeline rather than yours.
  • Pagefind builds the whole search index at compile time, so build duration and index size grow with page count and large documentation sets pay for it on every deploy.
  • There is no analytics, no feedback widget and no page level rating built in, so measuring which pages fail readers means wiring a third party script yourself.
  • Component overrides are limited to the slots the theme exposes, and anything outside those slots means forking the theme and inheriting the merge burden on every upgrade.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Starlight

Free
  • Open sourceFree
    • MIT licence
    • All features included
    • Self hosted on any static host

Which should you pick?

Choose ReadMe if

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

Choose Starlight if

  • You need file based routing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux.
  • You also want pagefind search.
Starlight review

Questions people ask

Is ReadMe or Starlight better?
Neither clearly leads. ReadMe starts at Free and Starlight at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ReadMe or Starlight?
ReadMe starts at Free and Starlight at Free.
Does ReadMe or Starlight run on more platforms?
ReadMe runs on Web. Starlight runs on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux.
Can I use ReadMe for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is ReadMe best used for?
ReadMe is most often used for publishing a public api reference where a developer can send a live request with their own key from the documentation page, cutting support load by showing an integrating developer their own recent failing requests next to the endpoint description, keeping documentation versions aligned with api versions so customers on an older release read the matching reference, shipping documentation from the same pull request as the code change using the rdme command line tool in ci. Of those, publishing a public api reference where a developer can send a live request with their own key from the documentation page and cutting support load by showing an integrating developer their own recent failing requests next to the endpoint description are not what Starlight is typically brought in for.
What can ReadMe do that Starlight cannot?
ReadMe covers OpenAPI reference, Try It playground, API metrics, Personalised docs. Starlight covers File based routing, Pagefind search, Internationalisation, Component overrides.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Starlight: Can a non technical writer publish a page without help?

No. There is no content management interface. Every change is a commit, a pull request and a build.

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.

Starlight: Do I need to know Astro to use it?

Not for basic use. Markdown files and a config file are enough until you want custom components, at which point Astro knowledge becomes mandatory.

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.

Starlight: Is search included or do I pay for it?

Included and free. Pagefind builds a static index at compile time. Algolia DocSearch is optional if you want hosted search instead.

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.

Starlight: What happens when Astro releases a major version?

Starlight follows it, and your site needs a migration. Read the upgrade guide before pinning a version for a long lived project.

Starlight: Can I self host with no external services?

Yes. The output is static HTML, CSS and a search index. Nothing calls out at runtime unless you add it.

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