Side by side
Apiary vs Fern
Both stand on api documentation tools. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APIWeb
Apiary links API descriptions with mock responses, documentation, and automated response checks. The free plan has public projects and no team, while deprecated paid plans may require support to change.
Visit Apiary Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+3
Fern combines API documentation publishing with client library generation and offers a defined Free plan. Teams considering it should check the free-tier limits and note that self-hosting is reserved for Enterprise.
Visit FernThe facts
| Apiary | Fern | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Yes |
| Runs on | API, Web | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 3 | 2 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | apiary.io | buildwithfern.com |
| On api documentation tools | #4 of 27 | #1 of 27 |
Apiary: what it does well
- Editor validates descriptions and shows a live preview.
- Publishing creates a description-based mock server.
- Automated tests compare responses with expected results.
- Free plan allows unlimited API projects.
- Teams can assign document access roles.
What to know first
- Free projects are public and have no team.
- Free plan allows five participants per project.
- Standard and Pro plans are deprecated.
- Standard private projects cap viewers at 50.
Fern: what it does well
- Generates API references from several specification formats.
- Includes interactive API Explorer.
- Free plan includes one site.
- Supports SSO, JWT, and OAuth access controls.
- Supports custom domains and version history.
What to know first
- Free plan is limited to one site.
- Free plan has 10 team members.
- Free plan includes 250 AI credits monthly.
- Self-hosting is an Enterprise capability.