Side by side
Asciidoctor vs Scalar
Both stand on documentation generators. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APIExtensionLinux+4
Asciidoctor offers a multi-runtime toolchain for processing and publishing AsciiDoc, with several output formats included in its core. PDF and EPUB 3 conversion is separate, and its safe modes do not sanitize output.
Visit Asciidoctor
Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+3
Scalar brings several API documentation and management tools together, with hosted and self-hosted options. Check the free plan's API and seat limits, and note that Agent Scalar credits do not carry forward between billing periods.
Visit ScalarThe facts
| Asciidoctor | Scalar | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Yes |
| Runs on | API, Extension, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Pro: $150 a month |
| Plans published | 1 | 4 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | asciidoctor.org | scalar.com |
| On documentation generators | #3 of 37 | #1 of 37 |
Asciidoctor: what it does well
- Free and open source under the MIT License.
- Core converters include HTML5, DocBook 5, and man pages.
- Runs with Ruby, JVM, and JavaScript environments.
- Supports Linux, macOS, and Windows.
- Provides Maven and Gradle build plugins.
What to know first
- PDF and EPUB 3 require separate gems.
- Safe modes do not sanitize generated output.
- Safe modes are not a comprehensive security framework.
Scalar: what it does well
- Interactive API references generated from OpenAPI documents
- Supports Markdown, MDX, and GitHub workflows
- API Client works offline
- Open-source tooling can run in a customer environment
What to know first
- Free plan is limited to three APIs
- Free plan includes one editor seat
- Agent Scalar credits reset and do not roll over
Alternatives to Asciidoctor Alternatives to Scalar The whole list