Side by side
Dokiel vs Fern
Both stand on technical documentation software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan Open source LinuxMacSelf-hosted+2
Dokiel offers structured authoring, content reuse, and multiple publishing formats for documentation and training. Teams considering MyScenari should account for its membership requirement and restricted model selection.
Visit Dokiel 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
| Dokiel | Fern | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Dokiel hosting (Scenari Online): €420 a year | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 2 | 2 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | doc.scenari.software | buildwithfern.com |
| On technical documentation software | #1 of 37 | #2 of 37 |
Dokiel: what it does well
- Free authoring tool.
- Publishes a single source to PDF, web, or SCORM.
- Reusable fragments reduce duplicate content.
- Updates can propagate to documents using a fragment.
- Supports writing, review, and validation workflows.
What to know first
- MyScenari online production is limited to association members.
- MyScenari permits only three document models.
- Hosted MyScenari access depends on updated supported browsers.
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.