Side by side
Fern vs SQLDelight
Both stand on code generators. 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 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 Fern Free plan Open source AndroidAPIiPhone+5
SQLDelight combines Kotlin code generation with compile-time database checks and several IDE and library integrations. Check its dialect options against your database, especially if you need one of the experimental or third-party choices.
Visit SQLDelightThe facts
| Fern | SQLDelight | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows | Android, API, iPhone, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 2 | 2 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | buildwithfern.com | sqldelight.github.io |
| On code generators | #1 of 33 | #2 of 33 |
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.
SQLDelight: what it does well
- Checks schemas, SQL, and migrations at compile time
- IDE support includes SQL autocomplete and refactoring
- Coroutines can emit query updates as a Flow
- Free and open source under Apache-2.0
What to know first
- HSQL and H2 support is experimental
- CockroachDB, DB2, and Oracle dialects are third-party
Alternatives to Fern Alternatives to SQLDelight The whole list