Fern vs Scalar: Features, Pricing and User Reviews 2026
Compare features, pricing, reviews, and more to make an informed decision
Fern
Fern generates production-ready SDKs and beautiful API documentation automatically from your OpenAPI specification for multiple programming languages.
Scalar
Scalar is an open-source API documentation platform that creates beautiful, interactive API references with built-in testing and modern design.
Fern
Fern generates production-ready SDKs and beautiful API documentation automatically from your OpenAPI specification for multiple programming languages.
Scalar
Scalar is an open-source API documentation platform that creates beautiful, interactive API references with built-in testing and modern design.
Fern
Automatic SDK generation in 8+ programming languages
Stripe-style API documentation websites
Direct publishing to package registries
OpenAPI and AsyncAPI support
Interactive API playground with live testing
Custom branding and domain support
Built-in OAuth 2.0 and authentication
Automatic pagination and retry logic
WebSocket and SSE support
Version control with Git
AI-powered search assistant
Open source on GitHub
Scalar
Beautiful API documentation from OpenAPI files
Built-in testing with API client
GitHub integration and auto-sync
Custom domains and themes
Framework integrations for all major platforms
TypeSense-powered search
Multiple API versions support
Markdown and MDX guides
Team collaboration tools
Open-source and self-hostable
Free subdomain included
Custom CSS and JavaScript support
Fern
Fern offers separate pricing for SDKs and documentation to fit different team needs.
For SDK generation, there are three tiers available:
Basic Plan ($250/month per SDK): Supports up to 50 endpoints with REST API support, automated publishing, and schema validation. Billed annually.
Pro Plan ($600/month per SDK): Includes up to 150 endpoints, WebSockets, webhooks, dedicated Slack support, and advanced features like pagination and OAuth. Billed annually.
Enterprise Plan (Custom pricing): Offers unlimited endpoints, SDK migration services, enterprise support with SLAs, GitHub issue monitoring, and custom code maintenance.
For documentation, pricing includes:
Basic Plan ($400/month): Stripe-like API reference, API playground, custom domain, and built-in components. Billed annually.
Pro Plan ($1,000/month): Everything in Basic plus custom React components, authenticated docs, role-based access control, and AI search capabilities. Billed annually.
Enterprise Plan (Custom pricing): Includes white-glove content migration, custom integrations, SSO authentication, design services, and enterprise support.
Scalar
Scalar offers a simple pricing structure that fits different user needs. The free plan is perfect for individual developers and includes unlimited workspaces, free subdomains, and full API reference capabilities. You can also add custom CSS and JavaScript without any restrictions.
The Pro plan costs $24 per user per month and unlocks several important features. You get custom domains so your documentation lives on your own URL. GitHub sync keeps everything updated automatically. The search function becomes more powerful, and you get priority support when you need help. Pro also includes guides and version management for complex APIs.
The Enterprise plan offers custom pricing and adds features for larger teams. You get SSO and SAML authentication, monthly documentation audits, verified workspace badges, and a dedicated Slack channel for support. Contact their sales team to discuss specific needs.
