Tool profile
ReadMe: cost, fit and limits
ReadMe is a hosted developer documentation platform made by ReadMe that publishes interactive API references and guides, with AI features for drafting, linting and answering reader questions, aimed at product and developer relations teams that run a public API.
What to know first
ReadMe sells three plans: a free Starter with one project and one admin, Pro at $250 a month billed annually, and a contract-priced Enterprise tier. The free plan already includes a custom domain, bi-directional sync, LLMs.txt and an MCP server. AI writing and linting start on Pro, and Ask AI is an extra $150 a month. Hosting is in the United States, and the privacy page does not mention AI training.
ReadMe at a glance
| Maker | ReadMe, United States |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Entry price | $0 per month on Starter, $250 per month billed annually on Pro |
| API access | Yes |
| Category | Best AI API Documentation Tools in 2026, rank 1 of 11 |
| Website | readme.com |
Who ReadMe is best for
Teams testing a first public API
Starter costs nothing and still gives a custom domain, interactive reference, usage analytics and an MCP server, so a single project can go live before any budget is approved.
Docs teams with a style guide
The AI Linter on Pro checks pages against a custom style guide before merge, and the AI Writer drafts updates from pull requests and Slack threads, which suits teams whose docs lag releases.
Teams with several Git hosts
Git sync covers GitHub, GitHub Enterprise Server, GitLab and Bitbucket, so engineering teams on different hosts can keep content in their own repositories.
ReadMe plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $0 per month | 1 project and 1 admin, custom domain, bi-directional sync, interactive API reference, usage analytics, markdown editor, custom themes, AI dropdown, LLMs.txt and MCP server. |
| Pro | $250 per month, billed annually | 1 project and 5 admins; adds teammate invites, multiplayer editing, branching and reviews, private docs, changelog and forums, AI Linter, AI Writer, Ask AI Lite and the ReadMe Agent. |
| Enterprise | Contact sales, annual billing only | Unlimited seats, multiple combined projects, ReadMe branding removed, user roles, audit logs, SSO and OAuth, the Ask AI API, Docs Audit and dedicated support. |
| Ask AI add-on | $150 per month | Reader question answering with sources from the docs, sold as an add-on on Starter and Pro; extended history and logs are a separate $100 per month add-on. |
Checked November 2026.
What ReadMe does
- AI Writer
- Drafts documentation updates from pull requests and Slack threads on Pro, so changes discussed by engineers can reach the docs without a writer starting from a blank page.
- AI Linter
- Checks pages against a custom style guide before merge. Teams that already keep a terminology list or voice rules can enforce them on every pull request instead of in review comments.
- Ask AI V2
- Answers reader questions with sources from the docs. The Lite version comes with Pro, and the full version is the $150 add-on, with an Ask AI API reserved for Enterprise.
- MCP Server
- Lets Claude Code, Cursor or a CI job read and write documentation. The pricing page lists it on Starter, so even the free plan can be wired into an editor assistant.
- Visual API Designer
- Builds a reference without an OpenAPI file, next to OpenAPI 3.1 support. Teams without a maintained spec can still publish an interactive reference with try-it calls.
How ReadMe handles your data
ReadMe's privacy page says the service is hosted and operated in the United States and that data is kept while the account is open and for 12 months after closing it. The policy does not mention AI or machine learning, so whether customer content or reader questions train models is not stated. It names no certifications, although the homepage says ReadMe is SOC 2 and GDPR compliant without linking a report. Single sign-on through Microsoft Entra ID, Google Workspace and Okta is listed for Enterprise.
Where ReadMe falls short in practice
- One project per paid plan. Starter and Pro are each limited to one project, and Pro to five admins at $20 for each extra one. A company with separate developer and partner portals needs an Enterprise contract.
- Add-ons raise the real price. Ask AI at $150 a month and extended history and logs at $100 a month sit on top of Pro, so a Pro site with both reaches $500 a month before extra admins.
- Lower tiers skip review tools. Starter lacks teammate invites, branching, private docs and the AI Linter, so a team that wants pull-request style review of docs must move to the $250 plan.
Works with
Alternatives to ReadMe
ReadMe: common questions
Does ReadMe's free plan include an MCP server?
Yes. The pricing page lists an MCP server and LLMs.txt on Starter, along with a custom domain and interactive API reference. Starter is limited to one project and one admin, and the AI Linter, AI Writer and branching start on the $250 Pro plan.
How much does ReadMe Ask AI cost?
Ask AI is a $150 per month add-on on Starter and Pro. Pro includes Ask AI Lite, and the full Ask AI API is listed under Enterprise. Check the Lite limits on the pricing page before buying the add-on, because the pages we read do not give a question quota.
Which Git hosts does ReadMe sync with?
ReadMe lists Git sync with GitHub, GitHub Enterprise Server, GitLab and Bitbucket, and calls the sync bi-directional on Starter. That means edits made in the web editor and edits pushed from a repository both reach the published docs. Pro adds branching and reviews on top of that.
Can ReadMe build a reference without an OpenAPI file?
Yes. The Visual API Designer builds an interactive reference without an OpenAPI file, and OpenAPI 3.1 is also supported. Teams with a maintained spec will likely import it, while teams without one can describe endpoints in the designer and publish.
Where does ReadMe host customer docs?
ReadMe's privacy page says the service is hosted and operated in the United States and does not name a data center or an EU region. Teams with residency rules should ask the vendor in writing, since the page also does not describe how AI features handle content.