Tool profile
Theneo: cost, fit and limits
Theneo is an API documentation platform made by Theneo Inc. that generates and hosts developer documentation from an API specification using its own AI, with a changelog, an API explorer and an Ask AI assistant for readers.
What to know first
Theneo has a free Starter plan and paid Business and Growth plans, plus a custom Enterprise tier. The pricing page shows two sets of prices: Business is $120 per workspace per month in one section and $150 in another, and Growth is $400 or $450. The privacy policy states SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001:2022, and says private projects are not used for training.
Theneo at a glance
| Maker | Theneo Inc. (Delaware company, per the privacy policy), United States |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Entry price | Free on Starter; the page shows two price sets for Business |
| API access | Yes |
| Category | Best AI API Documentation Tools in 2026, rank 6 of 11 |
| Website | theneo.io |
Who Theneo is best for
Teams with a spec but no writer
AI doc generation starts from an API spec using the vendor's own AI, and the Starter plan includes 2,000 TheneoAI API Doc Builder assistance uses.
Teams that publish breaking changes often
Smart changelogs flag breaking changes automatically, and Starter includes automated changelog generation, so client developers see what broke between versions.
Buyers who want training rules in writing
The privacy policy says private projects and restricted documentation are not used for training, while public documentation may be, which is a concrete rule to review.
Theneo plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | Free | Automated changelog, Advanced API Explorer, access controls, analytics and reader feedback; 1 public project, up to 2 private projects and up to 20 team members. |
| Business | $120 per month per workspace in one section; $150 in another | Everything in Starter plus unlimited searchAI and TheneoAI use, custom branding and SEO settings, custom domain and one developer portal; up to 7 projects and 50 team members on plan cards. |
| Growth | $400 per month per workspace in one section; $450 in another | Everything in Business plus custom CSS, custom AI assistant prompts, custom analytics and tag management, IP allowlisting, Slack and Teams support and up to 20 developer portals. |
| Enterprise | Custom | Everything in Growth plus self-hosting, SAML SSO and OAuth 2.0, custom roles and permissions, custom automation workflows and custom integrations. |
Checked November 2026.
What Theneo does
- AI doc generation
- Builds documentation from any API spec using the vendor's own AI, so a first draft of descriptions and structure exists before a writer edits it.
- Ask AI
- Answers developer questions directly from the documentation. Business removes the usage limit on searchAI and TheneoAI, while Starter has a stated number of builder uses.
- Smart changelogs
- Flags breaking changes automatically and generates the changelog, which suits teams that version APIs often and want clients warned without manual notes. Starter also includes reader feedback and project analytics for tracking changes.
- LLMs.txt and MCP
- Publishes LLMs.txt for AI readers, and a Theneo MCP is referenced under enterprise API access, though the pages give no detail on what it exposes.
- API explorer and portals
- An interactive explorer is on Starter, and paid plans add a custom domain and developer portals, up to 20 on Growth. Business includes one developer portal with advanced access controls, and Starter has project access controls.
How Theneo handles your data
Theneo's privacy policy says private projects, restricted-access documentation, account data and payment information are not used for training, while publicly published documentation may be used to train Theneo's own AI models. Account data is kept while the account is active, and deletion requests are completed within 30 days of verification. The policy says services are hosted in the United States without naming a region or data center. It states SOC 2 Type II audits and ISO/IEC 27001:2022 compliance.
Where Theneo falls short in practice
- Conflicting price sets. The pricing page lists Business at $120 and $150 and Growth at $400 and $450 in different sections with no billing basis stated for the second set.
- Mismatched limits in tables. The comparison table gives endpoint and team-member numbers that differ from the plan cards, so project and seat caps need confirming in writing before purchase.
- Public docs may train models. Publicly published documentation may be used to train Theneo's own models, so a team that cannot allow that has to keep documentation private on a paid plan.
Works with
Alternatives to Theneo
Theneo: common questions
How much does Theneo cost?
Starter is free. Business is $120 per workspace per month in one section of the pricing page and $150 in another, and Growth is $400 or $450. Enterprise is custom. Because the page shows two sets, ask Theneo which one applies before you commit.
Does Theneo train AI on my documentation?
The privacy policy says private projects, restricted-access documentation, account data and payment information are not used for training. Publicly published documentation may be used to train Theneo's own AI models, so keep sensitive references private if that matters. Account data and payment information are also excluded.
What does Theneo's free plan include?
Starter includes automated changelog generation, the Advanced API Explorer, access controls, analytics and reader feedback, with 1 public project, up to 2 private projects and up to 20 team members. It also has 2,000 TheneoAI API Doc Builder assistance uses.
Does Theneo hold SOC 2 or ISO 27001?
The privacy policy states independent SOC 2 Type II audits and ISO/IEC 27001:2022 compliance. The pages we opened link no report, so a security team should request the report and its date, since the policy wording is the only evidence we read.
Can Theneo be self-hosted?
Self-hosting is listed on the Enterprise plan, with SAML SSO, OAuth 2.0, custom roles and permissions and custom integrations. The pricing page gives no price or setup details for it, so ask what self-hosting covers and who operates it. Growth caps developer portals at 20.