Stoplight is an API design platform. If you already design elsewhere and mainly need to publish docs and tell consumers what changed, ApiNotes does that with an automatic changelog from $0.
Stoplight (now part of SmartBear) covers the design side of the API lifecycle: a visual OpenAPI editor, Spectral linting, Prism mocking and hosted docs. It suits teams that want one platform to design, govern and publish. Its docs hosting works, but it does not write release notes from spec changes, and custom domains and versioning sit on higher plans.
ApiNotes concentrates on what happens after the spec exists: hosted docs, a diff-driven changelog with breaking-change flags, subscriber emails and CI publishing. It reads the OpenAPI file you already keep in Git. Starter is free; Team is $19/month flat.
| Feature | Stoplight | ApiNotes |
|---|---|---|
| Basics | ||
| What it is | API design + docs platform | Hosted docs + changelog platform |
| Hosting included | ✅ Included | ✅ your-api.apinotes.io, CDN-cached |
| Custom domain | ⚠️ Startup plan and above | ✅ CNAME, TLS handled (Team) |
| Documentation | ||
| Layout | ✅ Three-column (Elements) | ✅ Three-column reference |
| Code samples | ✅ Multiple languages | ✅ 10+ languages per endpoint |
| Try-it console | ✅ Try-it | ✅ Try-it panel with auth |
| Search | ✅ Built-in search | ✅ Full-text across endpoints and guides |
| Guides and prose pages | ✅ Markdown guides | ✅ Documentation editor |
| Server-side rendering / SEO | ⚠️ Depends on setup | ✅ SSR, indexable, per-project meta |
| Change management | ||
| Version history | ⚠️ Branches; versioning on higher plans | ✅ Every push kept, switch versions in docs |
| Automatic changelog | ❌ No automatic changelog | ✅ Written from the spec diff on every push |
| Breaking-change detection | ⚠️ Linting rules, no published alerts | ✅ Flagged per release |
| Email subscribers + RSS/JSON feed | ❌ | ✅ 25 on Starter, unlimited on Team |
| CI/CD and access | ||
| Publish from CI | ✅ Git integration and CLI | ✅ GitHub Action or one API call |
| PR comment with breaking changes | ❌ | ✅ GitHub Action (Team) |
| Spec validation | ✅ Spectral linting | ✅ Validator with line numbers and hints |
| Private docs | ⚠️ Paid plans | ✅ Password or magic link (Team) |
| Price | Free / $56 / $147 / $453 per month (monthly billing) | Free Starter / $19 per month Team, flat |
Stoplight plan prices from stoplight.io/pricing (monthly billing) as of October 2026. Verified October 2026.
Stoplight's editor, style guides and mocking are strongest while you are still designing the API. It is a bigger surface area to learn and administer.
ApiNotes assumes you already have a spec. You push it and get hosted docs, versions and a changelog. Nothing to design inside the tool.
Stoplight does not generate release notes from spec differences, and consumers are not emailed when a version changes.
ApiNotes diffs every push, writes the entry, flags breaking changes and notifies subscribers by email, RSS and JSON feed.
Spectral is excellent at enforcing style and quality rules on the spec. It does not tell consumers what changed between two versions.
The ApiNotes validator checks the spec with line-numbered errors, and the diff engine reports breaking changes. They complement Spectral rather than replace it.
Monthly pricing steps up through Basic, Startup and Pro Team tiers, with custom domains from Startup and versioning on Pro Team.
Two tiers: free Starter and a flat $19 Team plan that includes custom domain, private docs and five team members.
Stoplight lists Free, Basic ($56/month), Startup ($147/month) and Pro Team ($453/month) on monthly billing, plus custom Enterprise pricing. Private docs start on Basic, custom domains on Startup and versioning on Pro Team.
Starter, $0: 1 public API, hosted docs, changelog for the last 10 releases, breaking-change detection, 25 subscribers, GitHub Action, Try-it panel. Team, $19/month flat: 5 APIs, full changelog history, unlimited subscribers, PR comments, private docs, 25 guest readers, custom domain, your own branding, 5 team members. 14-day trial, no card needed.
Paste the same OpenAPI file you use today. Hosted docs, a changelog and breaking-change alerts are live in under a minute.