Quick Answer
Last verified:

Stoplight pricing varies by team size and features, ranging from $11 to $453 per month in 2026. Your actual cost depends on the tier you choose, contract length, and negotiated discounts.

Use the interactive pricing calculator to estimate your exact cost based on team size and requirements.

  • Free tier: No free tier available
  • Billing: Monthly and annual (save 15-20%)
  • Hidden costs: Add ~35% for implementation, support, and training
Freemium

Stoplight offers a freemium model with limited features; upgrade to unlock more.

What's Included in the Free Plan

  • Stoplight Studio (desktop app)
  • OpenAPI design tools
  • Basic documentation generation
  • Local file editing
  • Git integration
  • Mock servers
  • API linting
  • Unlimited projects
  • Community support

What's NOT Included (Paid Only)

  • Everything in Free
  • Cloud-hosted workspace
  • Team collaboration
  • Up to 5 users included
  • Hosted documentation
  • Custom domains
  • Public and private projects
  • Version control
  • Style guides
  • Standard support

Free Plan Limits

Limit Free Plan Paid Plans
users Individual use
projects Unlimited (local)
collaboration Limited

You'll Need to Upgrade When...

  • You exceed the user limit
  • You need features like Everything in Free or Cloud-hosted workspace
  • You require premium support or SLA guarantees
  • You need to remove branding or watermarks
  • You need advanced integrations or API access

Hidden Restrictions on Free Plan

  • ! Stoplight branding may appear on your content or communications
  • ! Support is limited to community forums or email with longer response times
  • ! Export options may be restricted or include watermarks
  • ! API access is typically limited or not available
  • ! Advanced reporting and analytics require paid plans

Free vs Paid: Which Do You Need?

Free Plan is Enough If...

  • You're an individual or very small team
  • You need only basic features
  • You don't mind usage limits
  • Branding on output is acceptable
  • Community support is sufficient

Free vs Starter Plan Comparison

Free $0
Features 9 included 11+ included
Support Community/Email Priority Support
Branding Stoplight branding Your branding
Best For Individual developers and students learning API design or working on personal projects Small teams collaborating on API design and needing hosted documentation for internal or external use

Frequently Asked Questions

01 Is Stoplight free?

Yes, Stoplight offers a freemium plan with 9 core features included. However, there are limits on users, projects that may require upgrading.

02 What's included in Stoplight's free plan?

Stoplight's free plan includes: Stoplight Studio (desktop app), OpenAPI design tools, Basic documentation generation, Local file editing, Git integration, and 4 more features. Key limits include users: Individual use, projects: Unlimited (local), collaboration: Limited.

03 What's NOT included in Stoplight's free plan?

The free plan excludes: Everything in Free, Cloud-hosted workspace, Team collaboration, Up to 5 users included, Hosted documentation. You'll also have Stoplight branding and limited support options.

04 When should I upgrade from Stoplight's free plan?

Consider upgrading when: you hit user or storage limits, need features like Everything in Free or Cloud-hosted workspace, require premium support, or want to remove branding. The cheapest paid plan starts at $99/per month.

05 Is Stoplight's free plan really free forever?

Yes, Stoplight's free plan is available indefinitely with no time limit. However, feature and usage limits may restrict what you can do without upgrading to a paid plan.

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