Mintlify

How do Fern and Mintlify differ?

1. Documentation Design and User Experience

Mintlify:

  • Intuitive UI editor, making it accessible for users without technical expertise.
  • Limits body responses to 200, which may restrict large response formats and lacks features to tailor to your audience and API.
  • Works well for SMBs with limited requirements.

Fern:

  • Provides dynamic SDK generation and robust API documentation features.
  • Designed for technical teams, with a code first approach enabling easier use of JS, CSS, and React.
  • Offers collapsible response sections, reducing the need for excessive scrolling.
  • Extensive capabilities enabling SMB through Enterprise customers.

2. Feature Support

FeatureMintlifyFern
Clean Documentation UI✅✅
Markdown Support✅✅
Versioning Support for APIs✅✅
Search Functionality in Documentation✅✅
UI Editor✅❌
Auto-Populate API Credentials❌✅
Websockets Reference & Playground❌✅
Multiple Examples per API Endpoint❌✅
Dynamic SDK Examples in API Playground❌✅
API Playground as Separate Component❌✅
Environment Support (Staging, Production)❌✅
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)❌✅
Unlimited Number of Editors❌✅

Additional Features in Fern:

  • API Playground as Separate Component: Fern’s API Playground is a distinct feature, similar to Stripe’s, allowing users to interact with the API directly within the documentation.
  • Environment Support: Supports multiple environments such as staging and production, enabling users to test APIs in different settings.
  • Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Allows restriction of content based on the viewer’s role, ensuring appropriate access levels.
  • Unlimited Number of Editors: Does not limit the number of editors, facilitating collaboration among large teams.

3. Support and Community

Mintlify:

  • Dedicated support is only available on the Enterprise tier, which may limit access for smaller teams.

Fern:

  • Offers a dedicated Slack channel for support across all tiers, ensuring direct access to assistance for all users.

4. Security and Reliability

AspectMintlifyFern
Data BreachesYes (recent incident)No
Uptime99.5%99.5%

Mintlify:

Fern:

  • No reported data breaches, reflecting strong security protocols.

5. Customization

AspectMintlifyFern
Custom JavaScript FilesSingleMultiple

Mintlify:

  • Allows only a single custom JavaScript file in the file structure, limiting extensibility.

Fern:

  • Supports multiple custom JavaScript files, offering greater flexibility for customization.

6. Pricing

PlatformPrice (per month)
Mintlify$350
Fern$400

Mintlify:

  • Priced at $350/month.

Fern:

  • Priced at $400/month, offering a comprehensive suite of features.

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