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Scalar

scalar.com

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Spec score 8.9 #2 of 37 in Documentation Generators

What it is

Scalar is a set of API products for documentation, SDK generation, API registries, API requests, and MCP server use. Scalar Docs combines product guides and interactive API references generated from OpenAPI documents in a developer portal. Teams can write in Markdown or MDX, use GitHub content, preview pull requests, and publish through a CLI or after a merge. The SDK Generator builds idiomatic, type-safe client libraries from OpenAPI documents and can publish them through repository pull requests. Registry stores and versions OpenAPI and AsyncAPI documents, JSON Schema, and Spectral rules with Git integration. The open-source API Client works offline for sending requests, organizing collections, and testing APIs from OpenAPI documents. Scalar supports hosted and self-hosted deployment. Its Free plan is free and includes up to three APIs, one SDK with up to 25 endpoints, one editor seat, and 50 Agent Scalar credits. Pro is $150 a month; Business is $600 a month. Scalar states that it has received a SOC 2 Type 1 report and maintains GDPR-compliant privacy practices.

Spec sheet

What it does
Scalar turns OpenAPI or AsyncAPI descriptions into interactive API references, documentation sites, API clients, SDKs, registries and hosted MCP servers.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.com
Product
Scalar provides API documentation, SDK generation, API registry, API client, and MCP server products built around APIs.Read 29 Sep 2026 · scalar.com
Platforms
The API Client is available in a browser and as desktop apps for macOS, Windows, and Linux.Read 29 Sep 2026 · scalar.com
Free plan
YesRead 20 Sep 2026 · scalar.com
Paid from
150Read 20 Sep 2026 · scalar.com
Integrations
Scalar documents more than 35 framework integrations, including Express, Fastify, Hono, NestJS, Next.js, FastAPI, Django, Rails, Laravel, ASP.NET Core, Spring Boot, Go and Rust.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.com
Security
Scalar states that it has received a SOC 2 Type 1 report and maintains GDPR-compliant privacy practices.Read 29 Sep 2026 · scalar.com
Privacy
Scalar says its hosted API interfaces use technically required cookies, do not use fingerprinting on custom-domain projects, and do not log request traffic.Read 29 Sep 2026 · scalar.com
Support
Enterprise includes priority support, SLAs, migration services, and a dedicated Slack or Teams channel.Read 29 Sep 2026 · scalar.com
Headquarters
The company's terms list API Documentation Inc. (doing business as Scalar) at 2812 Dewdney Ave., British Columbia, Canada.Read 29 Sep 2026 · scalar.com
Company
The company describes itself as a team of 10 engineers and designers focused on accessibility, API-first work, and open source.Read 29 Sep 2026 · scalar.com
API client
The open-source client imports OpenAPI, Swagger, Postman collections and cURL, then creates requests, environments, scripts and response tests.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.com
API reference
The API Reference renders OpenAPI and AsyncAPI documents with search, themes, dark mode, request testing and code samples.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.com
Authentication
The client supports HTTP Basic, Bearer, API keys, OAuth 2.0 flows and OpenID Connect, with reusable credentials and environment variables.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.com
Changelog
API Reference release 1.74.0 on October 12, 2026 added broader AsyncAPI channel and message search, message documentation, collapsible nested tags and local SDK-generation tools.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.com
Company launch
A LinkedIn post by CEO Marc Laventure said Scalar had launched about one year earlier and was already used by Nvidia, Microsoft, Cloudinary, Tesla, eBay, Qualcomm, Snap, Autodesk, Boeing and Maersk.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Company size
Scalar describes itself as a 10-person team of engineers and designers.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.com
Custom domain
YesRead 20 Sep 2026 · scalar.com
Desktop availability
The API Client provides installers for macOS, Windows and Linux, plus a browser version requiring no installation.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.com
Docs
Scalar Docs combines product guides and interactive API references generated from OpenAPI documents in a developer portal.Read 29 Sep 2026 · scalar.com
Docs workflow
Docs supports Markdown and MDX, GitHub content, pull request previews, and publishing through a CLI or on merge.Read 29 Sep 2026 · scalar.com
Documentation sites
Scalar Docs combines Markdown or MDX guides with interactive API references and supports GitHub, CLI and web-editor publishing.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.com
Environments
Variables can be scoped locally, per environment, collection-wide or globally and referenced in URLs, headers, bodies, authentication and scripts.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.com
Investors
Scalar lists General Catalyst managing director Trevor Oelschig, Kindred managing director Steve Jang and individual technology founders among its investors.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.com
Leadership
Scalar identifies Marc Laventure as CEO and co-founder, with Cameron Rohani and Hans Pagel as co-founders.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.com
Licence
The Scalar API Reference and API Client repositories are publicly available under the MIT licence.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Limit: client protocols
Scalar's Postman comparison says the API client is HTTP-first and does not yet support gRPC, GraphQL, WebSocket, SOAP or SSE.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.com
Limit: ecosystem
Scalar's own comparison says Terraform provider generation is not currently supported.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.com
Limit: generator licensing
Scalar states that its documentation stack is open source, while the SDK generator is proprietary.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.com
Limit: scale
FAUN.dev reports that very large API specifications can still take noticeable time to load in the browser.Read 15 Oct 2026 · faun.dev
OAuth extensibility
Third-party apps can use OAuth 2.0 authorization-code flow with PKCE, and scopes are limited to the approving user's role.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.com
Plugins
API Reference and API Client expose plugin APIs for lifecycle hooks, custom UI and response-body handlers, including URL-loaded ESM plugins.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.com
Praise: community
FAUN.dev describes the Discord and GitHub community as active, with the team replying quickly.Read 15 Oct 2026 · faun.dev
Praise: portability
FAUN.dev credits Scalar's standard OpenAPI input, optional extensions and MIT component with strong portability and low ownership cost.Read 15 Oct 2026 · faun.dev
Praise: usability
Independent Softwr review highlights the integrated request client, generated code samples and reduced documentation drift from OpenAPI-driven generation.Read 15 Oct 2026 · softwr.com
Public API
Scalar publishes a versioned platform API and a TypeScript SDK installed with npm add @scalar/sdk; personal tokens exchange for 12-hour bearer access tokens.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.com
Rating on G2
0.0 out of 5 from 0 reviews; the displayed listing is categorized as a 409A valuation provider rather than an API-software profile.Read 15 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Registry
Registry stores and versions OpenAPI, AsyncAPI, JSON Schema and Spectral rules with Git integration and public or private access controls.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.com
SDK generation
The SDK Generator creates idiomatic, type-safe client libraries from an OpenAPI document and can publish through repositories using pull requests.Read 29 Sep 2026 · scalar.com
SDK languages
Generally available SDK targets are TypeScript, Python, Go, Java, Kotlin, Ruby and CLI; C#, PHP, Rust, Swift, Dart and C++ are experimental.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.com
SDK workflow
Generated SDK versions, changelogs and releases are delivered as reviewable pull requests in the customer repository.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.com
Security compliance
Scalar states that it has a SOC 2 Type 1 report and maintains GDPR-compliant privacy practices.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.com
Security controls
Business and enterprise controls include SAML SSO, team roles, private interfaces and Git-native review workflows.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.com
Self-hosting
The API Reference renderer and client can run offline, be embedded in applications or self-hosted; the hosted SDK generator is not open source.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.com
System requirement
The Scalar CLI requires Node.js 24 or later.Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.com
Usage limits
Included Agent Scalar credits reset each billing period and do not roll over.Read 29 Sep 2026 · scalar.com

Plans and prices

Free Free Up to 3 APIs · 1 SDK up to 25 endpoints · 1 editor seat · 50 Agent Scalar credits Read 29 Sep 2026 · scalar.com
Pro $150 a month $125/month billed yearly ($1,500 per year) Up to 15 APIs · 1 SDK up to 100 endpoints · 5 editor seats · 500 Agent Scalar credits Read 29 Sep 2026 · scalar.com
Business $600 a month $500/month billed yearly ($6,000 per year) Up to 25 APIs · 1 SDK up to 250 endpoints · 10 editor seats · 2,000 Agent Scalar credits Read 29 Sep 2026 · scalar.com
Free Free $0; no credit card required 3 APIs · 1 editor seat · 1 SDK up to 25 endpoints · hosted OpenAPI docs · built-in API client · landing pages · 50 Agent Scalar credits Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.apidocumentation.com
Pro $150 a month $150/month or $125/month billed yearly ($1,500/year) 15 APIs · 5 editor seats · 1 SDK up to 100 endpoints · custom domains · Git Sync · Markdown/MDX · access groups · hosted MCP · 500 Agent Scalar credits Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.apidocumentation.com
Business $600 a month $600/month or $500/month billed yearly ($6,000/year) 25 APIs · 10 editor seats · 1 SDK up to 250 endpoints · SSO/SAML · subpath hosting · 2,000 Agent Scalar credits Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.apidocumentation.com
Enterprise Priced on request Custom pricing Unlimited APIs · custom SDK size · RBAC · priority support and SLAs · migration services · dedicated Slack/Teams channel Read 15 Oct 2026 · scalar.apidocumentation.com

Every Scalar plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Docs offers interactive API references generated from OpenAPI.
  • SDK Generator creates type-safe client libraries.
  • Registry versions OpenAPI, AsyncAPI, JSON Schema, and Spectral rules.
  • API Client works offline.
  • Hosted and self-hosted options are available.

Limits

  • Free plan limits teams to three APIs and one editor seat.
  • Free plan includes one SDK of up to 25 endpoints.
  • Agent Scalar credits reset each billing period without rollover.

Who it suits

Scalar suits development teams building and documenting APIs from OpenAPI documents, especially those using GitHub workflows. Self-hosting is available for teams that want to run its open-source tooling in their own environment.

Scalar in depth

Read the full write-up

Overview

Scalar is a connected toolkit for teams that build around APIs, from publishing documentation to generating client libraries and testing requests. It suits developers who want those jobs tied to OpenAPI workflows; its main trade-off is that paid plans impose clear API, SDK, seat, and credit caps.

Key features

Documentation and publishing

Scalar Docs combines interactive API references generated from OpenAPI documents with product guides in a developer portal. Markdown and MDX support, GitHub-sourced files, pull request previews, and publishing through a CLI or after a merge give teams a workflow that can fit alongside repository-based development rather than treating docs as a separate site.

SDKs, registry, and API client

The SDK Generator produces idiomatic, type-safe client libraries from OpenAPI documents and can publish them to repositories through pull requests. That makes it useful when generated clients are part of the same review process as API changes, though the plan caps on SDKs and endpoint counts matter for teams with multiple or large APIs.

Registry versions and manages OpenAPI and AsyncAPI documents, JSON Schema, and Spectral rules with Git integration. The open-source, offline-first API Client sends requests, organizes collections, and tests APIs from OpenAPI documents. Together, these broaden Scalar beyond documentation; teams that need only a reference portal may not use the full product set.

Hosting, privacy, and security

Scalar supports hosted and self-hosted use, and custom domains are available. Scalar says it has received a SOC 2 Type 1 report and maintains GDPR-compliant privacy practices. It says hosted API interfaces use technically required cookies, do not fingerprint custom-domain projects, and do not log request traffic. These commitments may matter to teams weighing a hosted portal against running open-source tools in their own environment.

Pricing

Scalar has a free plan and three paid tiers. The free plan costs nothing and allows up to 3 APIs, 1 SDK with up to 25 endpoints, 1 editor seat, and 50 Agent Scalar credits. It is a practical starting point for a small API project, but the single seat and small SDK allowance constrain collaboration and scale.

Pro costs $150 a month, or $125/month billed yearly ($1,500 per year). It raises the limits to 15 APIs, 1 SDK with up to 100 endpoints, 5 editor seats, and 500 Agent Scalar credits. This is the first paid tier for a team collaborating on a modest portfolio, but it still permits only one SDK.

Business costs $600 a month, or $500/month billed yearly ($6,000 per year). It includes up to 25 APIs, 1 SDK with up to 250 endpoints, 10 editor seats, and 2,000 Agent Scalar credits. The higher ceilings suit larger teams, though the one-SDK allowance remains a notable constraint. Included Agent Scalar credits reset each billing period and do not roll over, so unused allowance cannot be carried forward.

Enterprise has custom pricing and unlimited APIs. It is the tier to consider when the API cap is the limiting factor; Enterprise also includes priority support, SLAs, migration services, and a dedicated Slack or Teams channel. No SDK, seat, or credit allowance is given for this tier.

Platforms

Scalar supports API, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows, with self-hosted deployment also available. That mix suits teams that want a hosted product option as well as the choice to run its open-source tooling in their own environment.

Who it's for

Scalar is strongest for API teams that want documentation, SDK generation, registry management, and request testing in a connected workflow, especially when GitHub pull requests are central to publishing. Its free tier offers a low-commitment way to begin. Teams with multiple SDKs, more editors, or larger endpoint counts should compare the paid caps with their expected workload before committing.

Pros and cons

Broad API workflow: Documentation, SDK generation, registry management, and an API client cover several related tasks in one product set.

Repository-aware publishing: GitHub integration, pull request previews, and CLI publishing support reviewable documentation changes.

Flexible hosting: Hosted and self-hosted options, plus custom domains, give teams a deployment choice.

Firm plan ceilings: The paid tiers still allow only one SDK each, while seats, APIs, endpoints, and credits are capped.

Credits expire by cycle: Agent Scalar credits reset each billing period rather than rolling over.

Alternatives

Fern is worth considering for teams whose priority is a documentation site with a free allowance of 10 team members, 1,000 pages, and one site, rather than Scalar's bundled API registry and client workflow.

Javadoc is a narrower choice for Java documentation: it is included with the JDK, whose JDK 25 binaries are free under Oracle No-Fee Terms and Conditions through September 2028.

PilotDocs may suit readers looking for project-based API documentation pricing: its Starter plan is $49 a month for 10 projects and unlimited API endpoints, guides, and tutorials.

Swagger Codegen is the alternative to consider when the need is specifically open-source generation of API clients, server stubs, and documentation from OpenAPI specifications.

ApiNotes is a more focused option for API changelogs and validation, with a free Starter plan for one public API, a 10-release changelog, and up to 25 subscribers.

Doxygen is a free and open-source option for teams seeking documentation software for Linux, macOS, or Windows.

pdoc is another free option for teams seeking documentation generation across Linux, macOS, self-hosted, web, and Windows environments.

Theneo offers a free Starter Package for teams seeking API documentation, with allowances for public and private projects and team members.

Browse API Documentation Tools, Documentation Generators, or Knowledge base software for more options.

Verdict

Scalar is a strong fit for API teams that want documentation, generated clients, API asset management, and request testing connected to OpenAPI and GitHub workflows. The breadth and self-hosting option are its clearest reasons to choose it; the paid plans' one-SDK caps and escalating cost are the clearest reasons to look elsewhere if you need more client libraries or a narrower documentation tool.

Verdict

Scalar combines documentation, client generation, registry management, and API testing in one product set. The Free plan has defined API, SDK, seat, and credit limits; paid plans start at $150 a month.

Where Specifiction places it

Alternatives to ScalarAll alternatives →