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Stainless

stainless.com

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Spec score 7.5 #14 of 25 in API Generation Software

What it is

Stainless generates SDKs, documentation and MCP servers from OpenAPI specifications. Its SDK product lists TypeScript, Python, Go, Java, Kotlin, Ruby, Terraform, C# and PHP, with rich types, automatic pagination and retries included. The Docs Platform, built on Astro, keeps REST API, SDK and narrative documentation in sync with an API. Its listed features include AI-powered hybrid search, Markdown copying, AI-tool integration, and light and dark modes. Stainless also generates code-mode MCP servers so agents can work with SDKs and documentation rather than many endpoint schemas; the MCP product page names Claude Code and Cursor as clients. The Free plan costs nothing and allows up to five generators, five seats and 25 endpoints, with 100 preview builds per month and a rate limit of 25 per day. Email support is listed for Free. Users need a GitHub account for authentication and access to generated staging repositories. Exceeding Free plan terms triggers automatic enrollment in a 30-day free trial of a paid plan. Code generation cannot be hosted on-premise, although generated SDKs can be hosted in a private GitHub repository.

Spec sheet

What it does
Stainless generates SDKs, documentation, and MCP servers from an OpenAPI specification.Read 4 Oct 2026 · stainless.com
Trial
When users exceed the Free Plan terms, they are automatically enrolled in a 30-day free trial of a paid plan.Read 4 Oct 2026 · stainless.com
Security
Stainless says Business and Enterprise customers can request its SOC 2 compliance report.Read 4 Oct 2026 · stainless.com
Support
The pricing page lists email support for the Free plan.Read 4 Oct 2026 · stainless.com
Company status
Stainless says it is joining Anthropic.Read 4 Oct 2026 · stainless.com
Docs features
The Docs Platform advertises AI-powered hybrid search, Markdown copying, AI-tool integration, and light and dark modes.Read 4 Oct 2026 · stainless.com
Docs integrations
Stainless lists ReadMe, Mintlify, Redocly, bump.sh, GitBook, and Docusaurus as documentation providers that support its SDK code snippets.Read 4 Oct 2026 · stainless.com
Docs platform
The Docs Platform keeps REST API, SDK, and narrative documentation in sync with the API and is built on Astro.Read 4 Oct 2026 · stainless.com
Hosting limit
Stainless says its code generation cannot be hosted on-premise, though generated SDKs can be hosted in a private GitHub repository.Read 4 Oct 2026 · stainless.com
MCP clients
The MCP product page names Claude Code and Cursor as tools where agents can use its generated MCP servers.Read 4 Oct 2026 · stainless.com
MCP servers
Stainless generates code-mode MCP servers from OpenAPI specs so agents can use SDKs and documentation instead of many endpoint schemas.Read 4 Oct 2026 · stainless.com
SDK features
Generated SDKs include rich types, auto-pagination, and retries out of the box.Read 4 Oct 2026 · stainless.com
SDK languages
Its SDK product lists TypeScript, Python, Go, Java, Kotlin, Ruby, Terraform, C#, and PHP.Read 4 Oct 2026 · stainless.com
Source control
Stainless requires users to have a GitHub account for authentication and access to generated staging repositories.Read 4 Oct 2026 · stainless.com

Plans and prices

Free Free Up to 5 generators · 5 seats · ≤25 endpoints incl. · 100 preview builds/mo free · rate limit 25/day Read 4 Oct 2026 · stainless.com

Every Stainless plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Generates SDKs in nine listed programming languages.
  • Generated SDKs include pagination and retries.
  • Keeps API, SDK and narrative documentation in sync.
  • Free plan includes 100 preview builds per month.
  • Generated SDKs can be hosted in a private GitHub repository.

Limits

  • Requires a GitHub account.
  • Code generation cannot be hosted on-premise.
  • Free plan is limited to five generators and five seats.
  • Exceeding Free terms triggers automatic enrollment in a paid-plan trial.

Who it suits

Stainless suits API teams that use OpenAPI specifications to generate SDKs, documentation or MCP servers. The free plan is bounded by generator, seat, endpoint and preview-build limits.

Verdict

Stainless connects OpenAPI specifications to SDKs, documentation and code-mode MCP servers. Check the Free plan limits and GitHub requirement, and note that code generation itself cannot be hosted on-premise.

Where Specifiction places it

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