Scalar vs StepShot
Scalar
scalar.comStepShot
stepshot.appSide by side
| Figure | Scalar | StepShot |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $150/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 7 | 3 |
| Spec score · Documentation Generators | 8.9 (#2) | 7.7 (#16) |
| 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. | Cloud planning uses an OpenAI-compatible endpoint that the user supplies; the pricing page says users provide their own API and quota. |
| 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. | The maker says projects and images stay local, with no account, telemetry, or background uploads; cloud features are off by default. |
Plans
Scalar
- FreeFree
- Pro$150 a month
- Business$600 a month
- FreeFree
- Pro$150 a month
- Business$600 a month
- EnterprisePriced on request
In their own words
Scalar
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.
StepShot
StepShot is a macOS app that turns recorded workflows into step-by-step tutorials, standard operating procedures, and training documents. It captures activity through action-driven capture or screen recording, using cursor pauses as an additional cue for splitting recordings into steps. Users can edit steps and annotations, then export to PDF, Markdown, or HTML. Capture, editing, and all three export formats work locally without an internet connection. Optional AI assistance can suggest improvements to titles, descriptions, and step order; users review suggestions individually before applying them. Cloud planning requires a connection and a user-supplied OpenAI-compatible endpoint, API, and quota. The free plan costs nothing, allows unlimited capture and editing, and exports only the first 10 steps in Markdown or HTML. Pro costs 269 CNY, paid once and adds unlimited steps, PDF export, branding, optional cloud planning, and activation on two devices. Team costs 899 CNY, paid once and adds five-device activation, shared brand presets, bulk licensing, centralized invoicing, and priority feedback handling. StepShot requires macOS 14 or later and supports Apple Silicon and Intel.