Scalar vs TypeDoc
Scalar
scalar.comTypeDoc
typedoc.orgSide by side
| Figure | Scalar | TypeDoc |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $150/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 7 | 1 |
| Spec score · Documentation Generators | 8.9 (#2) | 8.0 (#10) |
| Spec score · API Documentation Tools | 8.8 (#2) | 8.0 (#14) |
| Spec score · Api Docs | 8.9 (#4) | 8.0 (#11) |
| 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. | The GitHub Pages option generates a .nojekyll file, and source links can use GitHub or Bitbucket remotes. |
| Security | Scalar states that it has received a SOC 2 Type 1 report and maintains GDPR-compliant privacy practices. | The GitHub repository links to a security policy, but the opened repository page does not state specific security certifications or compliance claims. |
| Support | Enterprise includes priority support, SLAs, migration services, and a dedicated Slack or Teams channel. | The project README invites users to open an issue or pull request on GitHub and points contributors to its contribution guide. |
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.
TypeDoc
TypeDoc is a free TypeScript documentation generator that turns source comments into HTML pages or a JSON model. It builds from project exports and follows re-exports, allowing members declared elsewhere to appear in documentation. TSDoc and JSDoc tags are extracted, Markdown is accepted in comments, and fenced code blocks receive Shiki syntax highlighting. HTML and JSON are built in; Markdown output needs a plugin such as typedoc-plugin-markdown. A default theme is included, while plugins can add themes, alter conversion and symbol organization, or change display. Custom CSS and JavaScript can further adjust generated pages. Configuration can come from an options file, package.json, or tsconfig.json. TypeDoc runs on Node.js, uses the TypeScript compiler, and supports the current Node.js LTS or newer. For npm monorepos, the packages entry-point strategy can combine package documentation into one site. The project is Apache-2.0 licensed. Documentation warns that global installation can separate plugins and themes from the intended TypeDoc installation.