# Mintlify Pricing vs Free Static API Docs

**Short answer:** A hosted platform starts with a free tier and a Pro plan that grows with the surface; a generated reference is exported as static files and hosted within plan limits. A larger reference does not push a static export across a per-page gate, which is the pricing difference that matters.

## What the platform bill tracks

Pages, seats, and features. A free starter is a good way to begin, and a larger reference or team moves you into a paid platform plan.

## What a static export tracks

| Property | Hosted platform | Static export |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reference size | Per-page pricing | Static files |
| Hosting | Included in plan | Hub within plan |
| Upfront work | Low | Generation |
| Exit cost | Migration | Plain files |

## How to estimate

Count the operations and the pages, not just the seats. A large API reference is a large surface on a platform, and the bill reflects that. The static export is the same surface at no per-page cost.

## The honest takeaway

The platform is worth it when you want the hosting and the broader docs product handled. If the reference is the main job, a portable export is the lower-cost path.

This is part of the [Powerduck vs Mintlify comparison](https://www.powerduck.com/blog/powerduck-vs-mintlify/). Next, read [the reference comparison](https://www.powerduck.com/blog/openapi-reference-mintlify-vs-powerduck/).