# Powerduck vs Mintlify: Which API Documentation Tool?

**Short answer:** Mintlify is a hosted docs platform built for a broad set of MDX pages and AI answers; Powerduck generates the API reference from the contract and exports it as portable static files. The overlap is the reference; the difference is the scope and the bill. Choose by whether the docs are a broad product or a synced reference.

## What Mintlify is best at

A polished, hosted home for guides, tutorials, and reference, with a good default design and AI answers. It is the right choice when documentation is a product in its own right.

## What a generated reference is best at

| Capability | Mintlify | Powerduck |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Content | MDX + reference | Reference from spec |
| Source of truth | Docs repo | OpenAPI file |
| Hosting | Cloud | Static / Hub |
| Lock-in | Platform | Portable files |

## The drift problem

A reference wired into a larger platform can still be a separate surface from the contract. A generated reference is the contract rendered, so it cannot drift.

## The decision rule

Use Mintlify for a broad, hosted docs product. Use Powerduck when the reference must stay in lockstep with the spec, export cleanly, and avoid a per-page bill.

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