Stainless
Stainless: A configurable generator for teams shipping SDKs and developer tools from OpenAPI. Ranked #28 of 33 in Code Generators by our editors (6.5/10); pricing: Free plan · 30-day trial; best for managed SDKs plus developer tooling.
At a glance
- Editor score6.5 / 10
- PricingFree plan · 30-day trial
- Best forManaged SDKs plus developer tooling
- Free planYes
- Project scaffoldingYes
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Generates SDKs, tests, docs, CLIs, MCP servers, and Terraform providers
- Supports TypeScript, Python, Go, Java, Kotlin, Ruby, PHP, C#, and SQL
- Automates publishing and regeneration as APIs change
Where it doesn't
- Paid plan pricing is not publicly stated
- Code generation cannot be hosted on-premise
- The Free plan limits generators, seats, endpoints, and preview builds
Our verdict on Stainless
Stainless is a cloud-based code-generation platform for API companies and developer-focused teams. It turns OpenAPI specifications and Stainless configuration into idiomatic SDKs, API documentation, command-line tools, MCP servers, and Terraform providers. Teams can configure resources, methods, models, client settings, pagination, webhooks, streaming, custom code, and testing across supported languages including TypeScript, Python, Go, Java, Kotlin, Ruby, PHP, C#, and SQL.
The Free plan costs $0 and includes up to 5 generators, 5 seats, API size up to 25 endpoints, 100 preview builds per month, and email support. Starter, Pro, and Enterprise plans are also available, with paid billing offered monthly or annually. Stainless includes a 30-day free trial, and its AI features add to the platform’s developer-tooling scope. The main pricing consideration is that paid plan amounts are not stated, so teams comparing budgets will need plan-specific commercial information before selecting a tier.
Its strongest fit is an organization that treats SDKs and developer tools as part of its API product. Stainless can generate SDK tests and language-specific references, publish SDKs, automate regeneration when APIs change, scan dependencies, and update generated SDK dependencies for vulnerabilities. Hosted documentation and the web-based Stainless Studio workflow extend the platform beyond schema-to-code generation. Teams requiring on-premise code generation should choose an alternative, while teams seeking managed SDK production, documentation, CLI tooling, MCP servers, and Terraform providers can start with the Free plan and assess whether a paid tier fits.
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Stainless pricing
All 4 Stainless plans and prices →
Stainless fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Not verified |
| Project scaffolding | Yes |
| Custom templates | Not verified |
| Schema-to-code generation | Yes |
| CLI available | Yes |
| IDE plugins | Not verified |
| Supported languages | TypeScript, Python, Go, Java, Kotlin, Ruby, PHP, C#, SQL |
| Free trial | 30 days |
| Deployment | Cloud |
| Platforms | Web |
| Compliance & security | SOC 2 |
| Support | Email, Docs |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Pricing | Free plan · 30-day trial (source) |
| Website | stainless.com |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
Alternatives to Stainless
- OpenAPI GeneratorA flexible open-source toolkit for multi-language API generation and workflow integration.9.3
- Swagger CodegenA broad OpenAPI code generator with strong language coverage and CLI access.9.1
- Spring InitializrA focused, extensible way to start Spring Boot projects with the right build and dependency choices.9.0
See all Stainless alternatives →
Also Ranked In
Stainless is ranked in 4 of our directories.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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