HelpLayerCompare / ReadMe
HelpLayer vs ReadMe
ReadMe hosts developer documentation: API references you can try, guides, changelogs and recipes, with AI that drafts doc updates from pull requests. HelpLayer does that for a customer help center, with a narrated video and a click-through demo for every article.
Free plan · no card needed
CHOOSE README IF
You document an API: you need an interactive API reference from OpenAPI, API logs, code recipes and docs as code with Git sync.
CHOOSE HELPLAYER IF
You write step-by-step help for customers, not developers, and want narrated videos, demos and AI answers that stay current, from $29 a month.
FEATURE BY FEATURE
Where they differ
| Feature | HelpLayer | ReadMe |
|---|---|---|
| Help center with AI answers | Free plan, then $29 a month flat (3 team members). AI answers included. | $250 a month per project (Pro, billed yearly), with a lighter Ask AI included |
| Free plan | Yes: 1 help center, 25 articles | Yes: 1 project, 1 admin; AI answers are a $150-a-month add-on |
| Keeps articles up to date | Watches GitHub and web pages, writes the update, you approve it | Drafts doc updates from your pull requests for you to review (Pro) |
| Narrated video tutorials | Made from the article's steps, made again when they change | Embed a video |
| Click-through demos | Made from the article's steps | No; an interactive API explorer and code recipes |
| AI answers in your app | Widget, included | No embeddable AI widget |
| AI assistants can read it | llms.txt and an MCP server, built in | llms.txt and an MCP server, on every plan |
| Moving your articles | Paste your help center's address: articles, images and categories come over | From a URL, an OpenAPI spec or Markdown; guides for Mintlify, GitBook and others |
| Custom domain | Yes | Every plan |
WHAT IT COSTS
One docs site, 3 editors, 1,000 questions a month
ReadMe Pro
$250 a month
5 admins includeda lighter Ask AI included(no question limit published)
The full Ask AI, with analytics, is $150 more: $400 a month.
HelpLayer Pro
$29 a month
3 team members, 3 help centersAI answers includedvideos and demos included
Updates from your code included; you approve each one.
ReadMe prices from readme.com/pricing, billed yearly, October 5, 2026.
WHERE README IS AHEAD
- An interactive API reference from OpenAPI, with Try It and API logs.
- Drafts doc updates from every pull request onto a branch you review.
- llms.txt, an MCP server and Markdown for agents, even on the free plan.
- Docs as code: two-way Git sync, branches and reviews.
WHERE HELPLAYER IS AHEAD
- Written for customers: step-by-step articles with screenshots.
- Makes a narrated video and a click-through demo from each article.
- Watches web pages as well as code.
- An AI widget for your app, and AI answers included from $29 a month.
QUESTIONS
HelpLayer vs ReadMe: questions
Is HelpLayer like ReadMe?
Both draft doc updates from your code and ask you to review them. ReadMe is built for API and developer docs; HelpLayer is built for a customer help center, with narrated videos, click-through demos and an AI widget for your app.
Can I move my ReadMe docs to HelpLayer?
Yes. Paste your ReadMe docs address into HelpLayer (Articles → Import from another help center), and its pages come over with their categories.
Does HelpLayer need my code?
No. Connect GitHub for the best results, or point it at web pages like your pricing page or changelog, and it watches those instead.
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Sources, checked October 5, 2026: ReadMe pricing · Ask AI · GitHub AI Writer · llms.txt · MCP · Migrating. ReadMe is a trademark of its owner. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.