Yes, you should be able to host generated OpenAPI docs for free while you are still reviewing them. The catch is that free docs hosting should be a review surface, not an accidental production launch.
If you searched for "free OpenAPI docs hosting with custom domains" or "host Swagger docs free," this is the practical split: free covers Sourced-hosted review URLs; production custom domains are a paid go-live feature.
That is the distinction Sourced uses:
- Free: unlimited SDK/docs previews and up to 2 hosted noindex docs review sites.
- Paid go-live: production custom domains, indexable docs, repo sync, team controls, npm/PyPI publishing, longer retention, and release automation.
This answers the searches API teams make when they are still evaluating:
- "Can I host OpenAPI docs for free?"
- "Free API docs hosting with custom domain later"
- "How do I preview API docs before DNS?"
- "Do generated docs get indexed by Google?"
- "What is the cheapest way to publish API docs and SDKs?"
Why free docs hosting should be noindex
Generated docs previews are useful because they are real URLs. Product, engineering, support, and a design reviewer can open the same site and comment on the same pages.
But those preview URLs should not become search results. Preview docs often include:
- test base URLs
- incomplete examples
- internal endpoint names
- routes that will change before launch
- copy that has not been approved
That is why Sourced-hosted review sites stay noindex. You can share them with a team, but they are not meant to compete with your production docs domain in search results.
What should be included for free
A useful free OpenAPI docs tier should include enough to evaluate the real output:
- A generated API reference from OpenAPI 3.0 or 3.1.
- Operation pages with parameters, request bodies, responses, and examples.
- SDK examples tied to the same spec.
llms.txtand per-page agent-readable Markdown where available.- Sitemap and SEO preview, even if the preview remains noindex.
- Downloadable artifacts so engineering can inspect what will ship.
- A stable hosted review URL.
Sourced includes unlimited previews and up to 2 hosted docs review sites free. That is intentionally more permissive than a "screenshot only" or "local preview only" trial. You can let real stakeholders review the docs before buying.
What should require upgrade
Production behavior is different from review behavior. These should be paid because they create ongoing operational responsibility:
- custom-domain docs
- indexable production pages
- DNS cutover checks
- redirect maps
- repo sync
- team access controls
- npm and PyPI publishing workflows
- longer artifact retention
- release approvals
This keeps the free tier generous without pretending production hosting costs nothing forever.
How it compares to docs platforms
Docs pricing is hard to compare because providers charge for different units:
- Stainless counts generators; a docs site can be one generator.
- Scalar has free hosted OpenAPI docs and paid SDK language add-ons.
- ReadMe has a free Starter plan, then paid docs and API experience tiers.
- Mintlify has a free Starter tier and a higher-priced Pro plan for teams.
- GitBook prices per site and per user.
- Bump.sh prices docs and MCP capacity by plan.
Sourced's pricing is meant to be simpler for API teams: preview for free, then pay by API project when production docs and live SDK workflows matter.
When to upgrade
Upgrade when any of these are true:
- Customers will see the docs.
- Google should index the docs.
- You need a production custom domain.
- You need teammates in the dashboard.
- You need GitHub sync.
- You are preparing npm or PyPI publishing.
- You need release approvals and longer retention.
Before that, a noindex docs review site is enough.