How popular isReadMe?
In September 2026, people searched for ReadMe by name about 800 times worldwide, a 36.5% decrease from the previous year. These searches made up 1.2% of all global developer documentation platform searches, placing ReadMe fifth out of seven platforms. When we asked both ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about developer documentation platforms, ReadMe appeared in all answers and was the second most recommended of the seven.
ReadMe is the fifth most searched of 7 competitors and the second most recommended in AI answers.
DocusaurusShare of searches 44%Mentioned in 4 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 4th
MintlifyShare of searches 35.9%Mentioned in 5 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 1st
Read the DocsShare of searches 10.7%Mentioned in 0 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations –
GitBookShare of searches 7.1%Mentioned in 5 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 3rd
ReadMeShare of searches 1.2%Mentioned in 5 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 2nd
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Top developer documentation platforms in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, ReadMe appeared in all five answers. ReadMe is the second most recommended of the seven.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
- Mintlify1st
- ReadMe2nd
- GitBook3rd
- Docusaurus4th
Fern5th- Read the Docs–
Slate–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Mintlify5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- GitBook5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- ReadMe5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Docusaurus4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Fern2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Read the Docs0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Slate0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about developer documentation platforms
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which developer documentation platform should I use?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best developer documentation platforms?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best developer documentation platform for a dev team?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“api documentation tool”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“developer documentation platforms”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 20, 2026.
Which developer documentation platforms compete with ReadMe?
Share of searches by month for Docusaurus, Mintlify, Read the Docs, GitBook, ReadMe. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Docusaurus | Mintlify | Read the Docs | GitBook | ReadMe | Fern | Slate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 48.9% | 32.7% | 9.8% | 6.5% | 1.3% | 0.59% | 0.17% |
| Nov 2025 | 52.1% | 28.6% | 10.4% | 6.9% | 1.1% | 0.59% | 0.22% |
| Dec 2025 | 49.6% | 33.2% | 9.9% | 5.4% | 1% | 0.69% | 0.13% |
| Jan 2026 | 47.8% | 32% | 11.7% | 6.4% | 1.1% | 0.82% | 0.17% |
| Feb 2026 | 42.6% | 34.9% | 12.7% | 6.9% | 1.6% | 0.94% | 0.17% |
| Mar 2026 | 43.9% | 35.9% | 10.7% | 7.2% | 1.3% | 0.8% | 0.19% |
| Apr 2026 | 42.1% | 42.1% | 8.4% | 5.6% | 1.1% | 0.67% | 0.11% |
| May 2026 | 43.9% | 36% | 10.7% | 7.1% | 1.2% | 0.94% | 0.15% |
| Jun 2026 | 47.8% | 39% | 6.4% | 5.2% | 0.94% | 0.61% | 0.11% |
| Jul 2026 | 41.6% | 41.6% | 8.3% | 6.8% | 1% | 0.64% | 0.14% |
| Aug 2026 | 46.6% | 38.1% | 7.6% | 6.2% | 0.73% | 0.66% | 0.1% |
| Sep 2026 | 44% | 35.9% | 10.7% | 7.1% | 1.2% | 0.85% | 0.14% |
| Rank | Brand | Share of searches | Estimated monthly branded searches | vs prior month | Share change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1, held 1st | 44% | 22.2K | -32.9% | -2.6 points | |
| 2, held 2nd | 35.9% | 18.1K | -33.2% | -2.2 points | |
| 3, held 3rd | 10.7% | 5.4K | 0% | +3.1 points | |
| 4, held 4th | 7.1% | 3.6K | -18.2% | +0.9 points | |
| 5, held 5th | 1.2% | 630 | +21.2% | +0.5 points | |
| 6, held 6th | 0.85% | 430 | -8.5% | +0.2 points | |
| 7, held 7th | 0.14% | 70 | 0% | 0 points |
44%
Held 1st. 22.2K estimated branded searches, -32.9% vs prior month. Share -2.6 points.
2.
Mintlify35.9%
Held 2nd. 18.1K estimated branded searches, -33.2% vs prior month. Share -2.2 points.
10.7%
Held 3rd. 5.4K estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share +3.1 points.
4.
GitBook7.1%
Held 4th. 3.6K estimated branded searches, -18.2% vs prior month. Share +0.9 points.
5.
ReadMe1.2%
Held 5th. 630 estimated branded searches, +21.2% vs prior month. Share +0.5 points.
6.
Fern0.85%
Held 6th. 430 estimated branded searches, -8.5% vs prior month. Share +0.2 points.
7.
Slate0.14%
Held 7th. 70 estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share 0 points.
Compare popularity between ReadMe and its closest rivals
Every comparison with ReadMe
12 comparisons
How has branded search demand for ReadMe changed worldwide over the last 12 months?
2 findings
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, estimated monthly branded searches for ReadMe worldwide fell from 1.3K to 800.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, ReadMe’s share of searches among developer documentation platforms worldwide held steady, from 1.3% to 1.2%.
How did search popularity change for developer documentation platforms worldwide in September 2026?
6 changes
In September 2026, Read the Docs gained share of searches among developer documentation platforms worldwide, from 7.6% to 10.7%.
In September 2026, GitBook gained share of searches among developer documentation platforms worldwide, from 6.2% to 7.1%.
In September 2026, ReadMe gained share of searches among developer documentation platforms worldwide, from 0.73% to 1.2%.
In September 2026, Docusaurus lost share of searches among developer documentation platforms worldwide, from 46.6% to 44%.
In September 2026, Mintlify lost share of searches among developer documentation platforms worldwide, from 38.1% to 35.9%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Slate worldwide fell 50% over 12 measured months, from 140 to 70 in September 2026.
How are ReadMe’s branded searches counted?
5 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using ReadMe’s name. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brand is growing, holding steady, or fading.
- api documentation readme
- readme api
- readme api documentation
- readme com
- readme documentation
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Where does ReadMe compete?
| Competitor set | Rank | Share of searches | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| API documentation tools | 8th of 9 | 0.95% | Show ranking |
| Developer documentation platforms | 5th of 7 | 1.2% | Shown above |
Is ReadMe your brand?
Put your own campaigns, spend and outcomes next to this demand line, so you can see which of your marketing lined up with the movements above.