Fern vs Read the Docs:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Read the Docs had more branded searches than Fern among developer documentation platforms worldwide. Read the Docs had about 5,400 branded searches, while Fern had 430. Read the Docs made up 10.7% of all developer documentation platform searches we track, and Fern accounted for 0.85%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about developer documentation platforms, Fern appeared in two of the five answers and Read the Docs in none.
Who do people search for more?
Read the Docs, about 13 searches for every 1 for Fern
Who does AI mention more?
Fern, mentioned in 2 of 5 answers, Read the Docs in 0
Who does AI recommend more?
Fern, the only one of the two named
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Top developer documentation platforms in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Fern was mentioned in two out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Read the Docs did not appear in any of the five answers.
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.
Is Fern or Read the Docs more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Fern and Read the Docs by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven developer documentation platforms we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Read the Docs, Fern. 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% |
How has the Fern and Read the Docs comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Read the Docs was ahead of Fern in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Fern’s share of searches among developer documentation platforms worldwide moved from 0.59% to 0.85%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 490 to 430.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Read the Docs’ share of searches among developer documentation platforms worldwide moved from 9.8% to 10.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 8.1K to 5.4K.
How did search popularity change for developer documentation platforms worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Read the Docs gained share of searches among developer documentation platforms worldwide, from 7.6% to 10.7%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Fern worldwide fell 12.2% over 12 measured months, from 490 to 430 in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
3 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Fern’s and Read the Docs’ names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Fern
2 branded search terms
- buildwithfern
- fern api
Read the Docs
1 branded search term
- readthedocs
Other head-to-heads among developer documentation platforms
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