specification: FinOps Framework
specificationVersion: '1.0'
alignedWith:
  framework: FinOps Foundation Framework
  frameworkUrl: https://www.finops.org/framework/
  dataSpec: FOCUS
  dataSpecVersion: '1.3'
  dataSpecUrl: https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
provider: Fern
providerId: fern
publisherName: Fern
serviceCategory: Developer Tools / API Platform
created: '2026-05-04'
modified: '2026-05-22'
tags:
  - AI
  - API Definitions
  - Code Generation
  - Developer Experience
  - Documentation
  - OpenAPI
  - Platform
  - SDKs
  - FinOps
  - Cost Management
  - FOCUS
description: >-
  FinOps framework mapping for Fern. Fern's commercial model is seat-and-credit
  based (Hobby, Team, Enterprise) layered on top of usage of AI surfaces (Ask
  Fern, Fern Writer) measured in AI credits. This file maps Fern's billing
  surface to the FinOps Foundation framework and FOCUS data spec so consuming
  organizations can allocate, forecast, and unit-economize Fern spend.
principles:
  - name: Visibility
    description: Make Fern seat and AI-credit consumption visible to platform engineering, docs, and finance.
  - name: Allocation
    description: Allocate Fern subscription cost to the API or product lines whose SDKs and docs Fern produces.
  - name: Optimization
    description: Right-size seat counts and choose between Hobby, Team, and Enterprise based on actual usage.
  - name: Accountability
    description: Assign an owner for each Fern workspace and a budget for AI credits per cycle.
domains:
  - name: Understand Usage and Cost
    capabilities:
      - Data Ingestion
      - Allocation
      - Reporting and Analytics
      - Anomaly Management
  - name: Quantify Business Value
    capabilities:
      - Planning and Estimating
      - Forecasting
      - Budgeting
      - Benchmarking
      - Unit Economics
  - name: Optimize Usage and Cost
    capabilities:
      - Rate Optimization
      - Workload Optimization
      - Licensing and SaaS
  - name: Manage the FinOps Practice
    capabilities:
      - FinOps Practice Operations
      - FinOps Education and Enablement
      - Invoicing and Chargeback
      - Onboarding Workloads
billingModel:
  pricingCategory: Subscription Plus Usage
  billingFrequency: Monthly
  billingCurrency: USD
  chargeCategories:
    - Usage
    - Purchase
    - Tax
    - Credit
    - Adjustment
  chargeFrequency: Recurring
focusColumns:
  ServiceName: Fern
  ServiceCategory: Developer Tools / API Platform
  ProviderName: Fern
  PublisherName: Fern
  InvoiceIssuerName: Fern
  PricingCategory: Subscription Plus Usage
  PricingUnit: seat-or-ai-credit
  BillingCurrency: USD
  ChargeCategory: Usage
meters:
  - name: seats
    description: Active workspace seats billed each cycle.
    unit: seat
    aggregation: max
    dimensions:
      - workspace
      - plan
  - name: ai_credits
    description: AI credits consumed by Ask Fern, Fern Writer, and other AI surfaces.
    unit: credit
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - workspace
      - surface
      - feature
apis:
  - name: Fern Platform
    baseURL: https://buildwithfern.com
    tags:
      - AI
      - Code Generation
      - Developer Experience
      - Documentation
      - SDKs
    serviceName: Fern
    serviceCategory: Developer Tools / API Platform
unitEconomics:
  - name: Cost per Active Seat
    metric: billed_cost / seats
    target: TBD
  - name: Cost per AI Credit Consumed
    metric: billed_cost / ai_credits_consumed
    target: TBD
  - name: Cost per Generated SDK Release
    metric: billed_cost / sdk_releases
    target: TBD
maintainers:
  - FN: Kin Lane
    email: kin@apievangelist.com