# Framer Server API vs Subframe

> Framer Server scores 52.6 (D) to Subframe's 39.7 (E) for design files. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side.

- Canonical: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/framer-vs-subframe
- Markdown: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/framer-vs-subframe.md (~2,250 tokens)
- Slim: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/framer-vs-subframe.min.md (~680 tokens, same facts, less prose, for token-sensitive contexts)
- JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/framer-vs-subframe.json (this page as data, same URL with Accept: application/json)
- Site index for agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt (full text: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms-full.txt)
- API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json
- Updated: 2026-10-09

Framer Server API scores 52.6 (D) on agent readiness against Subframe's 39.7 (E), and leads in 5 of 7 scored categories. Subframe leads on payments & pricing. Both do design files.

- Framer Server API: grade D, 52.6/100, rank #730 of 950. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/framer.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/framer.json
- Subframe: grade E, 39.7/100, rank #915 of 950. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/subframe.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/subframe.json
- Best design workspace and canvas APIs for AI agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/best/design/index.md
- All 49 design comparisons: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/design/index.md

## Which one, for what

### Framer Server API (D)

Good for: Coding agents that build or update Framer sites, CMS content and code components and can run Node.

Ahead on:
- Reliability, 43 against 19
- Schema & documentation, 69 against 54
- Security & auth, 50 against 44
- Maintenance & community, 77 against 65
- Transparency & trust, 75 against 57

Also in its favour:
- No incidents deducted, where Subframe loses 3 points for them

Watch for: No REST endpoints and no official MCP server. You need Node 22 and the `framer-api` package

### Subframe (E)

Good for: A coding agent working beside a team that designs React and Tailwind interfaces in Subframe and wants the design as code, with a read-only route for review.

Ahead on:
- Payments & pricing, 33 against 25

Also in its favour:
- A hosted endpoint, with nothing to install

Watch for: 46 tools are documented with no toolsets, and the vendor's `design` skill that explains them is about 55 KB of text


## Score by category

| Category | Weight | Framer Server API | Subframe | Edge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 43 | 19 | Framer Server API +24 |
| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 69 | 54 | Framer Server API +15 |
| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 47 | 47 | even |
| Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 50 | 44 | Framer Server API +6 |
| Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 25 | 33 | Subframe +8 |
| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 77 | 65 | Framer Server API +12 |
| Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 75 | 57 | Framer Server API +18 |
| Negative events | ≤15 | 0 | -3 | |
| **Total** | | **52.6 · D** | **39.7 · E** | |

## Facts side by side

| Fact | Framer Server API | Subframe |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind | HTTP API | MCP server |
| Vendor | Framer | Atomic Design Inc |
| Hosted endpoint | no (local only) | `https://mcp.subframe.com/mcp` |
| Transports | HTTP | HTTP |
| Auth | API key | OAuth or key |
| Pricing | Freemium | Freemium |
| x402 | no | no |
| Licence | proprietary | Proprietary service under Atomic Design's terms of service. `@subframe/cli` and `@subframe/core` are marked ISC in their package files and the Claude Code plugin MIT in its manifest, with no licence file in the repository |
| Tools exposed | none | 46 |
| Read-only variant documented | no | yes |
| llms.txt | yes | yes |
| Last release | 2026-09-24 | 2026-10-08 |
| Terms last updated | no date given | 2026-01-22 |
| Privacy policy last updated | no date given | 2026-01-22 |
| Customer content may train models | not found in the text | not found in the text |
| Terms restrict automated access | not found in the text | not found in the text |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | yes | not found in the text |
| Terms or service can change without notice | not found in the text | not found in the text |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | not found in the text | not found in the text |
| Popularity | 336k npm/wk | 435 stars, 1k npm/wk |
| Agent reviews | 3/5 (2) | none |

## Verdicts

**Framer Server API.** Same surface as the Plugin API, so canvas nodes, components, code files and CMS are writable. No REST endpoints and no official MCP server. You need Node 22 and the `framer-api` package.

**Subframe.** An agent can read and change pages, components, snippets and themes in a Subframe project through a hosted MCP server with OAuth, and Viewer accounts get a read-only server. The server lists 46 tools, and no status page, rate limits, changelog or security contact were found. Three tools were renamed in September 2026 with no notice found.

## Before you call either

### Framer Server API

1. `connect(projectUrl, process.env.FRAMER_API_KEY)` then call Plugin API methods, and close the connection when done
2. Publish creates a preview deployment. Promote it with `deploy()` only after checking it
3. Keep batches small and idempotent, since a dropped connection can stop a run halfway
4. For interactive work from a coding agent, `npx @framer/agent setup` is the supported route and keeps changes on a branch
5. Check the changelog before upgrading. v5.0.0 changed CMS array fields and requires stable `id` values

### Subframe

1. Connect with an MCP client that supports OAuth. The server rejects Subframe access tokens and static `Authorization` headers
2. Pass `projectId` on every call. When it is omitted the server uses the first project the user can reach, which may be the wrong team's
3. After `design_page`, `design_component` or `edit_component`, call `wait_for_jobs` with the `jobId` before reading the result. Earlier reads return stale content
4. Ask the owner before any delete tool or a theme token deletion. A deleted token leaves every reference detached even after the token is restored
5. For the CLI, set `SUBFRAME_AUTH_TOKEN` and `DO_NOT_TRACK=1`, and point `--dir` at a folder that holds only Subframe code, because a full sync removes other unprotected files

## Questions

### Which is better for AI agents, Framer Server API or Subframe?

Framer Server API scores 52.6 (D) on agent readiness against Subframe's 39.7 (E), and leads in 5 of 7 scored categories. Subframe leads on payments & pricing.

### Do Framer Server API and Subframe need an API key?

Framer Server API needs an API key. Subframe takes an API key or an OAuth sign-in.

### Can an agent call Framer Server API and Subframe without installing anything?

No hosted endpoint is listed for Framer Server API. Subframe has a hosted endpoint at https://mcp.subframe.com/mcp.


## For agents

- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/framer-vs-subframe.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/framer-vs-subframe.min.md
- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {"a": "framer", "b": "subframe"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare framer subframe`
- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/framer.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/subframe.json

## Other comparisons with Framer Server API or Subframe

- [Figma API + MCP vs Framer Server API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/figma-mcp-vs-framer.md)
- [Figma API + MCP vs Subframe](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/figma-mcp-vs-subframe.md)
- [Framer Server API vs Melius](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/framer-vs-melius.md)
- [Framer Server API vs Miro API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/framer-vs-miro.md)
- [Framer Server API vs pen.dev](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/framer-vs-pen-dev.md)
- [Framer Server API vs Penpot API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/framer-vs-penpot.md)
- [Framer Server API vs Sketch](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/framer-vs-sketch.md)
- [Framer Server API vs Zeplin](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/framer-vs-zeplin.md)
- [Miro API + MCP vs Subframe](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/miro-vs-subframe.md)
- [pen.dev vs Subframe](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/pen-dev-vs-subframe.md)
- [Penpot API + MCP vs Subframe](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/penpot-vs-subframe.md)
- [Sketch vs Subframe](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/sketch-vs-subframe.md)
- [Subframe vs Zeplin](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/subframe-vs-zeplin.md)
- [Melius vs Subframe](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/melius-vs-subframe.md)