diff --git a/plugins/airbrake-backend/README.md b/plugins/airbrake-backend/README.md
index 42369524d6..c7588fdb4e 100644
--- a/plugins/airbrake-backend/README.md
+++ b/plugins/airbrake-backend/README.md
@@ -1,12 +1,16 @@
 # airbrake-backend
 
-Welcome to the airbrake-backend backend plugin!
+The Airbrake backend plugin provides a simple proxy to the Airbrake API while hiding away the secret API key from the frontend.
 
-_This plugin was created through the Backstage CLI_
+## How to use
 
-## Getting started
+See the [Airbrake plugin instructions](../airbrake/README.md#how-to-use).
 
-Your plugin has been added to the example app in this repository, meaning you'll be able to access it by running `yarn start` in the root directory, and then navigating to [/airbrake-backend](http://localhost:7007/airbrake-backend).
+## Local Development
+
+1. Set the environment variable `AIRBRAKE_API_KEY` with your API key.
+2. Run this plugin in standalone mode by running `yarn start`. The configuration is already setup in the root [`app-config.yaml`](../../app-config.yaml) to pick up your API key from the environment variable above.
+3. Access it from [/airbrake-backend](http://localhost:7007/airbrake-backend). Or use the Airbrake plugin which will talk to it automatically when using the real API.
 
 Here is an example endpoint: http://localhost:7007/airbrake-backend/health
 
diff --git a/plugins/airbrake/README.md b/plugins/airbrake/README.md
index f81bb5a7e7..3a77266890 100644
--- a/plugins/airbrake/README.md
+++ b/plugins/airbrake/README.md
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ The Airbrake plugin provides connectivity between Backstage and Airbrake (https:
      });
 
      const service = createServiceBuilder(module)
-       // ...
+       // ... Add the airbrakeRouter here
        .addRouter('/api/airbrake', airbrakeRouter);
    }
    ```
@@ -63,10 +63,13 @@ The Airbrake plugin provides connectivity between Backstage and Airbrake (https:
      apiKey: ${AIRBRAKE_API_KEY}
    ```
 
-6. Set an environment variable `AIRBRAKE_API_KEY` with your [API Key](https://airbrake.io/docs/api/#authentication) before starting Backstage backend.
+6. Set an environment variable `AIRBRAKE_API_KEY` with your [API Key](https://airbrake.io/docs/api/#authentication)
+   before starting Backstage backend.
 
-## Getting started
+## Local Development
 
-You can serve the plugin in isolation by running `yarn start` in the plugin directory. This method of serving the plugin
-provides quicker iteration speed and a faster startup and hot reloads. It is only meant for local development, and the
-setup for it can be found inside the [/dev](./dev) directory.
+Start this plugin in standalone mode by running `yarn start`. This method of serving the plugin provides quicker
+iteration speed and a faster startup and hot reloads. It is only meant for local development, and the setup for it can
+be found inside the [/dev](./dev) directory.
+
+> A mock API will be used to run it in standalone. If you want to talk to the real API [follow the instructions to start up Airbrake Backend in standalone](../airbrake-backend/README.md#local-development).