diff --git a/src/cli/README.md b/src/cli/README.md
index 345e09116..74c93f417 100644
--- a/src/cli/README.md
+++ b/src/cli/README.md
@@ -1859,6 +1859,16 @@ OPENTHREAD/gf4f2f04; Jul  1 2016 17:00:09
 Done
 ```
 
+### version api
+
+Print API version number.
+
+```bash
+> version api
+28
+Done
+```
+
 ### mac retries direct
 
 Get the number of direct TX retries on the MAC layer.
diff --git a/src/cli/cli.cpp b/src/cli/cli.cpp
index b9f4faef8..79392d2e3 100644
--- a/src/cli/cli.cpp
+++ b/src/cli/cli.cpp
@@ -3685,13 +3685,25 @@ exit:
 
 otError Interpreter::ProcessVersion(uint8_t aArgsLength, char *aArgs[])
 {
-    OT_UNUSED_VARIABLE(aArgsLength);
-    OT_UNUSED_VARIABLE(aArgs);
+    otError error = OT_ERROR_NONE;
 
-    const char *version = otGetVersionString();
-    OutputLine("%s", static_cast<const char *>(version));
+    if (aArgsLength == 0)
+    {
+        OutputLine("%s", otGetVersionString());
+        ExitNow();
+    }
 
-    return OT_ERROR_NONE;
+    if (strcmp(aArgs[0], "api") == 0)
+    {
+        OutputLine("%d", OPENTHREAD_API_VERSION);
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        ExitNow(error = OT_ERROR_INVALID_COMMAND);
+    }
+
+exit:
+    return error;
 }
 
 #if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_COMMISSIONER_ENABLE && OPENTHREAD_FTD
diff --git a/tests/scripts/expect/cli-misc.exp b/tests/scripts/expect/cli-misc.exp
index 2b21efeb1..6b49fa8e6 100755
--- a/tests/scripts/expect/cli-misc.exp
+++ b/tests/scripts/expect/cli-misc.exp
@@ -108,6 +108,11 @@ expect "Done"
 
 send "version\n"
 expect "Done"
+send "version api\n"
+expect -re {\d+}
+expect "Done"
+send "version something_invalid\n"
+expect "Error 35: InvalidCommand"
 
 send "joinerport 10001\n"
 expect "Done"