20 Best Postman Alternatives for API Testing and Development
Postman is a leading tool for API testing and development, but it's not the only option available. Here, we present the 20 best Postman alternatives, highlighting their key features, pros, cons, websites, and pricing.
Postman is one of the most renowned tools for API testing and development, but it’s not without competition. Depending on your specific needs—be it extensive feature sets, simpler interfaces, budget-friendly pricing, or integrations—there are multiple Postman alternatives to consider. Here, we bring you the 20 best Postman alternatives, detailing their core features, pros, cons, websites, and pricing.
Postman Alternative 1: Apidog
Product Introduction
Apidog is the best free alternative to Postman, providing developers with an all-in-one workspace for API design, documentation, debugging, mocking, and testing. With Apidog, you can streamline the process of the entire API development lifecycle, achieving faster and more efficient development.
Additionally, Apidog automatically generates documentation, mock data without extra configurations, and performs automated API tests, further enhancing productivity and ensuring comprehensive API coverage, making it a stand-out Postman alternative for developers who are seeking for an all-in-one versatile API development platform.
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Key Features of Apidog
User-friendly Interface: Apidog offers an intuitive and easy-to-use interface for seamless API design, testing and development.
API Documentation: Automatically generate detailed and interactive documentation to facilitate clear communication between API developers.
Request Management: Efficiently create, edit, and organize API requests with support for various request types, headers, parameters, and authentication methods.
Mocking and Virtualization: Create API mocks and virtualize responses to test API behavior in different scenarios and speed up development.
Test Automation: Automate API tests and run them in a continuous integration environment to catch potential issues early and ensure API reliability.
Collaboration and Team Management: Facilitate effective collaboration with role-based access control, versioning, and commenting features.
Pros
All-in-one API development platform developers will need for API development
Intuitive interface
Excellent collaboration features
Comprehensive testing tools
Affordable and reasonable pricing
Cons
New product compared to its alternative, Postman
Frequent updates are necessary as the team operates on a weekly sprint development cycle.
Pricing
Free with no team size limit. Professional features are available for free trial.
Katalon Studio, another Postman alternative, is a versatile automated testing platform that covers a comprehensive range of testing needs, from web and mobile applications to desktops and APIs. Known for its dual scripting interface, which allows both keyword-driven and code-driven testing, Katalon Studio is designed to accommodate testers with varying levels of expertise.
Key Features of Katalon Studio
Wide API Support: Handles RESTful, SOAP, and GraphQL APIs.
CI/CD Integration: Integrates seamlessly with Jenkins, Azure DevOps, and other CI/CD tools.
Script Mode: Dual scripting interface using Groovy and Java for high-level test definition.
Keyword-driven Testing: Use built-in keywords to create tests without comprehensive coding.
Reporting and Analytics: Generate detailed reports with comprehensive analytics.
Pros
Comprehensive and versatile test automation
CI/CD integrations
Rich set of built-in keywords
Cons
High learning curve
Advanced features in higher-priced plans
Pricing
Free plan available. Commercial plans start at $1499/year
Swagger, alternative to Postman, is much more than just an API development tool—it's a comprehensive suite designed to facilitate the entire API lifecycle. Created to work seamlessly with the OpenAPI Specification, Swagger helps developers design, build, document, and consume RESTful web services with ease.
SwaggerHub, the flagship product, provides a collaborative platform for teams to work together on API development, offering interactive documentation, code generation, API mocking, and detailed analytics.
Key Features of Swagger
OpenAPI Compatibility: Designed to work seamlessly with OpenAPI specifications.
Interactive Documentation: Enables real-time interaction with API endpoints directly from the documentation.
Code Generation: Auto-generate client SDKs and server stubs in multiple languages.
API Mocking: Create mock servers to simulate API behavior before implementation.
Policy Management: Apply policies for access control, throttling, and more.
Paw, replacement option for Postman, stands out as a full-featured API client specifically engineered for macOS users. It offers an exceptionally smooth, native macOS experience, combining powerful functionalities with an aesthetic, user-friendly interface. Paw supports various authentication mechanisms, handles complex API interactions, and boasts a plethora of integrations that streamline the development workflow.
Key Features of Paw
HTTP, REST, and GraphQL Support: Comprehensive support for various API types.
Advanced Authentication: Handle complex authentication mechanisms like OAuth 2.0, AWS Signature, etc.
Environment and Values: Share environments and variables across workspaces.
Response Rendering: Visualize complex responses easily with built-in renderers for HTML, JSON, and XML.
Team Collaboration: Share projects and maintain a history of interactions.
Insomnia, Postman alternative, is a powerful, open-source API client designed to handle REST, GraphQL, and gRPC requests. Engineered with a user-centric approach, it combines simplicity with robust features, making it an ideal choice for developers who require a straightforward yet versatile tool for API testing and development. Insomnia focuses on providing an intuitive interface that streamlines the process of sending requests, managing environments, and automating tests.
Key Features of Insomnia
Multiple API Protocols: Supports REST, GraphQL, and gRPC, offering versatile API interaction.
Environment Variables: Allows setting up various environments to handle different configurations.
Plugins and Themes: Easily extendable through plugins and customizable themes for tailored experiences.
Code Generation: Generate code snippets in multiple languages (Python, JavaScript, etc.) to integrate APIs quickly.
Automated Testing: Use Insomnia Designer to create and automate API tests.
Pros
User-friendly and intuitive UI
Strong support for multiple APIs
Extensible with plugins
Cons
Limited advanced testing features compared to some competitors
Pricing
Free and Open-source; Paid plans start from $50/year per user
SoapUI is a comprehensive testing tool specifically designed for testing SOAP and RESTful APIs. With its intuitive interface, it enables testers to create and execute complex test cases, perform security testing, and generate detailed reports. If you are trying to find an alternative for Postman, it can be a good option to try out.
Key Features of SoapUI
Functional testing for SOAP and REST APIs
API mocking
Automated and manual testing
Groovy scripting support
CI/CD integrations
Pros
Comprehensive testing tools
Strong SOAP support
Advanced scripting capabilities
Cons
Learning curve due to feature richness
User interface can feel outdated
Pricing
Free version available; Pro version starts at $985/year
Apigee, a product of Google Cloud, is a prestigious API management platform renowned for its extensive capabilities in designing, securing, deploying, monitoring, and scaling APIs. It offers complete lifecycle management tools that enable enterprises to handle complex API ecosystems efficiently, making it a great Postman alternative.
Key Features of Apigee
API Lifecycle Management: Manage APIs from design to deployment.
Detailed Analytics: Monitor API performance with real-time analytics and dashboards.
Security Features: Secure your APIs with OAuth, SAML, OpenID Connect, and more.
Developer Portal: Provide a portal for developers with API documentation and subscription tools.
Traffic Management: Set up policies for caching, rate limiting, and quota management.
HTTPie is a modern command-line HTTP client designed to create human-friendly command-line HTTP requests. Its simplicity and elegance make it an excellent tool for developers who need to test and interact with APIs directly from the terminal. HTTPie features intuitive syntax, easy-to-read output, and built-in support for JSON, making it a favorite Postman alternative among command-line enthusiasts.
Key Features of HTTPie
Command-line Interface: Clean and intuitive command-line interface for HTTP requests.
JSON Support: Direct support for JSON data with syntax highlighting.
Interactive Mode: Real-time interaction with API endpoints.
Custom Plugins: Extend functionality with community or custom plugins.
Hoppscotch (previously known as Postwoman), an alternative to Postman, is a community-driven, open-source API development ecosystem that focuses on simplicity, speed, and ease of use. As a web-based tool, it allows developers to send requests and manage APIs directly from their browsers without the need for installation. Hoppscotch supports multiple API protocols, including REST, GraphQL, and more, making it a versatile solution for various API testing scenarios.
Key Features of Postwoman
REST and GraphQL Support: Simplified handling of RESTful and GraphQL APIs.
Being a great Postman alternative, API Fortress is a robust continuous testing platform explicitly designed for APIs, offering a comprehensive solution for automated functional testing, performance testing, and monitoring. With its user-friendly visual test creation interface, API Fortress simplifies the process of creating and maintaining tests, suitable for both technical and non-technical users.
Key Features of API Fortress
Functional and Load Testing: Comprehensive functional and load testing capabilities.
Integration Compatibility: Integrates with CI/CD tools for continuous testing.
Monitoring and Alerts: Real-time monitoring and intelligent alert notifications.
Visual Test Creation: User-friendly visual interface for creating and managing tests.
Extensive Reporting: Detailed reports with actionable insights.
Pros
Powerful automated testing features
Integration with multiple CI tools
Cons
Enterprise-focused, may be overkill for smaller teams
Fiddler, Postman equivalent, is a widely used HTTP debugging proxy server application that enables developers and testers to inspect, modify, and debug network traffic from any application supporting HTTP/HTTPS. Initially developed by Eric Lawrence at Microsoft, Fiddler has evolved into an essential tool for anyone needing to dive deep into web traffic analysis, performance testing, and debugging.
Key Features of Fiddler
Traffic Capture and Inspection: Deeply inspect HTTP/HTTPS traffic to and from your application.
Advanced Request Debugging: Edit and replay requests for thorough analysis.
Performance Testing: Measure and improve performance with detailed metrics.
Session Comparison: Compare session data to troubleshoot differences effectively.
FiddlerScript: Customize and extend Fiddler’s functionality using FiddlerScript.
Pros
Robust feature set for HTTP debugging
Deep network inspection capabilities
Cons
Steeper learning curve
No built-in support for API documentation
Pricing
Free version available; Fiddler Everywhere starts at $12/month
RESTer, Postman-like tool, is a lightweight API testing tool available as a Firefox add-on, providing developers with the convenience of testing APIs directly from their browser. Despite its simplicity, RESTer offers a robust set of features, including support for various HTTP methods, request customization, and history management. It is an excellent choice for developers who prefer minimalistic tools for quick API testing without the need for full-fledged standalone applications.
Key Features of RESTer
HTTP Methods: Full support for various HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, etc.)
Request Customization: Configure headers, body, and query parameters easily.
Request History: Maintain history of past requests for reference and replay.
Direct Browser Integration: Operates as a Firefox add-on for seamless browser interaction.
Thunder Client, alternative API client for Postman, is an API testing client specifically built as an extension for Visual Studio Code. Its lightweight nature and straightforward design make it an ideal tool for developers already working within the VSCode environment. Thunder Client supports REST and GraphQL APIs, environment variables, request collections, and automated testing right from your code editor.
Key Features of Thunder Client
VSCode Integration: Integrated directly into Visual Studio Code.
Environment Variables: Manage different environment settings within the same project.
Request Collections: Organize requests into collections for better management.
Testing Capabilities: Create and execute tests directly from the extension.
Lightweight and Fast: Minimal overhead for fast performance.
Pros
Integrated with VSCode
Lightweight and fast
Cons
Limited to Visual Studio Code
Fewer features than full-fledged standalone tools
Pricing
Free plan available; Paid plan starts at $3/user/month
Karate DSL is an open-source framework specifically tailored for API test automation, employing a Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) approach for creating readability-focused tests. Developed to simplify complex API testing scenarios, Karate DSL, a Postman equivalent tool, supports both JSON and XML data formats, delivers built-in support for performance testing, and integrates seamlessly with other tools in the CI/CD ecosystem.
Key Features of Karate DSL
BDD Syntax: Use Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) syntax for defining tests.
API Performance Testing: Built-in support for performance and load testing.
Data-Driven Tests: Use external data source files for data-driven testing.
extensive Library: Comprehensive set of functions and utilities for testing.
Integration Support: Seamless integration with CI/CD pipelines and tools.
ReadyAPI by SmartBear is a premium API testing suite tailored for professionals who require advanced testing capabilities for RESTful, SOAP, and other web services. ReadyAPI, being a replacement for Postman, offers a feature-rich environment for functional, security, and load testing, with a focus on maximizing API reliability and performance. It supports extensive data-driven testing, advanced scripting, and seamless integration with CI/CD pipelines.
Key Features of ReadyAPI
Comprehensive API Support: Covers REST, SOAP, GraphQL, and other web services.
Functional and Load Testing: Advanced support for both functional and performance testing.
Data-driven Testing: Utilize a variety of data sources for extensive testing.
Scripting and Assertions: Advanced scripting and assertion capabilities for custom validation.
CI/CD Integration: Seamlessly integrates into continuous integration and deployment pipelines.
Pros
Comprehensive feature set
Excellent support for SOAP and REST
Cons
Higher price point
Steeper learning curve
Pricing
Free trial available; Pro plans start at $759/year
Restlet, a Postman substitute, is a cloud-based API development platform that offers a holistic approach to API design, testing, and documentation. Known for its ease of use and comprehensive feature set, Restlet provides developers with tools for visually designing APIs, automating tests, and creating detailed documentation.
Key Features of Restlet
API Design Tools: Visual and text-based tools for designing APIs.
Testing and Mocking: Tools for thorough testing and mocking of APIs.
Collaboration Features: Share APIs and work collaboratively on them.
Deployment Support: Deploy APIs directly to cloud environments.
Documentation Generation: Create and maintain extensive API documentation.
Pros
User-friendly and web-based
Comprehensive suite for API lifecycle
Cons
Performance can be slower compared to desktop clients
Some features behind a paywall
Pricing
Free plan available; Paid plans start at $20/month
Tyk is an advanced API management platform that provides a comprehensive suite of tools for API gateway management, developer engagement, and analytics. Tyk, considered as a Postman substitute, excels in delivering high-performance API traffic management, robust security, and scalability, making it ideal for large-scale implementations.
Key Features of Tyk
API Gateway: Advanced gateway capabilities for secure, high-performance API management.
Traffic Management: Features like rate limiting, quota management, and load balancing.
Developer Portal: Customizable portal for developers, with extensive documentation.
Analytics and Monitoring: Real-time analytics and monitoring tools.
Security and Authentication: Comprehensive suite of security features including JWT, OAuth.
RestSharp, a free and open-source Postman counterpart, is a popular HTTP client library for .NET developers, providing a streamlined way to interact with RESTful APIs. Known for its ease of use and robust feature set, RestSharp simplifies the creation of HTTP requests and handling of responses, supporting both asynchronous and synchronous operations.
Key Features of RestSharp
Async and Sync Calls: Support for both asynchronous and synchronous HTTP calls.
Strongly Typed Support: Strongly typed request and response objects for robustness.
Firecamp is an all-in-one API testing client designed to support developers in managing and testing various APIs like REST, GraphQL, WebSocket, and more, making it an excellent Postman-like tool. Its modern interface and integrated feature set aim to simplify the development and debugging of APIs while enhancing productivity.
Key Features of Firecamp
Multiple API Protocols: Support for REST, GraphQL, WebSocket, and other API protocols.
Environment Management: Easily manage different environments and switch between them for testing.
Request History and Collections: Keep track of your requests and organize them into collections.
Advanced Debugging Tools: Inspect headers, parameters, and payloads in detail.
Real-time Collaboration: Share workspaces and collaborate with team members in real-time.
Code Generation: Generate code snippets for multiple languages to integrate APIs quickly.
Mock Server: Create mock servers to simulate API behaviors during development.
Pros
Unified Platform: Supports multiple API types, reducing the need for different tools.
User-Friendly Interface: Modern and intuitive UI enhances usability.
Collaboration: Real-time collaboration makes it easier for teams to work together.
Cons
Relatively New: As a newer tool, it may still be evolving and may lack some advanced features found in more mature tools.
Limited Integrations: Fewer third-party integrations compared to more established tools.
Pricing
Free plan available; Paid plan starts at $59/month
Apache JMeter, counterpart to Postman, is a highly popular, open-source load testing tool designed to measure the performance and scalability of web applications and APIs. Dfeveloped by the Apache Software Foundation, JMeter is renowned for its robust capabilities in simulating heavy loads on servers, networks, or applications to test strength and analyze overall performance under different load types.
Key Features of JMeter
Load Testing: Simulate heavy loads on servers, networks, or applications to test their performance.
Support for Multiple Protocols: HTTP, HTTPS, SOAP, REST, FTP, JDBC, LDAP, and more.
Extensive Reporting and Analysis: Detailed graphs, charts, and reports for in-depth analysis of performance metrics.
Scripted Testing: Uses Apache Groovy for scripting complex test scenarios.
Distributed Testing: Supports distributed load testing to scale tests across multiple machines.
Customizable Elements: Flexible test configurations with samplers, listeners, controllers, and configuration elements.
Integration with CI/CD Pipelines: Integrates well with build systems like Jenkins for automated performance testing.
Pros
Open-Source: Free to use and supported by a large community.
Comprehensive: Robust feature set for load and performance testing.
Support for Multiple Protocols: Can test a wide range of services and applications.
Scalability: Capable of handling large-scale distributed load tests.
Cons
Steep Learning Curve: Complex interface and configuration might be challenging for beginners.
Resource-Intensive: Can require significant memory and CPU resources, especially for large-scale tests.
User Interface: Less user-friendly compared to modern, GUI-based testing tools.
Pricing
Free: JMeter is entirely open-source and free to use.
In the rapidly evolving world of APIs, having the right tool at hand can significantly impact your productivity and workflow efficiency. Each of these Postman alternatives has its unique strengths, catering to different needs and preferences. There's an option for everyone—from individual developers looking for simplicity to enterprises needing robust, scalable solutions. Choose wisely based on your specific requirements and workflow dynamics.
Especially, Apidog is the best Postman alternative for API development, with powerful features to efficiently and effectively meet your API designing, documentation, debugging, testing, and mocking needs.
