The Postman Free plan has long been a go-to for individuals and small teams. But in 2026, Postman is changing the rules: the free tier is being cut down to one user. If you're on the Postman free plan with teammates, you'll need either to pay up or find a free Postman alternative.
This article walks through the Postman free plan limitations (including the new 1-user cap), compares Postman pricing to a better Postman alternative, and shows how Apidog gives small teams a real free option—up to 4 users—with no run caps. Clear, factual, and straight to the point.
What is Postman?
Postman is a well-known platform for API development and testing. Teams use it to send requests, organize collections, run automated tests, mock APIs, and monitor performance. Its interface is familiar, and it has built a large ecosystem. At the same time, Postman free plan limits have grown tighter over the years—and the March 2026 update narrows the free tier further for anyone working with more than one person.
Postman Free Plan Change (March 1, 2026): One User Only
On March 1, 2026, Postman is updating its plans. The change that affects most small teams is this:
- Before: The Free plan could be used by multiple users (e.g. 3 people on one team).
- After: The Postman Free plan will be limited to a single user.
Users are receiving emails like this:
"On March 1, 2026, we're updating our plans. These changes affect how the Free plan works for teams. You're currently using Postman on the Free plan with 3 users. Moving forward, the Free plan will be limited to a single user. If you want to continue using Postman with multiple users, you'll need to move to the Team plan."
So for any team with more than one person, the Postman free plan effectively ends. You either:
- Stay on Free and use Postman alone, or
- Upgrade to the Team plan (paid per user).
That's why many are looking for free Postman alternatives that still allow small teams to collaborate at no cost.
Postman Free Plan Limitations (Summary)
Beyond the new 1-user limit, the Postman free plan carries other constraints. When you hit them, you’ll see messages like "You have reached the monthly usage limits of your plan." Here's a concise view of Postman free plan limitations:
| Limitation | Postman Free (from March 2026) |
|---|---|
| Team size | 1 user only — no free collaboration for 2+ people |
| Collection runs | 25 runs per month (local collection runner) |
| Spec Hub (private APIs) | 1 private API; unlimited public APIs |
| Mock server | Limited (paid tiers get 10K+ requests/month) |
| Integrations | Basic only |
Additional limits that often affect real usage:
- API creation (team): Only a handful of APIs on the free tier.
- Flows: Capped (e.g. 5 flows), which can limit workflow design.
- API calls / mock calls: Tight caps (e.g. 1,000) that don't scale for active testing or demos.
For small teams that need more than one seat or more runs and APIs, the Postman free plan is no longer enough. That's where Postman alternatives like Apidog come in.
Postman Pricing at a Glance (2026)
Postman’s simplified 2026 structure looks like this:
| Plan | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 1 user only — individuals, no team collaboration on free tier |
| Basic (Team) | $14/user/month (annual) | Small teams; full collaboration, more private APIs, mock/monitor requests |
| Professional | $29/user/month (annual) | Growing teams; RBAC, more packages, longer recovery |
| Enterprise | $49/user/month (annual) | Large orgs; SSO, governance, audit, high limits |
So Postman pricing for any kind of team collaboration starts at $14 per user per month. If you’re on the Postman free plan with 2–3 people today, moving to Team means a noticeable jump in cost. That's why comparing Postman alternatives—especially those with a free plan for small teams—is worth it.
Apidog: A Free Postman Alternative with Up to 4 Users
Apidog is an all-in-one platform for API design, mocking, testing, debugging and documentation. For teams weighing Postman free plan limits and Postman pricing, Apidog is one of the strongest free Postman alternatives because it keeps team size and usage generous on the free tier.
Why Apidog fits teams leaving the Postman free plan
- Up to 4 users on the free plan — No need to pay just to collaborate with 2–4 people. Postman free allows 1 user; Apidog free allows 4.
- Unlimited collection / test runs — No 25-runs-per-month cap. Run as often as your workflow needs.
- Unlimited API creation — No 3-API (or similar) ceiling. Build and maintain as many APIs as your project requires.
- Unlimited API and mock server calls — No 1,000-call wall. Test and mock at scale without hitting limits early.
- Real-time collaboration — Design, test, and document together in one place.
- Core features included — Full API client, mocking, testing, and basic docs are part of the free plan.
So if Postman is limiting your small team (1 user, 25 runs, tight API/mock caps), Apidog is a better Postman alternative for staying free while keeping the whole team on the same tool.
Apidog pricing (quick comparison)
| Free | Basic | Professional | Enterprise | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | 0/user | 9/user/mo | 18/user/mo | 27/user/mo |
| Team size (free) | Up to 4 users | Unlimited (paid) | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Collection/test runs | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Key extra | All core features | More branches, history, 20 projects | Advanced control, priority support | SSO, compliance, 24/7 support |
Apidog's free tier is time-unlimited and doesn’t lock core features behind a paywall. Paid tiers add more branches, history, and enterprise options—at lower per-user prices than Postman’s Team and above.
Try Apidog Free—No Credit Card Required
If the Postman free plan change (1 user, March 2026) affects you, switching to a free Postman alternative can keep your team productive without upgrading to Postman's Team plan.
Apidog gives you:
- 4 users free (vs Postman's 1)
- Unlimited runs and API/mock calls (vs Postman’s 25 runs and tight caps)
- Unlimited APIs and no flow count cap
Download Apidog for free and invite your team. No credit card required. You can import Postman collections and start testing in minutes—and keep your small team on a proper free plan while Postman tightens theirs.
Conclusion
Postman free plan is being reduced to a single user from March 1, 2026. For small teams that relied on the old free tier, Postman effectively becomes a paid product for collaboration. Postman pricing for teams starts at $14/user/month.
Apidog remains one of the best free Postman alternatives: up to 4 users, unlimited runs, and no API or mock call caps on the free plan. If you're looking for a better Postman alternative that doesn’t punish small teams, try Apidog today.
