You can use Postman for free today: sign up, download the client, and start sending requests and building collections at no cost. For personal use, that's often enough. But Postman pricing and plan rules have changed. From March 1, 2026, Postman free is 1 user only and 25 collection runs per month—so if you're on a team or need more runs, the free tier may not be enough. This article explains how to use Postman for free, what the Postman March updated plans and pricing mean for you, and when Apidog is the best Postman alternative for teams—with up to 4 users and unlimited test runs on the free plan.
How to Use Postman for Free: What You Get in 2026
Using Postman for free is straightforward: create an account, install the app, and you get access to the core API client without paying. That's useful for individuals who want to explore APIs, run a few requests, or keep small collections for personal projects. The Postman free plan in 2026 still gives you the essentials: the full API client for all supported protocols (REST, GraphQL, WebSocket, and more), one private API in Spec Hub (plus unlimited public APIs), basic integrations, and the ability to organize work in collections and environments. You can design requests, inspect responses, and run pre- and post-request scripts. For a single developer working alone, use Postman for free and you won't hit a paywall for day-to-day exploration and light testing.
The catch is the Postman new price 2026 and plan structure. The free tier is built for one person. You get 25 collection runs per month (local collection runner)—so automated or repeated runs beyond that require an upgrade or a different tool. There is no free team collaboration: Postman free is 1 user only. If you need to share workspaces, invite teammates, or run collections frequently, the Postman free plan will feel limiting. Postman pricing for any team use starts at the Team plan ($14 per user per month, billed annually). So using Postman for free works well for solo use; beyond that, the Postman pricing change and Postman March updated plans and pricing make it important to know your options among Postman alternatives and Postman-like tools for API testing.
Summary of what you get when you use Postman for free:
- Full API client for all protocols (HTTP, WebSocket, GraphQL, etc.).
- 1 private API in Spec Hub; unlimited public APIs.
- 25 collection runs per month (local runner).
- 1 user only—no free invites or shared workspaces.
- Basic integrations; no advanced mock or monitor limits.
If your workflow stays within these bounds, you can use Postman for free indefinitely. If you need more runs or a second person on the same project, you'll need to consider Postman pricing (paid plans) or a free Postman alternative such as Apidog.
Postman Free Is 1 User Only: The March 2026 Pricing Change
The Postman pricing change that matters most for small teams landed in March 2026. Postman March updated plans and pricing mean the Free plan is now strictly for individuals. Existing users on the free plan with multiple people in their workspace received 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 Postman free is 1 user only from that date. There is no free path for two or more people to collaborate in the same Postman workspace. Commentators and users have summed it up as Postman killing the free plan for teams: if you have a small team, you either use Postman alone on the free tier or pay Postman pricing for the Team plan. Postman new price 2026 for team use starts at $14 per user per month (Basic/Team), with Professional at $29 and Enterprise at $49 per user per month (annual billing). That Postman pricing change is why many are comparing Postman alternatives and Postman-like tools for API testing that still offer free collaboration.
Postman March updated plans and pricing at a glance:
| Plan | Price (per user/month, annual) | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 1 user only; 25 runs/month |
| Basic | $14 | Small teams; full collaboration |
| Professional | $29 | RBAC, more APIs, 90-day recovery |
| Enterprise | $49 | SSO, governance, audit, scale |
For anyone asking "can I use Postman for free with my team?", the answer after March 2026 is no—only one seat is free. That’s why the best Postman alternative for teams is often a tool that keeps a real free tier for 2–4 users, such as Apidog.
Best Postman Alternative for Teams: Apidog VS Postman
When Postman free is 1 user only and Postman pricing for teams starts at $14/user, Postman alternatives that offer free team use become attractive. Apidog is one of the Postman-like tools for API testing that positions itself as the best Postman alternative for teams: same kind of workflow (design, test, mock, document APIs), but with a more generous free tier. In an Apidog VS Postman comparison, the main differences on the free plan are users and runs. Apidog allows up to 4 users on the free plan and unlimited test/collection runs; Postman allows 1 user and 25 collection runs per month. So if you're hitting the Postman free plan limits or want to use Postman for free in spirit but with team collaboration, Apidog is a strong option—you can use Apidog for free with a small team and no run cap.
Apidog fits the same use cases as Postman: sending HTTP (and other protocol) requests, organizing collections, running tests, mocking APIs, and publishing documentation. It also adds design-first features: API specs drive requests and tests, so when the spec changes, your tests and docs can stay in sync. For teams that outgrow using Postman for free (because of the 1-user or 25-run limit), switching to Apidog often means no immediate cost—4 users and unlimited runs at $0—while keeping a similar workflow. You can import Postman collections into Apidog and continue working without losing existing work.
Apidog VS Postman (free tier, 2026):
| Postman free | Apidog free | |
|---|---|---|
| Users | 1 only | Up to 4 |
| Collection/test runs | 25/month | Unlimited |
| API client | Yes | Yes |
| Mock, test, docs | Limited | Core features |
| Team collaboration | No | Yes (up to 4) |
So you can use Postman for free for yourself; for a team, the best Postman alternative for teams in practice is often Apidog, with no run limit and free collaboration for up to four users. Apidog’s paid tiers also undercut Postman pricing: Basic at 9/user/month, Professional at 18, and Enterprise at 27 (vs Postman’s 14, 29, and 49). If you’re evaluating Postman alternatives or Postman-like tools for API testing, the Apidog VS Postman trade-off is simple: stay on Postman free for solo use, or move to Apidog when you need a free option for two or more people or more than 25 runs per month. No credit card is required to try Apidog; you can sign up and import your Postman data in a few minutes.
Conclusion
You can use Postman for free today: sign up, use the client, and build and test APIs within the Postman free plan limits. For personal use, that's enough for many developers. The Postman pricing change in March 2026 doesn’t remove the free tier; it tightens it: Postman free is 1 user only and 25 collection runs per month. So using Postman for free still works if you’re solo and your usage stays under those caps. Beyond that—whether you need a second user or more runs—Postman pricing kicks in at $14/user/month for the Team plan, which is why Postman killing the free plan for teams is a common way to describe the Postman March updated plans and pricing.
Postman alternatives and Postman-like tools for API testing fill the gap for teams that want to stay on a free plan. Apidog is the best Postman alternative for teams in this context: up to 4 users and unlimited test runs on the free tier, with design, mock, and docs built in. In an Apidog VS Postman comparison, Apidog wins on free collaboration and run limits; Postman remains strong for API consumers and teams that are fine paying Postman new price 2026 for Team and above. If you want to use Postman for free and you’re alone, stick with Postman. If you need a free option for two or more people or more than 25 runs per month, sign up for Apidog and import your Postman collections—you get a Postman alternative that stays free for small teams. The Postman pricing change and Postman March updated plans and pricing have made that choice clearer: Postman free is 1 user only, and Postman killing the free plan for teams means the best Postman alternative for teams is often the one that still offers real free collaboration—Apidog does, with no run cap and four seats at $0.
