Try These 20 Postman Alternatives (Open Source and Free)
In the world of API development and testing, Postman has long been a popular choice. However, many developers and teams are seeking open-source and free alternatives that offer similar functionality without the cost. Here’s a comprehensive list of 20 such alternatives, with APIdog leading the pack.
1. APIdog
APIDog is a powerful, free alternative to Postman that offers a comprehensive suite of tools for API development, testing, and documentation. It provides a user-friendly interface and a wide range of features that cater to both beginners and experienced developers.
Key Features:
- API request building and testing
- Automated API testing
- API documentation generation
- Team collaboration tools
- Mock server functionality
- API monitoring
Pricing: APIdog offers a generous free plan that includes most features, making it an excellent choice for individual developers and small teams. For larger teams or enterprises, paid plans are available with additional features and support.
2. Insomnia
Insomnia is a popular open-source API client that offers a clean, intuitive interface for sending HTTP requests and analyzing responses.
Key Features:
- Support for REST, GraphQL, and gRPC
- Environment variables and context switching
- Code snippet generation
- Plugin system for extensibility
Pricing: Insomnia Core is completely free and open-source. There’s also a paid version, Insomnia Designer, which offers additional collaborative features.
3. Hoppscotch
Hoppscotch (formerly Postwoman) is a lightweight, web-based API development ecosystem designed as a free alternative to Postman.
Key Features:
- Support for various API protocols (REST, GraphQL, WebSockets)
- Customizable themes
- PWA support for offline use
- Real-time collaboration
Pricing: Hoppscotch is entirely free and open-source.
4. Swagger UI
Swagger UI is a popular tool for visualizing and interacting with API resources. It’s particularly useful for APIs documented using the OpenAPI Specification.
Key Features:
- Interactive API documentation
- Request builder and API explorer
- Support for OAuth 2.0
Pricing: Swagger UI is free and open-source.
5. SoapUI
SoapUI is a headless functional testing tool specifically designed for API testing. It offers a wide range of testing capabilities for both SOAP and REST APIs.
Key Features:
- Automated API testing
- Load testing
- Security testing
- Mocking and virtualization
Pricing: The open-source version of SoapUI is free, while ReadyAPI (formerly SoapUI Pro) offers additional features for a fee.
6. Karate
Karate is an open-source tool to combine API test-automation, mocks, performance-testing and even UI automation into a single, unified framework.
Key Features:
- BDD-style syntax
- Built-in assertions and HTML reports
- Parallel execution support
Pricing: Karate is completely free and open-source.
7. HTTPie
HTTPie is a user-friendly command-line HTTP client that makes CLI interaction with web services as human-friendly as possible.
Key Features:
- Intuitive syntax
- JSON support
- Colorized output
- Plugins for additional functionality
Pricing: HTTPie’s CLI tool is free and open-source. They also offer a web and desktop version with a freemium model.
8. Paw
Paw is a full-featured HTTP client that lets you test and describe the APIs you build or consume. It has a beautiful native macOS interface to compose requests, inspect server responses, and generate client code.
Key Features:
- Dynamic values
- Environments and variables
- Code generation
- Extensions
Pricing: While Paw itself is not free, it offers a free open-source license for qualified projects.
9. Bruno
Bruno is a new and fast-growing open-source API client, aimed at simplifying API development and testing.
Key Features:
- Git-friendly collections
- Environment variables
- Request chaining
- Scripting support
Pricing: Bruno is completely free and open-source.
10. Testfully
Testfully is a collaborative API testing tool that offers a range of features for API development and testing.
Key Features:
- API monitoring
- Test automation
- Team collaboration
- API documentation
Pricing: Testfully offers a free plan with limited features, as well as paid plans for more advanced usage.
11. Firecamp
Firecamp is a multi-protocol API development platform that supports REST, GraphQL, WebSocket, and more.
Key Features:
- Collaborative workspace
- API documentation
- Mock server
- Test automation
Pricing: Firecamp offers a free plan for individuals and small teams, with paid plans for larger teams and enterprises.
12. Milkman
Milkman is a modern, extensible request/response workbench for HTTP, WebSocket, and more.
Key Features:
- Plugin system for extensibility
- Environment variables
- Request chaining
- Scripting support
Pricing: Milkman is free and open-source.
13. Altair GraphQL Client
Altair is a feature-rich GraphQL Client IDE that includes support for multiple languages.
Key Features:
- GraphQL query composer
- Schema documentation explorer
- Query history
Pricing: Altair is free and open-source.
14. Nocodb
Nocodb is an open-source Airtable alternative that can turn any database into a smart spreadsheet.
Key Features:
- API generation
- Role-based access control
- Spreadsheet-like interface
Pricing: Nocodb is free and open-source, with optional paid hosting plans.
15. Requester
Requester is a HTTP client plugin for Sublime Text, allowing you to compose and send requests directly from your text editor.
Key Features:
- Environment variables
- Request chaining
- Test scripting
Pricing: Requester is free and open-source.
16. Advanced REST Client
Advanced REST Client (ARC) is a Chrome app designed as a comprehensive tool for testing and debugging RESTful APIs.
Key Features:
- Request/response history
- Project management
- Variable system
Pricing: ARC is free and open-source.
17. Mockoon
Mockoon is an easy-to-use tool to quickly mock APIs locally.
Key Features:
- Easy-to-configure mock server
- Support for OpenAPI format
- Environment management
Pricing: Mockoon’s desktop app is free and open-source. They also offer a cloud version with a freemium model.
18. Apicurio Studio
Apicurio Studio is an open-source API design studio that allows you to design APIs using a graphical interface.
Key Features:
- Visual API designer
- Collaborative editing
- API documentation generation
Pricing: Apicurio Studio is free and open-source.
19. Taurus
Taurus is an open-source test automation tool that extends and abstracts JMeter, Selenium, and other open-source testing tools.
Key Features:
- YAML-based test scenarios
- Real-time reporting
- Integration with CI/CD tools
Pricing: Taurus is free and open-source.
20. Boomerang
Boomerang is a powerful and user-friendly tool for testing REST, SOAP, and GraphQL services.
Key Features:
- Test creation and execution
- Automated testing
- Reporting and analytics
Pricing: Boomerang offers a free community edition, with paid plans for additional features.
In conclusion, while Postman remains a popular choice, these 20 alternatives offer a wide range of features and capabilities, often at no cost. From APIdog’s comprehensive suite to specialized tools like Altair for GraphQL, there’s likely an option that fits your specific needs and budget. Many of these tools are not only free but also open-source, allowing for community contributions and customizations. Whether you’re an individual developer or part of a large team, exploring these alternatives can potentially save costs while providing powerful API development and testing capabilities.
