Postman is a popular application programming interface (API) platform with an entire ecosystem of services. Various other tools offer similar features and functionalities to Postman for different use cases and needs. Choosing the best among Postman alternatives is like deciding between LeBron James and Usain Bolt. These alternatives are like niche power tools in a developer’s kit. They may not be as universally known as Postman, but often sharper and more efficient for the job at hand.
I chose the most popular tools on the market; some might even be on your mind while considering an API client or a platform. Let’s quickly look at the best Postman alternatives available in 2025.
Postman is a popular API platform with an ecosystem of tools and services. It’s easy to test documents and manage requisitions. I could integrate Postman with a CI/CD pipeline to monitor APIs and create mock servers for advanced usage.
However, if you’re looking for a Postman alternative, you may seek a tool that better complements your use case and feature requirements. Or, maybe, you want something simpler than Postman.
For example, if testing isn’t your primary concern and you want a more versatile tool, Kong Insomnia would be a better choice. For an open-source and Git-friendly platform, Bruno would be the best bet. Therefore, the “best” varies for every unique need.
Based on my experience, a strong postman alternative should:
Below are the leading Postman alternatives I found on the market. They offer competitive—or, in some cases, better—value than Postman.
This list is based on G2 reviews from 2025. We'll keep updating it to reflect the latest and best alternatives. Some reviews may have been edited for clarity.
This data was pulled from G2 in 2025. Some reviews may have been edited for clarity.
APIdog is a Postman alternative, which I believe is the best out there when looking for a full-featured API platform. It has download options for Mac, Windows, Linux, and different operating systems. I tested it on its web application.
While creating a new endpoint, just like Postman, you can pass your API URL, paste it, and give it a name. It lets you define and save your data schema. For example data, you can use the ‘generate automatically’ functionality to autogenerate according to your schema. If this were Postman, you’d have to write example data in the API doc. APIdog generates it with one click, saving ample time.
With APIdog, you get everything from development to API documentation generation in a single API tool. The product proudly presents itself as one platform to replace all, specifically Postman. Consider it while comparing different alternatives for Postman.
APIdog is free for up to five projects and four users. Beyond that, you would pay $9/user/month for a Basic plan.
From a usability standpoint, I found some features of APIdog missing in Postman, like the ability to define and reuse data schema. What’s more, APIdog allows you to generate API specifications from the request and recognize JSON/XML/SQL to schema. Postman doesn’t deliver these features.
“Due to its featurefulness, it has a steep learning curve. Merely setting up a single request and response is easy enough, but trying to sort out a whole API and environments on it will prove challenging.”
- APIdog Review, Andres S, .Net Full Stack Software Engineer
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Postman might be the most used API client on the market, but Bruno wins when it comes to ease of use. And no, it’s not just because its logo is the founder’s dog or because it’s a great pun on scaring the Postman away, but it genuinely delivers value where it needs to.
Bruno is open-source, made for offline use, and doesn’t require me to log in. Still, when you open it, you can do everything you would naturally do with an API client.
Bruno doesn’t have a proprietary cloud sync. It’s offline, and I love that the most about it. There’s no syncing of data to any cloud, which helps me ensure that our data stays private.
Bruno’s native Git integration revolutionizes the status quo set by Postman, Insomnia, and others. When I tried Postman, I was capped at around 25 collection runs on the free plan. However, there is no such limit on Bruno while it is free of cost. If you go to its website, you’ll see the pro plan. That’s primarily for features like a graphical user interface (GUI) collection and open API generation.
“It lacks some features present in alternatives like Postman.”
- Bruno Review, Daniel G., Head of Data, Analytics
Kong Insomnia has a simple, intuitive interface, unlike Postman, which has become bloated over time for simple API development and testing needs. Insomnia is rather elegant and simple to use.
While testing, I found that Postman has an interceptor that takes all cookies from a logged-in session and considers that you’re already logged into the API. Insomnia has a concept of plugins, but there’s no ready-to-use version for such use cases. If you need this functionality, Postman would be a better choice.
Insomnia is geared toward users who need an intuitive and structured environment. You get options to work across various types of API with much flexibility. Most importantly, you don’t need an account to work on Insomnia locally. You can just get geared up and start working.
“We cannot create an Automation suite or write tests like we can do on Postman. Websocket support is not available. Mocking is also not allowed.”
- Kong Insomnia Review, Sumit T, Product Verification Engineer
Stoplight allows me to work with APIs cleanly and easily. Like Postman, I can test my APIs, but Stoplight gives me a bit more when planning and organizing them. I can design, document, and test APIs in one place with the help of a nice visual editor without writing raw code.
It allows me to create mock APIs. Before building the actual backend, I was able to set up mock responses and share them with the team. This helps everyone stay on the same page. Another great feature? Stoplight creates docs from the API design itself; you don’t have to do anything extra for the documentation part.
Spotlight is a great tool that works well for both solo developers and teams.
“It lacks bulk editing tools, which can make things slightly manual, but if you're familiar with JSON/YAML, you can be more efficient. For better visibility, the publish feature can be slightly better with more context into what is changing within the API docs.”
- Stoplight Review, Aman T., Customer Success
SwaggerHub provides a central platform for developers to design and prepare API documentation. Its user interface is simple and clean, which makes it easy for new users to access. My colleagues and I collaborated easily to develop documentation for the same project.
Most importantly, you get to test the APIs locally before deployment. You can export the code to the programming language and implement it quickly. It supports all programming languages.
In my opinion, if you follow an API design-first approach, i.e., you define the API specifications before implementation, Swagger would be an excellent tool for you. It helps you generate client SDKs and server stubs automatically based on the API specifications. But, if API testing is your primary focus, you should stick to Postman. It allows for quick prototyping and iterations of APIs within the tool.
“If we reload Swagger, then all the request bodies we made earlier for APIs will be erased. We should have a persistence option to save requests. For example, Postman supports saving requests, etc. The Swagger Filter option is not up to the mark.”
- SwaggerHub Review, Varun T., Senior Software Engineer
Thunder Client is a fast, easy-to-use API testing software designed for the VS code editor. It allows you to create requests, organize them into collections, and build environments for different stages, such as dev and production.
Thunder Client doesn’t try to do too much, which I appreciate. I can easily access request types (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, etc.). It supports pre- and post-request scripts that come in handy to automate small tasks like setting tokens. Unlike REST clients, Thunder Client delivers a proper UI and better workflow.
Postman’s VS code extension is also powerful, supporting remote procedure calls (gRPC), WebSocket, cURL, and better environment management. Compared to Postman, Thunder Client is light and doesn’t distract me from coding. Postman is more polished, but if I want something quick and efficient without logging in or paying for team features, I’d go for Thunder Client. For me, it's about simplicity and speed.
“The installation might be long or complex to other users, and the disadvantage is that you can not access it on a mobile device. I would like to see improvements on Thunder Client that make it accessible to any device.”
- Thunder Client Review, Thandiwe M., Project Manager
Feel like you have an information overload? This comparison table makes it easier for you.
| Postman alternatives | Best for | Free version availability | Pricing |
| APIdog | Collaborative work in API management | Yes (with user and project limits) | $9/month per user (Basic Plan) |
| Bruno | Open-source and Git-integrated API client | Yes (open source) | $6/month per user (Pro plan) |
| Kong Insomnia | REST and GraphQL API testing and debugging | Yes (with limits on projects) | Custom |
| Stoplight | Designing APIs in OpenAPI and JSON Schema | Free trial available | $41 / month (Basic plan) |
| SwaggerHub | API design, documentation, and development collaboration | Free trial available | $22.80 /month (Individual plan) |
| Thunder Client | Lightweight API testing within Visual Studio Code | Yes, for non-commercial use with limits | $3/month per user (Starter Plan) |
Postman is popular because it simplifies API testing with an intuitive interface, automated workflows, and collaboration tools. Developers use Postman to send requests, inspect responses, and automate test cases. It supports REST, GraphQL, and SOAP, making it a versatile tool for API development and debugging.
Comparing the two, Postman might be better than SwaggerHub, and vice-versa, depending on the use case. SwaggerHub is a more suitable tool if you follow an API design-first approach and define API specifications before implementation. However, if API testing is your primary purpose, it’s best to go for Postman.
Postman offers more than a developer's simple API development and testing needs. It becomes complicated, as you need to consume deep documentation to use the feature set that Postman offers. From a UI/UX perspective, Insomnia provides a simple and more intuitive interface, making it a preferable choice for users geared toward a structured environment and seeking an intuitive interface.
APIdog proudly claims to encapsulate the features and functionality of Postman and various other API development and testing tools. The idea of a better tool depends on the use case. However, I discovered in my research that you can generate data automatically with APIdog but not with Postman.
Various other features and functionalities differ in how they appeal to the user. The final choice of the better tool depends on the user and their use case, for which they compare the options.
Thunder Client is lightweight and fast, and unlike Postman, it offers a minimal UI. It is good to test within VS Code while using simple features. Postman has many features, including testing API within VS Code. But its UI/UX might not be as minimal as Thunder Client's, which is quite natural.
RapidAPI or Thunder Client are good Postman alternatives in VS Code options.
You have a clear idea of what you need, or maybe why you’re not considering Postman. There are a variety of alternatives available for unique and specific use cases. For example, Kong Insomnia delivers a much better UI than Postman, while Thunder Client delivers an API-testing product when you want to test within VS Code.
Your purpose, need, and requirement will define the best Postman alternatives for your use case. It’s best to define them clearly before we go for the respective demos. This will help you have your pointers in place to make the best use of your time while conversing with the vendor.
Check out the complete list of API management tools and explore all options on the market.
