How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Bruno is the best offline-first alternative, with collections stored as plain files on your disk and no account needed.
- Hoppscotch is the best free web alternative, open source and usable in a browser with no install.
- Insomnia is the closest direct Postman replacement, with a polished desktop app and strong GraphQL support.
- Apidog suits teams that want API design, testing, and documentation in one tool.
- Thunder Client is the best option for developers who never want to leave VS Code.
- Postman itself is not listed here, since this list is about alternatives, and several tools below exist because teams want offline collections or lower prices.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Insomnia | Direct Postman replacement | Free | Yes |
 Hoppscotch | Free web API client | Free | Yes |
 Bruno | Offline-first collections | Free | Yes |
 Apidog | Design plus testing plus docs | Free | Yes |
 Thunder Client | Inside VS Code | Free | Yes |
 HTTPie | Terminal and desktop API client | Free | Yes |
 SoapUI | SOAP and REST testing | Free | Yes |
 Rest Client | VS Code text-based requests | Free | Yes |
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The best postman alternatives
#1Insomnia
Best for: Direct Postman replacement4.4/5 on
G2 (21 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit insomnia.rest
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Insomnia is the closest direct replacement for Postman. It offers a polished desktop app for REST, GraphQL, and WebSocket requests, with environment variables, authentication helpers, and a plugin system. The free core covers solo development well, and the interface feels familiar to any Postman user, which shortens the switch to an afternoon.
Team collaboration, shared workspaces, and some advanced features need a paid plan, and Insomnia is owned by Kong, which shapes its enterprise direction. For a solo developer or small team that wants a desktop API client without Postman's pricing or cloud account requirements, Insomnia is the safest first alternative to try.
What we like- Polished desktop app
- Strong GraphQL support
- Environment variables
- Plugins
- Free core features
Watch out for- Paid plans for team collaboration
- Owned by Kong
- Some advanced features need a subscription
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Hoppscotch is the best free web API client. It is open source, runs entirely in a browser with no install, and covers REST, GraphQL, and WebSocket requests with a fast, clean interface. Teams can self-host it for privacy, and the community keeps it updated with new features and integrations.
Browser limits apply to some request types, and enterprise features such as advanced governance trail Postman. But for a developer who wants to test an API right now, from any machine, without installing anything or creating an account, Hoppscotch is unmatched. It also suits classrooms and workshops where setup time must be zero.
What we like- Free and open source
- Runs in a browser with no install
- Fast
- Self-hosting available
- Active community
Watch out for- Browser limits on some requests
- Fewer enterprise features than Postman
- Self-hosting needs setup
#3Bruno
Best for: Offline-first collections4.5/5 on
G2 (9 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit usebruno.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Bruno is the best alternative for developers who want their API collections offline and under version control. Collections live as plain files on your disk, in a Git-friendly format, with no account, no cloud sync, and no subscription for core features. That design appeals to teams that keep API definitions in the same repository as their code and review collection changes in pull requests.
The plugin ecosystem is smaller than Postman, and team features are newer, so large enterprises may miss some governance tooling. But for developers who left Postman over cloud requirements, pricing changes, or collection lock-in, Bruno is the philosophical opposite: your collections are files you own, on disk, forever.
What we like- Offline-first
- Collections stored as plain files on disk
- No account needed
- Git-friendly
- Fast and lightweight
Watch out for- Smaller plugin ecosystem than Postman
- Team features newer
- Fewer integrations
#4Apidog
Best for: Design plus testing plus docs4.8/5 on
G2 (231 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit apidog.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Apidog combines API design, testing, mocking, and documentation in one tool, which suits teams that otherwise juggle separate tools for each job. A visual schema editor builds API definitions without hand-writing OpenAPI, mock servers let front-end teams work before the back end exists, and documentation generates from the same definition. A free tier covers individuals and small projects.
Free limits apply to team size and project count, and enterprise pricing is quoted. Apidog is a newer brand than Postman, so its ecosystem is smaller, but for a team that wants one tool from design to docs, it removes the integration work that Postman plus a separate docs tool requires.
What we like- API design, testing, mocking, and documentation in one tool
- Free tier for individuals
- Visual schema editor
- Team collaboration
Watch out for- Free tier has limits
- Newer brand than Postman
- Enterprise pricing quoted
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Thunder Client is a VS Code extension that turns the editor into an API client, so developers never leave their code to test an endpoint. Collections, environments, and request history live inside VS Code, and the free core covers the daily testing job for most developers. Setup takes seconds, since it installs like any other extension.
Advanced features need a paid plan, and the tool only works inside VS Code, so developers on other editors need another client. It also has fewer features than a full desktop client such as Insomnia. But for a VS Code user who tests APIs all day, Thunder Client removes the app-switching tax entirely, and that alone justifies it.
What we like- Runs inside VS Code
- No app switching
- Collections and environments
- Free core features
- Lightweight
Watch out for- Paid plan for advanced features
- VS Code only
- Fewer features than full desktop clients
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
HTTPie started as a terminal API client with a famously readable command syntax, and it remains the best CLI option for developers who live in a terminal. Requests read like plain language, JSON output is colorized and formatted, and scripts can automate API tests in CI pipelines. A desktop app now exists for users who want a visual interface alongside the CLI.
The CLI has a learning curve for beginners, and desktop app features need a paid plan for full use. But for automation, scripting, and terminal-first workflows, HTTPie is the tool other clients cannot replace, and its free open-source core means it will never lock collections behind a subscription.
What we like- Beautiful terminal CLI
- Free and open source core
- Desktop app available
- Excellent for scripts and automation
Watch out for- CLI learning curve for beginners
- Desktop app features need a paid plan
- Less visual than Insomnia
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
SoapUI is the veteran API testing tool, and it remains the best free option for SOAP services and WSDL-based APIs. The open-source version covers functional testing, assertions, and load testing, with a long track record in enterprise environments where SOAP still runs critical systems. REST support exists too, though it is thinner than the REST-first tools here.
The interface feels dated, and the app is heavier than Insomnia or Bruno. But for a team maintaining SOAP services, SoapUI is the tool built for that job, and its open-source version costs nothing. REST-only teams should pick Insomnia, Hoppscotch, or Bruno instead.
What we like- Free open-source version
- Strong SOAP and WSDL support
- Functional and load testing
- Long track record
Watch out for- Dated interface
- Heavier than modern clients
- REST features thinner than Postman alternatives
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Rest Client is a free VS Code extension that treats API requests as plain text files. You write a request in a text file, send it with a click, and view the response beside it, with the whole file committed to Git like any other code. No account is needed, the extension is lightweight, and variables and authentication are handled in text.
The trade-off is the interface: there is no visual builder, so beginners must learn the text syntax, and variables and auth need manual setup. But for developers who already live in VS Code and want API requests versioned alongside code, Rest Client is the simplest possible client, and it pairs well with Bruno for teams that want Git-friendly collections.
What we like- Free VS Code extension
- Requests written as plain text files
- Git-friendly
- No account needed
- Lightweight
Watch out for- Text-only interface
- No visual builder
- VS Code only
- Variables and auth need manual setup
How we chose
We picked alternatives that cover the main reasons teams leave Postman: cost, cloud account requirements, collection lock-in, and editor integration. We included offline-first and Git-friendly tools such as Bruno and Rest Client, web tools such as Hoppscotch, desktop tools such as Insomnia, and an all-in-one platform in Apidog. We excluded Postman itself and excluded tools that only monitor APIs without letting you send requests, since this list is about API clients.
What to check before you buy
Start by deciding where collections should live. If they belong in Git with your code, choose Bruno or Rest Client. If they belong in a shared team workspace, choose Insomnia or Apidog and check the paid tier. Then test the tool on your real API, not a demo, since auth flows, file uploads, and WebSocket support vary. Finally, check the free tier limits before migrating a whole team, since several tools here gate collaboration, history, or advanced features behind paid plans. Migration itself deserves a plan: export a few collections first and test the import, since field mappings for auth, variables, and pre-request scripts differ between tools and a broken import can cost a day of cleanup. Keep Postman installed during the trial so the team can fall back without losing work, and only cancel the old subscription once the new tool has survived two full weeks of real daily use. Document the decision too: note which tool won, why, and where collections now live, so the next hire does not restart the same evaluation from scratch. A one-page note in the team wiki, linked from the repository readme, is enough to save that future argument and to keep the whole team on the same client from day one onward without any confusion.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free Postman alternative?
Bruno is the best free offline-first alternative, and Hoppscotch is the best free web alternative. Insomnia is the closest direct replacement for solo developers.
Can I use a Postman alternative without an account?
Yes. Bruno and Rest Client need no account at all, and Hoppscotch works in a browser without one. Insomnia and Apidog offer free tiers that may ask for an account for team features.
Which alternative stores collections as files?
Bruno stores collections as plain files on disk in a Git-friendly format, and Rest Client stores requests as plain text files. Both suit teams that version collections in Git.
Is there a Postman alternative inside VS Code?
Yes. Thunder Client adds a visual API client to VS Code, and Rest Client adds text-based requests. Both are free for core use.
Do these tools support GraphQL?
Yes. Insomnia, Hoppscotch, and Apidog all support GraphQL requests, with schema exploration and query builders. Bruno and Rest Client support GraphQL through raw requests.
Sources we checked (0)
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.