When it comes to testing APIs, Postman has been the go-to tool for many developers and testers. However, with the rise of microservices and the increasing complexity of modern applications, more robust and specialized tools have emerged as alternatives to Postman. These Postman-like tools offer a range of features for API testing, such as support for multiple protocols, data-driven testing, and integrated test automation.
In this article, we will explore the top alternatives to Postman. There are several postman alternative and postman-like tools available that can provide similar or even better functionality for API testing. We will highlight their features, pros, and cons to help you choose the best tool for your API testing needs. Whether you’re looking for a free, open-source tool or a commercial product with advanced features, we’ve got you covered with the best alternatives of Postman.
Criteria for Choosing an API Testing Tool
Choosing the right API testing tool is essential to ensure the quality and reliability of APIs. When evaluating postman alternative and postman-like tools, there are several criteria that software testers should consider, including:
- Functionality: The tool should have the necessary features and capabilities to meet your API testing needs.
- Ease of Use: The tool should have a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to create and manage API tests.
- Integration: The tool should integrate easily with other tools in your development workflow, such as version control systems and CI/CD pipelines.
- Customization: The tool should allow for customization and flexibility to adapt to specific testing needs.
- Performance: The tool should be able to handle large volumes of API requests and provide accurate test results.
- Security: The tool should have built-in security testing capabilities to help ensure the security and integrity of your APIs.
- Cost: The tool should fit within your budget and provide a good return on investment.
By considering these criteria, software testers can make an informed decision when choosing an API testing tool that meets their specific needs and requirements.
7 Postman Alternative to Consider for API Testing–
While Postman is a popular choice for API testing, there are several alternatives of postman available that offer similar or even better functionality. Here are 7 postman alternative tools that software testers can consider for their API testing needs:
Rest-Assured
REST-Assured is an excellent alternative to Postman as a REST API testing tool in the Java domain. As an open-source tool, it supports both XML and JSON Requests/Responses. REST-Assured also offers several powerful features that make it a great choice for developers:
- Integration with the Serenity automation framework
- Built-in functionalities
- BDD Given/When/Then syntax support
- No HTTP expertise required
REST-Assured is especially ideal for testing REST APIs, and it provides a user-friendly experience for developers. While it may have a steeper learning curve for some, its powerful features make it a top contender as a postman-like tool for testing REST APIs in the Java domain.
Pricing – Free
JMeter
Jmeter is a powerful open-source postman alternative for load and performance testing. Its cross-platform support and plugin-based architecture make it a popular choice among software testers.
Here are some key features of Jmeter:
- Multiple language support for flexibility in scripting
- Testing of various applications, servers, and protocols
- Test results can be replayed for further analysis
- Variable parameterization and assertions for testing accuracy
- Per-thread cookies and support for configuration variables
- Command-line mode for Java-compatible operating systems
Jmeter’s extensive feature set and flexibility make it a great alternative to Postman for load and performance testing of web applications. Its support for multiple programming languages and detailed reporting options make it a valuable tool for software testers.
Pricing – Free
Apigee
Apigee is a versatile cross-cloud API management platform that offers security and governance policies for all APIs. It enables easy creation of API proxies using the open API specification and provides the ability to design, secure, analyze, and scale APIs anywhere.
Some of its features include:
- Customizable developer portal
- Node.js support
- Advanced features like Apigee Sense advanced security, distributed network for low latency, Monetization for new business models, and traffic isolation with the Enterprise plan
- IP whitelisting, Java & Python callouts, and distributed traffic management with the Business plan
- API analytics, Web service callouts, and advanced policies like security, mediation, and protocol with the Team plan
Apigee is an excellent tool for API development due to its comprehensive feature set and cross-cloud capabilities.
Pricing – Apigee offers users four pricing options, which include:
- Evaluation (Free) – Free trial for users to test the features before committing to a plan.
- Team ($500 per month)
- Business ($2500 per month)
- Enterprise (Contact them)
Katalon
Katalon Platform is a powerful automation tool that supports API, Web, Desktop, and Mobile testing. It offers easy deployment by providing all frameworks, ALM integrations, and plugins in a single package. One of the unique advantages of the Katalon Platform is its ability to combine UI and API/Web services for multiple environments, including Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. This makes Katalon a comprehensive tool for testing different applications and services.
Some of its features include:
- Supports various types of commands and parameterization functionalities
- Allows for a data-driven approach to testing
- Provides CI/CD integration support
- Uses AssertJ, a powerful assertion library
- It has both Scripting and Manual modes, hence suitable for both experts and beginners
- Suitable for both exploratory and automated testing
- Offers customizable and pre-built code templates
- Provides sample projects for instant reference
- Includes auto-completion, code inspection and auto-formatting, features for the code
- Offers a user interface to create, execute, and maintain tests
Pricing – The plans offered are both free and flexible, providing users with various options to choose from.
- Premium ($294 per month)
- Ultimate (Contact them)
ACCELQ
ACCELQ is a comprehensive API testing tool that supports the development, testing, and management of APIs. It offers various features such as codeless automation, built-in integrations, and a no-code workflow builder that makes it easy for both beginners and experts to use. ACCELQ supports various technologies and offers seamless integration with other testing tools, making it a reliable choice for API testing.
Here are the key features:
- Supports REST, SOAP, GraphQL, and other types of web services
- Offers automated testing with codeless test creation and maintenance
- Provides the ability to reuse test components across projects
- Offers seamless integration with CI/CD pipelines for continuous testing
- Allows for dynamic data-driven testing with support for test data management
- Provides comprehensive test reporting and analytics capabilities
- Offers real-time collaboration and team-based testing
- Supports both manual and automated testing with advanced debugging and troubleshooting features
- Offers easy deployment with support for cloud, on-premise, and hybrid environments
- Provides seamless integration with other testing tools and frameworks such as Selenium, Appium, and JUnit.
Pricing – ACCELQ had both free & Paid plans.
- Free plans (Free trial for users to test the features before committing to a plan).
- Enterprise Plan (Contact them)
SoapUI
SoapUI is a widely used testing tool in the software development industry. It’s an open-source tool, which means you can download and use it for free. SoapUI is built on the Java platform, and it supports both SOAP and RESTful web services. One of the biggest advantages of SoapUI is that it provides a graphical user interface. This makes it easy to create and execute test cases. You don’t need to write any code to get started, although it does offer scripting capabilities for more advanced users.
Some of its features include:
- SoapUI supports both SOAP and RESTful web services, making it versatile for different types of APIs.
- It has a user-friendly interface, which makes it easy to use and understand, even for beginners.
- SoapUI allows users to create complex test scenarios with advanced scripting options, including Groovy scripting.
- It supports data-driven testing, which allows users to test with different data sets to ensure the API behaves consistently.
- SoapUI has an assertion wizard that allows users to create custom assertions, which means it can support any validation requirement.
- It has a powerful reporting feature, which allows users to create comprehensive reports on the test results.
- SoapUI integrates with other tools such as Jenkins and Jira, making it easier to integrate API testing into the development pipeline.
Pricing – SoapUI has both free & Paid plans.
- Free plans (14 days free trial for users to test the features before committing to a plan).
- Pro Plan (3 different plans, starting at $895 per year)
- Bundle plan (Contact them)
Assertible
Assertible is a powerful API testing tool that allows developers to streamline their API testing process. With a simple and user-friendly interface, it offers an efficient way to test APIs for functionality, performance, and security. This tool is perfect for businesses and Software testers looking to streamline their process of API testing and ensure their APIs are functioning optimally.
Some of the notable features of Assertible include:
- Flexible testing options for both REST and SOAP APIs
- Manual and automated testing modes
- Advanced test customization with code snippets, scripts, and webhooks
- Detailed test reports with error logs for easy debugging
- Support for various authentication methods, including Basic Auth, OAuth 1.0a, OAuth 2.0, and AWS IAM
- Test reports and logs for quick issue identification and resolution
- Collaboration and test sharing with team members
- Integration with popular tools such as Slack, PagerDuty, and Zapier for real-time notifications and alerts.
Pricing: Assertible offers users four pricing options, which include:
- Personal (Free)
- Standard ($25 per month)
- Startup ($50 per month)
- Business ($100 per month)
Conclusion
As the demand for API testing is increasing, it is crucial to choose the right API testing tool. Postman has been a popular choice for API testing but it is always a good idea to explore new options. This is where other Postman-like tools come into play.
In this article, we have discussed the top alternatives of Postman, which includes Rest-Assured, JMeter, Apigee, Katalon, ACCELQ, SoapUI & Assertible. Each tool has its unique features and pricing plans, making it essential to choose the right one based on your requirements.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that the future of API testing is constantly evolving, and new tools will emerge in the market. As a tester, it’s crucial to stay updated with the latest trends and technologies in API testing.
In conclusion, while Postman is a popular choice, there are several alternatives of Postman available that offer more efficient workflows, better automation capabilities, and support for various technologies. By exploring these options, testers can make a more informed decision and choose the tool that best fits their needs.
