The Best Open Source Postman AlternativesTop API & HTTP Clients like Postman

The best open source alternative to Postman is Insomnia REST Client. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 50 alternatives to Postman and many of them is open source so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting open source alternatives to Postman are HTTPie for Terminal, Hoppscotch, Bruno and soapUI.

filter to find the best alternatives

Postman alternatives are mainly API Clients, but if you're looking for HTTP Clients or HTTP(S) Debuggers you can filter on that. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Postman.
Postman iconPostman
  172
  • ...

Collaborative platform for API development providing design, specifications, testing, documentation, and requests with free and paid subscription plans.

More about Postman
More about Postman
Postman alternatives page was last updated Apr 8, 2025
Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard
  1. Insomnia REST Client icon

    Insomnia REST Client

     143 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    A powerful REST API Client with cookie management, environment variables, code generation, and authentication for Mac, Window, and Linux.

    78 Insomnia REST Client alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Specify URL, payload, headers, and authorization all in one place. Then just hit send.

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Request Chaining
    2.  Import Curl commands
    3.  REST API
    4.  REST Client
    5.  GraphQL
    6.  Cloud Sync
    7.  Support environment variables
    8.  API Management
    9.  Separated workspaces

    Insomnia REST Client VS Postman

     
    Comments about Insomnia REST Client as an Alternative to Postman
    Comment summary: Insomnia REST Client is favored for its lightweight, intuitive design, and lack of login requirement for basic features compared to Postman. Users value its cleaner interface, Linux support, and full features even in the freemium model. However, it lacks team collaboration features and multi-device sync without payment. While praised for better UI and storage efficiency, some users note that request chaining and environment setup are still experimental, unlike Postman's polished offerings.
    Top Positive Comment
    dax0
    Aug 26, 2023
    0

    Very similar to Postman, but doesn't require logging in for basic features. So useful for some quick testing.

    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    Aug 28, 2021
    6

    It's not lightweight, because still uses Electron and not native, so consuming memory alot

    Most Recent Comment
    AdinanCenci
    Negative Feb 11, 2025
    0

    used to like it, now it is as garbage as postman

    Show more comments
    3 of 20 comments
    Postman Icon
    Insomnia REST Client icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Insomnia REST Client is a great Postman alternative.

    • Insomnia REST Client is the most popular Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to Postman.

    • Insomnia REST Client is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Postman.

    • Insomnia REST Client is Freemium and Open SourcePostman is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Insomnia REST Client is LightweightPostman is not according to our users
  2. HTTPie for Terminal icon

    HTTPie for Terminal

     57 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    HTTPie (pronounced aitch-tee-tee-pie) is a command line HTTP client. Its goal is to make CLI interaction with web services as human-friendly as possible. It provides a simple http command that allows for sending arbitrary HTTP requests using a simple and natural syntax, and...

    34 HTTPie for Terminal alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Python
    • FreeBSD
    HTTPie for Terminal screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  REST API
    3.  Web Testing
    4.  API Management

    HTTPie for Terminal VS Postman

     
    Comments about HTTPie for Terminal as an Alternative to Postman
    Most Recent Comment
    scottfrost
    Positive Jun 5, 2023
    1

    Update to the (only) negative comment. The UI is now free (price) but closed source.

    Blue Paint
    Positive Feb 6, 2024
    0

    Can be launched without internet connection (useful in cases of restrictive VPN policy)

    Leonardo Colman
    Negative Jun 22, 2022
    -2

    HTTPie doesn't contain an interface. The current UI is closed behind a private beta.

    Postman Icon
    HTTPie for Terminal icon

    • Most users think HTTPie for Terminal is a great Postman alternative.

    • HTTPie for Terminal is Free and Open SourcePostman is Freemium and Proprietary
    • HTTPie for Terminal is LightweightPostman is not according to our users
  4. Hoppscotch icon

    Hoppscotch

     39 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Hoppscotch is an open-source API development ecosystem. It helps you create your requests faster, saving you precious time on your development.

    65 Hoppscotch alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    Hoppscotch screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  REST API
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  GraphQL API
    4.  Websocket streams
    5.  Command line interface
    6.  Portable
    7.  Browser-based
    8.  Cross browser testing

    Hoppscotch VS Postman

     
    Comments about Hoppscotch as an Alternative to Postman
    Most Recent Comment
    notPlancha
    Positive Apr 8, 2025
    0

    Completely free, no account needed for anything, can be used on browser and even offers proxy

    Guest
    Positive Oct 29, 2019
    3

    Helps you create your requests faster, saving you precious time on your development

    Max Fisher
    Negative Sep 12, 2024
    -1

    AFAIK, doesn't have a feature to import cURL from clipboard.

    Postman Icon
    Hoppscotch icon

    • Most users think Hoppscotch is a great Postman alternative.

    • Hoppscotch is the most popular Web-based & Self-Hosted alternative to Postman.

    • Hoppscotch is Free and Open SourcePostman is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Hoppscotch is LightweightPostman is not according to our users
  5. Bruno icon

    Bruno

     37 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Bruno is a new and innovative open source API client, aimed at revolutionizing the status quo represented by Postman, Insomnia and similar tools out there.

    28 Bruno alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • Snapcraft
    Bruno screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Works Offline
    2. Git icon  Git Support
    3.  REST API
    4.  Portable
    5.  Ad-free
    6.  Command line interface
    7.  Dark Mode
    8.  GraphQL

    Bruno VS Postman

     
    Comments about Bruno as an Alternative to Postman
    Top Positive Comment
    Ola Johansson
    Oct 22, 2024
    0

    Looks nice, and like the simplicity with data just stored in a folder and you can sync it with git or Dropbox or whatnot.

    Most Recent Comment
    Port5000
    Positive Apr 3, 2025
    0

    Lightweight, runs on local, extremely simple and easy to use, enough to test APIs and it even exports to Postman!

    jarne
    Positive Mar 12, 2025
    0

    Best alternative to Postman in my opinion, open source and lightweight, easy to use, and the ability to import existing Postman collections. A nice bonus that you can easily commit Bruno files to Git.

    Show more comments
    3 of 5 comments
    Postman Icon
    Bruno icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Bruno is a great Postman alternative.

    • Bruno is Freemium and Open SourcePostman is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Bruno is LightweightPostman is not according to our users
  6. soapUI icon

    soapUI

     57 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Eviware, the maker of soapUI, Web Service Testing Leader

    soapUI is a tool for functional testing, mainly of web services like SOAP based web services and RESTful web services, but also HTTP based services and JMS Services as well as databases. soapUI is an open source and compl.

    77 soapUI alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    soapUI screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Portable
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  Command line interface
    4.  Intuitive Nodes

    soapUI VS Postman

     
    Comments about soapUI as an Alternative to Postman
    DiskCrasher
    Positive Sep 29, 2023
    0

    Can create a mock server for free.

    Postman Icon
    soapUI icon

    • Most users think soapUI is a great Postman alternative.

    • soapUI is Free and Open SourcePostman is Freemium and Proprietary
    • soapUI is LightweightPostman is not according to our users
  7. Advanced REST Client icon

    Advanced REST Client

     26 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    API testing tool. Which allows web developers to create and test custom HTTP requests.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • PL flagPoland
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Chrome OS
    • AppImageHub
    • Google Chrome
    • Chromium
    Advanced REST Client screenshot 1
    Discontinued

    The latest version (17.0.9) is from March 2022.

    Advanced REST Client Features

    1.  Full headers control
    2.  Electron based
    3.  Web tool
    4.  REST API
    5.  Sync with Google Drive
    6.  REST Client
    7.  API Testing

    Advanced REST Client VS Postman

     
    Comments about Advanced REST Client as an Alternative to Postman
    Most Recent Comment
    patheticcockroach
    Positive Dec 17, 2019
    2

    Better features than Postman for my use case: I need full control over the headers, including the ability to remove them all, something which Postman doesn't allow to do (they add tons of junk headers)

    blur HY
    Positive Sep 14, 2019
    3

    It has all features postman has, and it's modern

    Guest
    Negative Aug 12, 2020
    0

    The import request are so bad

    Postman Icon
    Advanced REST Client icon

    • Most users think Advanced REST Client is a great Postman alternative.

    • Advanced REST Client is Free and Open SourcePostman is Freemium and Proprietary
  9. Insomnium icon

    Insomnium

     16 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Insomnium is a fast local API testing tool that is privacy-focused and 100% local. For testing GraphQL, REST, WebSockets and gRPC. This is a fork of Kong/insomnia.

    22 Insomnium alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • International

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Mac
    Insomnium screenshot 1
    Discontinued

    The GitHub repository was archived in May 2024.

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  REST Client
    4.  GraphQL API
    5.  Local Storage
    6.  REST API

    Insomnium VS Postman

     
7 of 48 Postman alternatives