Postman is the world's most popular API development platform, used by over 30 million developers for designing, testing, documenting, and monitoring APIs. It provides a user-friendly GUI for making HTTP requests, running automated API tests, generating documentation, and managing API collections — all within a collaborative workspace. Postman has become the standard tool for API development workflows, from individual developers testing endpoints to enterprise teams managing hundreds of APIs.
Postman
API development and testing platform.
Best for: Backend developers building and testing REST or GraphQL APIs.
- Free plan
4.6/5 ratingEditorial score 91/100postman.com
Starts at
Free (3 users)
Get started free
Opens the official website in a new tab.
Editorial score91/100
The editorial note
What to know about Postman
Is it right for you?
Who Postman suits
Choose it if
- Backend developers building and testing REST or GraphQL APIs.
Look elsewhere if
- Lightweight API testing — Bruno or Insomnia offer simpler, faster alternatives for individual developers who find Postman's features overwhelming for basic HTTP request testing
What you get
Key features
- HTTP request testing and API exploration
- API collections and workspaces
- Automated test suites
- Mock server creation
- API documentation generation
- Environment variables management
- Newman CLI for CI/CD
- API monitoring and observability
Works with
Integrations8
What it costs
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free (3 users)Billed monthly | API platform with unlimited requests and 3 team members |
| Basic | $14 / user / monthBilled monthly | More team members, version control, and API governance |
| Professional | $29 / user / monthBilled monthly | Advanced collaboration, audit logs, and priority support |
Prices are recorded from the vendor's public pricing page and can change. Check before you buy.
The trade-off
Pros and cons
Pros
- Industry-standard tool with the largest API testing community and resource library
- Collections organize API requests logically for team sharing and documentation
- Automated testing with JavaScript assertions runs in CI/CD pipelines via Newman
- Mock servers simulate API responses for frontend development before backend is complete
- API monitoring runs scheduled collections to detect downtime and performance issues
Cons
- Free plan limits team collaboration with 3 users maximum and 1,000 monthly API calls
- Performance can be slow for complex workspaces with many collections and tests
- Web application is resource-heavy — dedicated desktop app performs much better
- Steep learning curve for advanced scripting and test automation for beginners
Quick read
At a glance
- Category
- Development & Coding
- Pricing model
- Freemium
- Entry plan
- Free (3 users)
- Free plan
- Available
- Free trial
- Not listed
- Website
- postman.com
The verdict
Our take on Postman
Postman is the right choice for backend developers building and testing REST or GraphQL APIs. Industry-standard tool with excellent collection-sharing and test scripting, making it one of the stronger options in its category. The main caveat: resource-heavy desktop app; collaboration features need paid plan. It is free to start with paid upgrades, so factor that into your evaluation.
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