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15 Best Automated API Testing Tools for Software Testing updated in 2024

Ever wondered how Google Maps magically pinpoints your location and guides you to the nearest exit in the middle of nowhere? Well, thank the tech wizardry of Google Maps API!

Table of contents

What are API and API testing tools?

In simple terms, an API (Application Programming Interface) is like a digital messenger that allows different software to share information and communicate with each other. But here’s the catch: How can an app function flawlessly without compromising user privacy? Enter API testing tools.

Now, imagine you’re part of a team developing software with the agile mindset. API testing tools become your trusty sidekicks, helping you ensure that the software performs like a charm before it reaches the users. The perks for quality assurance (QA) and developers in the agile world include earlier testing and feedback (no more waiting for the whole software to be built), quicker test maintenance and refactoring, and spotting more bugs in less time compared to traditional UI tests.

Types of API Testing

There are various types of API testing, each serving a distinct purpose in ensuring the reliability and functionality of APIs. Here are some common types:

Functional Testing: Validates the API functionality at the code level, ensuring that specific requirements are met.

Security Testing: Focuses on validating the security aspects of the API, especially for publicly exposed APIs. This includes checks for authentication, injections, encryption techniques, and other security requirements.

Load Testing: Ensures that the API can handle multiple requests in parallel, especially when the same API endpoints are used in multiple places within applications. Load testing involves testing the API’s capacity by simulating a specific number of users accessing its endpoints concurrently.

Each type of API testing plays a crucial role in verifying different aspects of an API, contributing to overall quality assurance and reliability.

Choosing API testing tools

But wait, with a gazillion API testing tools out there, how do you choose the one that’s right for you? Here are some key things to consider:

Basic API Requirements: Does it support the majority of HTTP requests? Can you import settings and artifacts from one project/test to another for a time-saving breeze?

Complexity: Ensure that your team can swiftly learn and use the tool without pulling their hair out.

CI/CD Integration: Check if the tool plays nice with the Continuous Integration (CI) systems your team uses, like Jenkins or Bitbucket. Native integration is a bonus, saving you from extra configuration headaches.

Interoperability: Can the tool cozy up with communication platforms like Slack, project management systems like Jira, and version control tools like Git? Seamless integration is the key to a happy toolchain.

Non-technical Friendly: Dive into the tool’s documentation to see if it supports Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) conventions and can whip up easy-to-understand reports.

Choosing the right API testing tool might seem like a daunting task, but armed with these considerations, you’re on your way to making a savvy choice for your team’s needs. Happy testing!

Top 15 API Testing Tools in the Market

The Katalon Platform

The Katalon Platform is a three-time Gartner Peer Insights Customers’ Choice for Software Test Automation, excelling in API, Web, Mobile, and Windows application testing.

Features

User-friendly interface with productivity-centric features for projects of all sizes.
Supports REST, SOAP requests, and SSL client certificates.
Allows test imports from Swagger (2.0 & 3.0), Postman, WSDL, and WADL.
Native CI/CD integrations with Jenkins, Azure DevOps, CircleCI, Dockers, etc.
Data-driven testing methods for enhanced test coverage and reliability.
AssertJ support for creating fluent assertions in BDD style.
Supports API test data setup using UI testing.
Built-in reporting platform to centralize reports and activities.
Offers free API testing courses and tool tutorials on Katalon Academy.

Pricing

Free and flexible paid plans.

Postman

Originally a Chrome browser plugin, Postman has evolved into an on-premise solution for Mac and Windows, becoming a go-to choice for API testing.

Features

Easy-to-use REST client with a rich interface.
Available for both automated and exploratory testing.
Compatible with Mac, Linux, and Windows.
Integrates with Swagger & RAML formats.
Comprehensive features for running, testing, documenting, and monitoring APIs.
Facilitates easy sharing of knowledge within teams by packaging requests and responses.
Latest version (10.6.0) includes advanced preferences for smart organization of collections and API elements.
Allows testing APIs with different data points using data files.
Configurable scheduled runs with email notifications for test failures or errors.

Pricing

Free – $12/user/month.

Apigee

Apigee stands out as a versatile cross-cloud API testing tool that allows users to assess and test API performance, as well as provide support and build APIs. Recognized for its capabilities in the 2019 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Full Lifecycle API Management for four consecutive years, Apigee ensures security compliance with PCI, HIPAA, SOC2, and PII for applications.

Features

Enables design, monitoring, implementation, and extension of APIs.
Multi-step functionality powered by JavaScript.
Identifies performance issues by tracking API traffic, error rate, and response time.
Easily creates API proxies based on open API specifications and deploys them in the cloud.
Tailored for digital businesses and data-rich mobile-driven APIs and apps.
Version 4.19.01 introduced features like Open API 3.0 support, TLS security, Self-healing with apigee-monit, and Virtual host management improvements.
Continues to receive updates with minor bug fixes and security improvements.

Pricing

Contact them

JMeter

Initially designed for performance testing, JMeter has evolved into a widely-used tool for functional API testing.

Features

Offers cache and offline replay of test results.
Automatically works with CSV files, facilitating the creation of unique parameter values for API tests.
Integrates with JMeter and Jenkins for including API tests in CI pipelines.
Suitable for both static and dynamic resource performance testing.
The latest release, JMeter 5.5, includes new themes, bug fixes, visual representation of disabled elements, a revamped Groovy library, and updated JMeter templates for functional testing.
Primarily used for web application performance and load testing.

Pricing

Free

REST-assured

REST-assured is an open-source Java Domain-specific language designed to simplify the testing of REST services, allowing users to validate and verify responses.

Features

Provides baked-in functionalities for codeless testing.
Seamlessly integrates with the Serenity automation framework, enabling the combination of UI and REST tests in one framework with excellent reporting.
Supports BDD Given/When/Then syntax.
Compatible with various HTTP request methods (POST, GET, PUT, DELETE, OPTIONS, PATCH, and HEAD).
User-friendly interface, making it accessible to non-HTTP experts.
Version 5.3.0 supports Spring Framework 6 and includes improvements and bug fixes.

Pricing

Free

Assertible

Assertible is an API testing tool that puts a spotlight on automation and reliability.

Features

Supports the automation of API tests throughout the CI/CD pipeline.
Assists in running API tests post-deployments and seamlessly integrates with familiar tools like GitHub, Slack, and Zapier.
Enables validation of HTTP responses with turn-key assertions.
Features the Sync function, which helps testers update their tests automatically when API specifications change, eliminating the need for manual updates.

Pricing

Free – $25/month

SoapUI

SoapUI is a headless functional testing tool specifically designed for API testing, allowing users to test REST and SOAP APIs and Web Services effortlessly.

Free Package Features

Access to full source code for building preferred features.
Easy test creation with drag-and-drop and point-and-click functionalities.
Reusability of scripts for load tests and security scans in functional test cases.

Pro Package Features

Powerful data-driven testing, simulating consumer interactions with APIs using data from files, databases, and Excel.
Native CI/CD integrations and asynchronous testing.

Latest Version (SoapUI 5.7.0)

Includes support for GraphQL APIs and other improvements.
Disables the Load and Save project scripts by default for enhanced testing security.

Pricing

Free – $749/year

Karate DSL

Karate DSL is a cutting-edge API testing tool that simplifies the creation of scenarios for API-based Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) tests without requiring users to write definition steps.

Features

Built on top of Cucumber-JVM.
Runs tests and generates reports similar to any standard Java project.
Supports configuration switching/staging and multithreaded parallel execution.

Latest Revision (Karate UI 1.3.0)

Allows for Java 8 and introduces new features, including redesigned HTML reports, call-Single-Cache, Karate Robot Windows for Windows Desktop app automation, and enhanced tree walking in UI Tests.
Allows writing tests in any language that can handle HTTP, JSON, or XML.

Pricing

Free

Rest Console

Rest Console is a REST/HTTP Client designed for Google Chrome, offering users the ability to visualize and construct custom HTTP requests for testing with any RESTful API service.

Features

Construct POST or PUT bodies via raw input.
Modify custom headers through an intuitive UI.
Simplify the creation of query parameters.
Supports various authentications like Plain, Basic, and OAuth.
Customizable interface for a personalized user experience.
Latest release, Rest Console v4.0.2, includes feature enhancements and bug fixes (e.g., oAuth improvements, Collapsible sections, Clickable Links in Response, UI enhancements).

API Fortress

API Fortress is a continuous platform for API testing, allowing testers and developers to create and automate functional tests.

Features

Easy-to-use intuitive UI suitable for all skill levels.
Plug-and-play setup for continuous API testing.
Supports Web Services, tests REST, SOAP, GraphQL, and Microservices.
Web-based collaborative tool for team use within a browser with no downloads required.
The latest version introduces features allowing tests to continue after fatal errors, improved multipart for on-prem and load testing, and a K/V store for mocking services.

Pricing

Contact sales

Pyresttest

Pyresttest is a Python-based REST API testing platform that facilitates tests through JSON or YAML config files, requiring no coding knowledge.

Features

Generate and validate mechanisms for building complete test scenarios.
Allows easy deployment on servers for smoke tests/health checks with minimal dependencies (pycurl, pyyaml, optionally future).
Returns exit codes on failure for integration into automated configuration orchestration tools.
Latest version 1.7.1 (2016) includes a fixed JSONschema extension in Python 3 and added test coverage.
Best used for RESTful APIs.

Pricing

Free

Hoppscotch

Hoppscotch is a free and speedy API request generator categorized under API tools in the technology stack. Featuring a minimalistic UI design, it enables users to send requests and receive/copy responses in real-time, boosting the speed of request creation and saving valuable development time. The tool was updated to version v3.0.1 in August 2021, addressing minor bugs. Being an open-source tool, it allows users to customize it according to their project requirements.

Pricing

Free

Taurus

Taurus stands out as a free and open-source framework designed for straightforward API testing, emphasizing ease of learning. It simplifies the complexities of running performance tests without requiring knowledge of programming languages, relying on a basic YAML structure. The latest version, v1.16.19, brings various feature updates, user experience improvements, and bug fixes.

Pricing

Free

Citrus Framework

Citrus Framework offers Java fluent API for specifying test logic and fully automated tests, serving as both a client and a consumer during testing by replacing actual request/response messages over the wire. The latest stable version, Citrus 3.3.0, is available in the central Maven repository. As an open-source tool with custom scripting functionalities, users can leverage their programming skills to meet project requirements.

Pricing

Open-source

Airborne

Airborne is a Ruby-based RSpec-driven API automation testing framework with a focus on programming. Lacking a user interface, it relies on a text file for code creation. Users need to grasp a few key methods in the toolset along with Ruby and RSpec fundamentals. Updated to version v0.3.7 in 2020 with minor bug fixes, Airborne is a free and open-source API testing tool catering to testing team requirements.

Pricing

Free

While these tools are among the best in the market, it’s crucial to consider their pros and cons. Flexibility in trying various options will help find the one that best aligns with specific requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Tool for API Testing?

Testsigma stands out as one of the top tools for API testing in the current market. It boasts a user-friendly interface, requires no coding skills, and supports the testing of both RESTful and SOAP APIs. Testsigma goes beyond API testing, offering features for cross-browser testing, mobile testing, and end-to-end testing, making it a comprehensive solution for testing various aspects of applications. Other notable API testing tools include Postman, SoapUI, REST-assured, and Assertible.

What are the API Tools Examples?

There are several examples of API testing tools widely used in the industry.

Test Sigma: User-friendly interface, no coding skills required, supports RESTful and SOAP APIs, comprehensive testing solution.
Postman: Powerful REST client, supports automated and exploratory testing, available for Mac, Linux, and Windows.
SoapUI: Dedicated to API testing, supports REST and SOAP APIs, allows for easy test creation with drag-and-drop functionality.
REST-assured: Open-source Java DSL, simplifies testing of REST services, supports BDD Given/When/Then syntax.
Assertible: Focuses on automation and reliability, supports automation throughout the CI/CD pipeline, provides turn-key assertions for HTTP responses.

These tools cater to different testing needs, and the choice depends on specific project requirements and preferences.