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As software becomes more critical, it’s important to have strong and secure applications. That’s why API testing tools are now crucial for ensuring software works correctly and stays safe.
In this article, we’ll introduce you to 25 of the best API testing tools in 2023. These tools offer lots of features, work with different programming languages, and have strong security features. They’re essential for developers and testers.
Whether you’re experienced in coding or passionate about quality assurance, these tools can make testing easier and help you build strong, reliable applications.
Here’s a breakdown of the Best Api Testing Tools:
Postman is great because it’s really easy to use, especially for creating and managing API tests. You can do a lot with it, like making requests and checking the responses to ensure everything works correctly. It’s also good for teamwork because developers and testers can collaborate easily.
Who should use it: If you’re a developer or tester looking for a tool that’s both powerful and simple to use for testing APIs, Postman is a solid choice. It’s versatile and can handle tasks like creating tests, automating them, documenting APIs, and even simulating how endpoints work.
Top tip: Make the most of Postman by using collections and environments. Collections help you group similar requests together, while environments let you manage different setups for testing. This makes your testing process smoother and more organized.
Postman has different pricing options: there’s a free version which has basic features, then paid plans for individuals or teams ($12 per user per month) and businesses ($24 per user per month), and there’s also an enterprise option if you need something more advanced.
SoapUI is a popular tool used for testing SOAP and REST APIs. It’s open-source and offers a wide range of features to thoroughly test APIs, from generating tests to verifying results. SoapUI can also integrate with other tools, which adds to its flexibility.
Who should use it: SoapUI is great for developers and testers who work with SOAP-based or REST APIs. Its strong features and support make it especially useful for organizations that heavily rely on these types of APIs.
Top tip: Take advantage of SoapUI’s assertion capabilities to check if API responses match the expected outcomes. This ensures your API tests are accurate and dependable.
The pricing for ReadyAPI, which includes SoapUI, starts at $644 for a one-year license.
JUnit is a widely used testing framework designed for Java applications, including API testing. It’s favored for its simplicity and reliability, making it a top pick among developers. JUnit enables you to create automated tests easily, perform assertions to validate results, and generate detailed reports about your tests.
Who should use it: JUnit is perfect for Java developers seeking a straightforward yet robust tool for API testing. It integrates smoothly with Java projects and development environments, making it convenient to use within existing workflows.
Pro Tip: Make the most of JUnit by using its annotations like @Test and @Before to organize and run API tests efficiently. Also, take advantage of JUnit’s reporting features to get thorough insights into your test outcomes.
JUnit is a great choice for Java developers looking to test their APIs effectively and seamlessly within their Java projects.
RestAssured is a tool that simplifies API testing for Java projects. It offers a domain-specific language (DSL) that allows you to write clear and concise code, making API testing straightforward. RestAssured enables you to easily create requests, validate responses, and make assertions.
Who should use it: RestAssured is ideal for Java developers who frequently work with RESTful APIs. Its straightforward syntax and simplicity make it a great choice for writing efficient API tests.
Pro tip: Use RestAssured’s built-in features for JSON and XML parsing to extract specific information from API responses. This capability lets you perform detailed assertions and validations on your API tests.
RestAssured is a valuable tool for Java developers looking to streamline API testing and write effective tests with ease.
Karate DSL is an open-source framework that offers a combination of API testing, mock server, and performance testing capabilities. Its syntax is easy to read and comes with built-in assertions, which simplifies the process of creating and running comprehensive API tests. Additionally, Karate’s inclusion of mock server and performance testing features adds to its versatility.
Who should use it: Karate is ideal for developers and testers who prefer using a single tool to manage API testing, mock server setup, and performance testing. Its user-friendly approach and wide range of features make it particularly useful for teams focused on API development and testing.
Pro tip: Use Karate’s scenario outline feature to run tests with multiple sets of test data inputs. This allows you to efficiently test various scenarios without duplicating your test code.
Karate DSL is a valuable tool for teams looking to streamline their API testing process and integrate it with mock server and performance testing functionalities.
Newman is a command-line tool that works with Postman to automate API testing. It’s especially useful for integrating API tests into continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) pipelines. Newman allows you to run Postman collections directly from the command line in a CI/CD environment, ensuring that your tests are run consistently and reliably.
Who should use it: Newman is great for teams using Postman for API testing who want to automate their testing workflows. It simplifies the process of running Postman collections, making it easy to incorporate API testing into CI/CD processes.
Pro tip: To fully automate your API testing, integrate Newman with your preferred CI/CD tool. This setup automates the execution of Postman collections as part of your deployment pipeline, helping you catch API issues early in the development cycle.
Newman is a valuable tool for teams looking to automate their API testing and integrate it seamlessly into their CI/CD workflows using Postman collections.
Apache JMeter is a powerful tool primarily used for load and performance testing. However, it also offers excellent support for API testing. Its ability to simulate various scenarios and measure API performance under different loads provides valuable insights for ensuring API functionality and scalability.
Best for: Apache JMeter is best suited for organizations that require not only API testing but also load and performance testing capabilities. It caters to developers and testers who want a comprehensive tool for testing the performance and reliability of their APIs.
Pro tip: Combine Apache JMeter‘s API testing capabilities with load and performance testing to gain a holistic view of your API’s behavior under different load conditions. This helps identify bottlenecks and ensure your API can handle expected traffic levels.
TestComplete is a comprehensive testing platform that covers API testing, along with UI and load testing. It’s designed with a script-free interface and offers extensive functionality, making it suitable for testers of all levels. With TestComplete, you can create automated API tests without writing any code.
Who should use it: TestComplete is ideal for organizations needing a tool that supports API testing as well as UI and load testing. It’s perfect for testers who prefer a no-coding approach and want a unified platform for different types of testing.
Pro tip: Take advantage of TestComplete’s data-driven testing capabilities to efficiently test your APIs with various sets of test data. This approach helps you cover different scenarios and ensures the reliability of your API implementation.
TestComplete is a versatile tool that caters to organizations looking for a comprehensive testing solution covering API, UI, and load testing, all in one platform with a user-friendly interface.
Selenium WebDriver, widely known for web UI testing, can also be applied for API testing due to its flexibility and extensive community support. This tool is valuable for testing web
-based APIs because of its adaptability and the large community it has. With Selenium WebDriver, you can extend your existing knowledge of Selenium to broaden your testing capabilities to include API testing.
Who should use it: Selenium WebDriver is a great choice for organizations already using Selenium for web UI testing and looking to expand into API testing. Its ability to work with multiple programming languages makes it suitable for teams with diverse technology preferences.
Pro Tip: To incorporate API testing alongside your web UI tests using Selenium WebDriver, utilize HTTP client libraries like HttpClient or RestAssured. This allows you to make API requests directly within your Selenium tests, enhancing your testing coverage.
Selenium WebDriver is a versatile tool that can be leveraged effectively for both web UI and API testing, making it a valuable asset for organizations aiming to consolidate their testing efforts across different layers of their applications.
There are some more tools that didn’t make it to the top.
11. PyTest: Testing framework for Python that makes it easy to write simple and scalable tests.
12. Cucumber: Tool for writing acceptance tests in a BDD style, promoting collaboration between technical and non-technical team members.
13. Supertest: SuperAgent-driven library for testing HTTP servers in Node.js.
14. Apigee: API management platform facilitating API development, deployment, and analytics.
15. Dred: Command-line tool for testing API descriptions against actual API implementations.
16. Assertible: API testing tool that automates validating API responses and monitoring for continuous testing.
17. HTTPie: Command-line HTTP client for making HTTP requests with a simple and intuitive interface.
18. WireMock: Mock server for HTTP-based APIs to simulate responses and test interactions.
19. Paw: Cross-platform REST client for testing and debugging HTTP APIs
20. Insomnia: Framework for designing, building, and documenting APIs with OpenAPI specifications.
21. Swagger: API monitoring and testing platform for automated API tests and monitoring in the cloud.
22. Runscope: Comprehensive testing suite for API testing, functional testing, and performance testing.
23. Parasoft Soatest: Automated testing tool for web, mobile, and desktop applications with codeless and script-based testing.
24. Telerick Test Studio: Automated testing tool for web, mobile, and desktop applications with codeless and script-based testing.
25. IBM Rational Integration Tester: Tool for testing and simulating the behavior of APIs, services, and applications in an integration environment.
26. Sauce Labs: Automated generation of API tests for quick debugging across various browsers and mobile applications.
27. SmartBear: Top continuous testing platform for DevOps.
28. Subject7: Enabling anyone to master testing with effortless, code-free automation.
29. Hoppscotch: The quickest and most user-friendly API builder.
Katalon Studio is a robust automation testing tool that includes support for API testing. It offers features like record and playback, data-driven testing, and comprehensive reporting, making it a great choice for creating effective and secure API tests. Katalon Studio provides a unified platform for both API and UI testing, simplifying the automation of test processes.
Who should use it: Katalon Studio is ideal for organizations seeking a single tool for API and UI testing. It’s especially beneficial for teams focused on efficient test creation, execution, and reporting.
Pro tip: Take advantage of Katalon Studio’s record and playback feature for API testing. This allows you to quickly generate test scripts by recording interactions with APIs, which is especially helpful for testers who may not have extensive coding skills.
Katalon Studio is a valuable tool that simplifies API testing alongside UI testing, making it a convenient choice for organizations aiming to streamline their test automation efforts.
PyTest is a Python testing framework known for its intuitive syntax and robust assertion capabilities. It features a plugin architecture and supports API testing, allowing developers to create reliable and scalable tests with ease. PyTest’s simplicity and flexibility make it a top choice for Python developers looking for an efficient testing solution.
Who should use it: PyTest is perfect for Python developers who prioritize simplicity and prefer a lightweight testing framework for their projects.
PyTest is a versatile tool that simplifies testing workflows for Python developers, offering an intuitive approach to writing and executing tests effectively.
Cucumber promotes collaboration among developers, testers, and stakeholders through its behavior-driven development (BDD) approach. This method enhances communication and understanding of API requirements by using plain-text executable specifications, which are easy to create and maintain, even for non-technical team members.
Who should use it: Cucumber is best for organizations that value clear and concise test documentation and collaborative test development. It’s particularly useful for projects involving cross-functional teams and complex API requirements.
Pro tip: Take advantage of Cucumber’s tagging feature to organize and run specific sets of API tests. This allows for targeted testing based on different criteria like functional areas or release cycles, optimizing your testing process.
Cucumber is a valuable tool for fostering collaboration and ensuring clarity in API testing processes, making it beneficial for organizations with diverse teams and intricate API projects.
Supertest is a developer-friendly tool designed for testing Node.js HTTP servers and APIs. It’s known for its lightweight and expressive syntax, making it easy to use and understand. Supertest seamlessly integrates with popular testing frameworks like Mocha and Jest, which enhances its flexibility and compatibility.
Who should use it: Supertest is ideal for Node.js developers who want a straightforward and efficient library for testing their HTTP servers and APIs. Its minimal setup requirements and seamless integration with testing frameworks make it a valuable tool for Node.js projects.
Pro tip: Take advantage of Supertest’s chaining and assertion methods to create concise and readable API test scripts. This approach improves code maintainability and clarity, making your tests more effective and easier to manage.
Supertest is a great choice for Node.js developers looking to streamline their API testing process with a user-friendly and powerful library that integrates well with popular testing frameworks.
Apigee is a complete API platform that covers all stages of API development, including testing. It provides a comprehensive suite of tools for designing, building, testing, and monitoring APIs, making the API development lifecycle more efficient.
Who should use it: Apigee is ideal for organizations seeking a robust and comprehensive API platform. It’s well-suited for developers and testers who require a unified platform for API testing, management, and monitoring.
Pro Tip: Take advantage of Apigee’s traffic simulation features to evaluate API performance under varying traffic loads. This helps ensure that your APIs function optimally in real-world scenarios.
Apigee is a powerful solution for organizations looking to streamline their API development processes with a consolidated platform that covers testing, management, and monitoring effectively.
Dredd is a tool that specializes in validating API blueprints against their actual implementations, ensuring that implemented APIs match their documented specifications accurately. It offers a command-line interface, making it easy to integrate into continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines.
Who should use it: Dredd is perfect for organizations that prioritize strict adherence to API documentation specifications. It’s beneficial for developers and testers who want to confirm consistency between API blueprints and their actual implementations.
Pro tip: Incorporate Dredd into your CI/CD process to automatically validate API blueprints against your APIs whenever there’s a code change. This setup ensures that documentation and implementation remain synchronized, promoting accuracy and reliability.
Dredd is a valuable tool for organizations aiming to maintain consistency and accuracy in API development by validating API implementations against their documented specifications efficiently and automatically.
Assertible offers an intuitive interface for creating, running, and managing API tests. It includes real-time monitoring and error detection features, which help quickly identify and address API issues, enhancing application reliability.
Who should use it: Assertible is ideal for organizations seeking a user-friendly tool for API testing and monitoring. It’s beneficial for developers and testers who prioritize detecting and resolving API errors efficiently.
Pro tip: Take advantage of Assertible’s webhooks and integration capabilities to incorporate API testing into your current CI/CD workflows and collaboration tools. This integration ensures a smooth and streamlined testing process.
Assertible is a valuable tool for organizations aiming to improve API reliability through easy-to-use testing and monitoring features, integrated seamlessly into their development workflows.
HTTPie is a command-line tool with a user-friendly interface that simplifies making API requests. It’s designed to be more approachable than using cURL or other HTTP clients, making it ideal for developers who prefer a straightforward way to interact with APIs.
Who should use it: HTTPie is great for developers looking for a simple command-line tool to make API requests efficiently. Its easy syntax also makes it suitable for beginners getting started with API testing.
Pro tip: Take advantage of HTTPie’s syntax highlighting feature, which helps quickly spot and troubleshoot issues in API requests and responses. This feature enhances the efficiency of your testing workflow by making potential problems more visible.
HTTPie is a valuable tool for developers who want a streamlined and intuitive way to interact with APIs directly from the command line, improving the testing and debugging process with its user-friendly features.
WireMock is a tool that provides flexible mock server capabilities, allowing developers to simulate different responses and scenarios for comprehensive API testing. Its ease of use and lightweight nature make it a popular choice among developers.
Who should use it: WireMock is ideal for developers looking for a straightforward and versatile mock server solution for API testing, without requiring complex setup or configuration.
Pro tip: Take advantage of WireMock’s recording feature, which captures and generates mock responses based on actual API traffic. This helps save time and effort by creating accurate mock data for testing purposes.
WireMock is a valuable tool for developers seeking an efficient way to simulate API behaviors during testing, enabling thorough testing of API integrations and dependencies with minimal setup overhead
Paw is a comprehensive HTTP client designed for building and testing APIs on macOS. It offers a robust toolset and a user-friendly interface, making it a preferred choice for macOS developers.
Who should use it: Paw is ideal for macOS developers who need a powerful HTTP client with advanced API testing features. Its intuitive design and extensive capabilities enhance productivity in API testing workflows.
Pro Tip: Take advantage of Paw’s ability to create dynamic environments. This feature allows you to manage different configurations and authentication settings for your API tests, making it efficient to test across various environments.
Paw is a valuable tool for macOS developers seeking a versatile and efficient HTTP client for developing and testing APIs. Its user-friendly interface and advanced features contribute to a streamlined API testing experience.
Insomnia is an API testing and design tool that stands out for its cross-platform compatibility, visually appealing interface, and comprehensive support for various authentication methods. It’s popular among developers and testers due to its extensive testing capabilities that effectively address different API scenarios.
Who should use it: Insomnia is ideal for developers who work on multiple platforms and need a robust API testing and design tool. Its attractive interface and user-friendly design contribute to a positive testing experience.
Pro tip: Take advantage of Insomnia’s environment and variable features to efficiently manage test data and configurations. This capability enables seamless testing across different environments, improving workflow efficiency.
Insomnia is a valuable tool for developers looking for a versatile and feature-rich solution for API testing and design. Its cross-platform compatibility, appealing interface, and advanced features enhance productivity and streamline the testing process across various environments.
Swagger UI simplifies the exploration and testing of APIs by automatically generating interactive API documentation. This feature allows users to interact with APIs directly from the documentation. Swagger UI’s support for OpenAPI specifications ensures accurate understanding and effective testing of APIs.
Who should use it: Swagger UI is perfect for organizations that emphasize detailed and interactive API documentation. It’s ideal for facilitating API testing directly from the documentation.
Pro Tip: Customize the appearance of Swagger UI to align with your brand or project theme. This customization creates a cohesive and professional look for your API documentation and testing interface.
Swagger UI is a valuable tool for organizations seeking comprehensive API documentation and testing capabilities. Its interactive features and support for customization contribute to a more engaging and professional API documentation experience.
Runscope’s cloud-based platform provides developers with the ability to thoroughly test and validate APIs under real-world conditions. Its features include traffic recording and replay, which enable comprehensive API testing to ensure optimal performance and reliability.
Who should use it: Runscope is ideal for organizations needing cloud-based API testing and monitoring. It’s particularly beneficial for developers who want to test APIs under realistic scenarios to assess their performance and reliability.
Pro tip: Take advantage of Runscope’s scheduling capabilities to set up regular tests for monitoring API performance. This proactive approach helps detect potential issues early and ensures consistent API reliability.
Runscope is a valuable tool for organizations seeking robust API testing and monitoring solutions in a cloud-based environment. Its features support realistic testing scenarios and proactive monitoring, enhancing overall API performance and reliability.
Parasoft SOAtest is a comprehensive API testing tool with enterprise-grade capabilities, including functional and security testing. It’s designed to meet the needs of organizations requiring thorough testing of APIs, especially in complex scenarios and integrations.
Who should use it: Parasoft SOAtest is ideal for organizations looking for a robust solution that combines functional and security testing for APIs. It’s suitable for developers and testers dealing with intricate API setups and dependencies.
Pro Tip: Take advantage of Parasoft SOAtest’s security testing features to identify and address potential vulnerabilities in your APIs, ensuring they meet rigorous security standards and compliance requirements.
Parasoft SOAtest is a valuable tool for organizations prioritizing comprehensive API testing, especially in terms of functionality and security. Its features cater to complex testing scenarios and provide advanced capabilities to ensure API reliability and security.
Telerik Test Studio offers a visual testing approach that simplifies the creation of API tests, making it particularly useful for testers with limited coding experience. Its integration with multiple frameworks and languages enhances its flexibility and compatibility.
Who should use it: Telerik Test Studio is ideal for teams looking for a visual approach to API testing, which can complement existing testing workflows and benefit testers who prefer a more intuitive testing process.
Pro tip: To maximize flexibility, consider combining Telerik Test Studio’s visual testing capabilities with code-based tests. This hybrid approach allows testers with varying levels of technical expertise to leverage the simplicity of visual testing while also accommodating more complex scenarios through code-based testing.
Telerik Test Studio is a valuable tool for teams aiming to streamline API testing using a visual approach, while also maintaining flexibility and compatibility with different testing frameworks and languages. Integrating visual and code-based testing methods can optimize the testing process for teams with diverse skill sets and requirements.
IBM Rational Integration Tester is a robust tool for testing APIs, services, and integrations within software systems. Key features include message flow simulation, functional and security testing, service virtualization, performance testing, continuous testing integration, comprehensive reporting, and enterprise-grade security. It enables efficient testing to ensure reliability, performance, and security of integrations throughout the development lifecycle.
What stands out about IBM Rational Integration Tester is its advanced testing capabilities for APIs, services, and integrations. One notable feature is its message flow simulation, which allows for thorough and comprehensive testing of message flows within systems.SmartBear
SmartBear is a GUI test automation tool that focuses on desktop, web, and mobile testing. It allows you to easily create repeatable tests across various platforms, environments, and devices.
One key feature of SmartBear’s TestComplete is automated UI testing for a wide range of desktop applications, including those built on Windows, WPF, Java, .NET, and other languages. It simplifies continuous testing by enabling automated test execution through test scripts and offering record and replay capabilities.
SmartBear’s CrossBrowserTesting provides a comprehensive web testing platform for ensuring cross-browser compatibility. You can design reusable tests and run parallel execution tests across different browser configurations, including popular JavaScript frameworks like Angular and React.
The ReadyAPI solution accelerates API quality by supporting web services such as GraphQL, RESTful, and SOAP.
SmartBear also acquired the open-source tool Cucumber, merging its behavior-driven development (BDD) leadership with test automation expertise.
It’s worth noting that SmartBear’s TestComplete and ReadyAPI modules can be expensive. TestComplete Base options start at $5,438 USD for Desktop, Mobile, or Web testing, allowing users to choose based on their specific needs and budget. For instance, opting for Desktop testing alone costs $5,438 USD, Mobile alone costs $6,158 USD, and Web testing alone starts at $5,438 USD.
SmartBear’s tools offer powerful capabilities for GUI testing and API testing but may require an investment based on the chosen modules and functionalities.
Subject7 offers codeless automation that makes becoming an automation expert accessible to everyone, regardless of technical background, leveling the playing field for API testing.
It’s an exceptional automation tool suitable for both technical and non-technical users, reducing maintenance for QA engineers and testers. With Subject7, you can easily create robust test flows with widget definitions, AJAX calls, and configuration templates across a library of over 100 platforms, including Android and iOS devices.
Subject7 simplifies web and native app testing by enabling test authoring and running of sophisticated API automation tests effortlessly. It covers a wide range of end-to-end test capabilities, including desktop, web applications, web services, mobile, security, load testing, and more.
Subject7 delivers robust testing capabilities that scale effectively and provides enterprise-grade security, whether deployed on-premises or in the cloud.
The adaptability of Subject7 lies in its GUI interfaces that interact with automated commands, eliminating the need to write Java code for many tasks. It also includes built-in commands for web and desktop applications.
Subject7 seamlessly integrates with Agile tooling and DevOps ecosystems using both open APIs and native integration methods.
However, Subject7 does not offer a free version or free trials for users to test its features before purchasing. The Professional plan is reasonably priced at $250 USD per user per month on an annual subscription basis. The Enterprise and Private Cloud plans offer customized pricing upon request.
Subject7 is a comprehensive automation tool that simplifies API testing and automation, catering to users of varying technical expertise levels and offering robust capabilities for enterprise-grade testing needs.
Hoppscotch is a free, open-source API request builder and testing tool that allows developers to make HTTP requests and validate API responses through a user-friendly GUI interface.
Created as an alternative to Postman, Hoppscotch features a minimalist and less distracting interface compared to other API frameworks. This design choice helps developers write test scripts quickly and efficiently without unnecessary distractions.
One standout feature of Hoppscotch is Collections, which allows testers to organize and save HTTP requests belonging to a specific API endpoint in a logical and structured manner.
Hoppscotch is valuable in API development environments as it enables developers to create HTTP requests in a step-by-step manner, particularly useful when dealing with complex APIs with nested arrays and HTML objects.
DevOps teams benefit from Hoppscotch’s pre-request scripts, saving time and effort during API development. Additionally, Hoppscotch supports GraphQL, allowing developers to perform descriptive data queries alongside API tests.
By ensuring reliable and secure APIs, Hoppscotch is beneficial for resource-driven applications seeking robust API testing capabilities.
Hoppscotch is free to use and accepts donations through platforms like PayPal and Patreon to support its development and maintenance. This open-source API testing tool provides a powerful and user-friendly solution for API testing and development needs.
API testing tools are software designed to test the functionality, performance, security, and reliability of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).
They automate the process of sending API requests, receiving responses, and analyzing them to ensure correct behavior and performance under various conditions. These tools are essential for verifying that APIs, which facilitate communication between software systems, are functioning as intended.
The benefits and uses of API testing tools include:
In today’s interconnected software environment, where APIs play a critical role in integrating diverse systems and services, API testing tools are vital for ensuring the reliability and effectiveness of software applications.
When evaluating API automation testing tools, I considered the following criteria:
Is the layout clean and intuitive?
In summary, the best API testing tools excel in user interface design, usability, integrations with existing tools, value for money, test automation capabilities, CI/CD integration, reliable test coverage, and optimized workflows to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in software testing processes.
4.7/5
4.8/5
4.4/5
4.6/5
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