Postman vs. Insomnia
Learn why Postman is the go-to solution for collaborative API development, testing, and more.
Why Postman?
Postman is the leading API platform for organizations, streamlining API development and driving innovation. Unlike traditional, single-player API management tools, Postman fosters team collaboration across the entire API development lifecycle, from creation to deployment.
See how it stacks up against Insomnia's capabilities for API testing and more.
API testing
Supports many testing strategies, including performance testing and automated testing
Offers advanced testing features, like reusable scripts and AI-generated tests
Supports comprehensive CI/CD testing with results sent back to Postman
Testing capabilities are limited to basic assertions and unit tests
No advanced testing features
Offers basic CI/CD testing via Inso CLI; results are not sent back to Insomnia
API client
Supports REST, SOAP, GraphQL, gRPC, MQTT, WebSockets, and Socket.io
Offers advanced debugging tools, like a feature-rich console and response visualization
Supports over 10 authentication methods and includes guided authentication for public APIs
Includes a basic API client, but lacks support for MQTT and Socket.io
No advanced debugging tools
No guided authentication for public APIs
API design
Supports multiple API definition formats
Supports dynamic, customizable mock servers that can be shared publicly or privately
Supports OpenAPI and GraphQL definitions only
Offers basic mock servers that cannot be shared publicly
API documentation
Auto-generates interactive documentation that updates in real time
Documentation is extensively customizable
Supports public and private documentation
Auto-generates interactive documentation for API schemas, but request documentation is static and must be written and updated manually
Customization is limited
Documentation cannot be made public
API collaboration
Workspaces and collections support real-time collaboration across the entire API lifecycle
Includes in-line comments, activity feeds, and built-in version control
Supports collaboration within teams, as well as with partners and third-party developers
No unified workspaces for collaboration
No in-line comments, activity feeds, or built-in version control
Does not support collaboration with external developers
Integrations and ecosystem
Integrates with cloud providers, CI/CD pipelines, chat apps, source code repos, and more
The Public API Network is home to 100,000 public APIs and 18,000 companies
Offers a VS Code extension
Users must rely on plugins and CLI
No public API network
No VS Code extension
API monitoring
Includes native API monitoring with customizable alerts and scheduled tests
No built-in monitoring capabilities
API security and governance
Includes automated, customizable checks for security and compliance
Offers advanced security features like secret scanning and third-party vault integrations
Provides reports and dashboards for security and governance
No automated, customizable checks for security or governance
No advanced security features
No reports or dashboards
What about Postman vs. Kong?
Insomnia is a subsidiary of Kong, which offers a range of point solutions for managing APIs and microservices. Kong's products were not developed as part of a single, cohesive strategy; many, like Insomnia, were acquired and later integrated into the ecosystem, resulting in a fragmented user experience. In contrast, Postman was built with a unified vision to serve every stage of the API lifecycle within a single platform.
Industry recognition
Don't just take our word for it—learn why G2 recognized Postman as the #1 API platform in 2024.
Compare pricing plans
Postman offers native collaboration features, integrations, and the ability to share (and consume) public APIs—all starting on the Free plan. None of Insomnia's plans offer comparable collaboration, integrations, or external sharing capabilities; this functionality is only accessible through third-party add-ons.
Free plan
$0 for up to 3 collaborators
$0 for unlimited collaborators for 1 project
API Client
API Design
API Documentation
API Collaboration
API Distribution
API Testing
API Monitoring
API Security
API Governance
API Client
API Design
API Documentation
API Collaboration
API Distribution
API Testing
API Monitoring
API Security
API Governance
Enterprise plan
$49 / user / month
$45 / user / month
API Client
API Design
API Documentation
API Collaboration
API Distribution
API Testing
API Monitoring
API Security
API Governance
API Client
API Design
API Documentation
API Collaboration
API Distribution
API Testing
API Monitoring
API Security
API Governance
Ready to start collaborating on APIs?
Start building high-quality APIs on a single platform, today.
2024 State of the API report is here!
Discover key API trends from 5,600+ devs and API professionals in Postman's annual report.
