Why Look for a Postman Alternative?
Postman has been the industry standard for years, but recent changes have left many developers looking for alternatives. Forced cloud synchronization, bloated interfaces, and restrictive free tiers have made it less attractive for individual developers and privacy-conscious teams.
In 2026, the landscape of API testing tools has shifted towards lightweight, modern, and developer-centric solutions. Here are the top contenders.
1. Apicurl
Best for: Developers who want a fast, privacy-focused, and web-based tool.
Apicurl (that's us!) is built with a "local-first" philosophy.
- No Cloud Sync Required: Your collections stay on your device unless you choose to share them.
- Web & Desktop: Runs in your browser or as a native app.
- Developer Tools: Integrated cURL converter, JWT decoder, and JSON validator.
- Privacy First: No tracking or data collection.
2. Insomnia
Best for: GraphQL testing. Insomnia remains a strong competitor with a clean UI and excellent GraphQL support.
3. Hoppscotch
Best for: Lightweight web usage. Hoppscotch is a popular PWA that runs entirely in the browser. It's fast and easy to use.
4. Bruno
Best for: Git integration. Bruno stores collections as files on your filesystem, making it perfect for version control with Git. It's a true offline-first client.
5. HTTPie
Best for: CLI lovers. If you prefer the terminal, HTTPie offers a beautiful command-line interface that is much more user-friendly than standard cURL.
Conclusion
The best tool depends on your specific workflow. If you value privacy, speed, and integrated developer utilities, give Apicurl a try. It's free, modern, and designed for development teams.