I've been using Postman for API testing and documentation for a while now, but the cloud sync and account requirements have become frustrating, especially while working in restricted or air-gapped environments. I'm looking for recommendations for offline or self-hosted alternatives to Postman. Ideally, I'd like something that:
- Runs completely locally with no cloud dependencies.
- Can import Postman collections.
- Supports environment variables and OpenAPI specs.
- Works across Windows, Linux, and macOS.
I've found a few options like Bruno, Hoppscotch (in self-hosted mode), and Apicat, but I'm curious if anyone has used them in a production or secure network setting. I'd love to hear what has worked best for you!
5 Answers
I mostly stick with curl for API testing, but I also hear good things about yaak.app. It seems like the new favorite among many developers making the switch from Postman.
Exactly, curl is classic, but sometimes you need a UI for process simplicity!
In my organization, we mostly use Bruno and Insomnia since Postman is banned due to licensing issues. I find Bruno works nicely for most collections, although importing isn't always perfect. It's similar enough to Postman that I adjusted quickly!
We’ve been using Kreya at my place, and it’s pretty solid. Everything is stored locally, and we've turned off any telemetry, so it keeps our data safe. Plus, it supports Postman imports!
If you're looking for something lightweight, check out Apicat. It's been working well for me, and it fits the bill for secure setups. For more robust testing, Bruno and the VS Code REST Client combo has also been reliable for offline environments.
I've been using Bruno and APIDog recently, and I have to say seconding Bruno. It's really become my go-to after Postman and Insomnia got kinda bloated with unnecessary features.
I totally agree about Bruno! It's simple and gets the job done without any hassle.
I've had the same experience! Moving to Bruno was a breath of fresh air.
Curl's great, but yaak.app sounds interesting. Does it support Swagger definitions directly?