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Hoppscotch

Free Postman Alternative — Test APIs in Browser

Test APIs in your browser for free — faster Postman alternative with no install required.

v2026.4.1
May 2026
WindowsmacOSLinuxFreeOpen Source

Postman became the default API testing tool for developers, but its free tier now requires a sign-in, limits workspace features for teams, and ships as a slow Electron app that takes seconds to load. Developers who just need to test an endpoint or inspect a GraphQL schema are forced to install and maintain a heavy desktop application.

Hoppscotch offers the same core functionality entirely in the browser — open hoppscotch.io and you are testing requests in seconds with no download, no account, and no Electron overhead. It supports every protocol developers actually use: REST and HTTP for standard API calls, GraphQL with full schema introspection, WebSocket for real-time connections, Server-Sent Events, Socket.IO, and MQTT for IoT messaging.

Environment variables let you switch between development, staging, and production configurations instantly. Pre-request and post-request scripting automate test flows and inject dynamic values without writing a separate test suite. Collections store and organize frequently used requests for reuse across projects.

For teams, Hoppscotch offers shared workspaces with role-based permissions — members can view, edit, or manage collections together in real time, with changes synchronized across devices. Teams that need full privacy can self-host a complete instance using Docker. The MIT license means there are no restrictions on commercial use or self-hosting modifications. With over 79,000 GitHub stars it is one of the most popular open-source developer tools available.

Related Tools

  • Uptime Kuma — Monitor whether your APIs are up after testing them in Hoppscotch — alerts you the moment an endpoint goes down
  • Flowise — Build AI workflows that call the APIs you've tested and documented in Hoppscotch

FAQ

Is Hoppscotch free?+
Yes, Hoppscotch is free and open source under the MIT license. The web app at hoppscotch.io is free with no account required. A self-hosted Community Edition is also free; a paid Enterprise Edition is available for large organizations needing SSO and audit logs.
How to test APIs without installing Postman?+
Open hoppscotch.io in any browser. Enter the API endpoint URL, select the HTTP method, add any headers or body parameters, and click Send. No download, no account, and no setup required. GraphQL, WebSocket, and MQTT are supported the same way.
Best free alternative to Postman?+
Hoppscotch is the most popular free alternative to Postman. It runs entirely in the browser with no installation, supports all major protocols including WebSocket and MQTT, loads faster than Postman, and does not require a sign-in for basic use.
Hoppscotch vs Postman — which is better?+
Postman has more advanced test automation features and better desktop integration but requires an account and runs as a heavy Electron app. Hoppscotch is faster, browser-native, and works without a sign-in, making it the better choice for quick API testing and privacy-conscious teams.