Hoppscotch vs Postman
Updated October 2026 · AppBreakup editorial
Hoppscotch
Open-source API development ecosystem in the browser.
Postman
API platform for building, testing and documenting APIs.
The short answer
Hoppscotch suits developers who want a fast, open-source API client in the browser, or teams that want to self-host their workspaces. Postman suits teams that need a full platform for testing, documentation, mocks and monitoring. The biggest difference is weight and hosting: Hoppscotch is light and self-hostable, while Postman offers deeper testing features but is a closed, cloud-centred product.
Hoppscotch or Postman: our take
Hoppscotch runs in the browser with nothing to install, and also has desktop apps. It supports REST, GraphQL, WebSocket, Server-Sent Events, MQTT and Socket.IO, so it covers some real-time protocols that come up in quick testing. Postman is a heavier application with collections, scripts, tests, shared workspaces, mock servers, monitors and a large public API network, and supports REST, GraphQL, gRPC and WebSocket. For a quick request, Hoppscotch is faster to open; for a long-lived test suite with documentation around it, Postman offers more.
Both have free plans for individuals and paid plans for organisations. Hoppscotch is open source and can be self-hosted with Docker, so a company can keep collections and team workspaces on its own servers. Postman is proprietary and has moved toward cloud accounts and sync, which some developers dislike. One practical limit of Hoppscotch in the browser is CORS: calling some APIs requires its proxy or browser extension, or the desktop app. Postman runs on the web and as desktop apps for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Choose Hoppscotch if you want a lightweight, open-source tool for everyday API calls, or if your team needs a self-hosted workspace for data or compliance reasons. Choose Postman if you rely on advanced testing, monitoring and documentation features and want everything in one vendor-run platform. Many developers keep Hoppscotch for quick checks even when their team standardises on Postman.
Which should you pick?
Choose Hoppscotch if…
- Quick browser-based API testing and self-hosted team workspaces
- You want open-source software
- You need to host it on your own servers
- You need Self-hosted, which Postman doesn't list
- Runs in the browser
Choose Postman if…
- Teams that want a full API lifecycle platform
- Covers design, testing, docs and monitoring
- Supports REST, GraphQL, gRPC
About each app
What is Hoppscotch?
Hoppscotch is an open-source API development tool that runs in the browser, with desktop apps available, and supports REST, GraphQL, WebSocket, Server-Sent Events, MQTT and Socket.IO. It is lightweight and fast to start, making it handy for quick tests without installing anything. Teams can create shared workspaces and collections, and organizations can self-host the full platform with Docker for internal use. The hosted version is free for individuals, with paid plans for organizations that need more collaboration and administration. It is a popular lightweight alternative to Postman.
What is Postman?
Postman is a widely used API platform that started as a simple request client and grew into a suite for designing, testing, documenting and monitoring APIs. Collections group requests with variables, scripts and tests, workspaces let teams share them, and mock servers and monitors support the API lifecycle. It supports REST, GraphQL, gRPC and WebSockets. Over time Postman moved toward cloud accounts and team workspaces, which pushed some developers who prefer offline, file-based collections toward alternatives. A free plan is available, with paid plans for larger teams.
Side by side
| Attribute | Hoppscotch | Postman |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Open source | Free plan + paid |
| Open source | Yes | No |
| Self-hostable | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, Self-hosted | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Best for | Quick browser-based API testing and self-hosted team workspaces | Teams that want a full API lifecycle platform |
| Status | Active | Active |
Hoppscotch vs Postman pricing
Hoppscotch: open source
We couldn't verify Hoppscotch's plan details on its own site yet, so we don't list them.
Hoppscotch pricing pagePostman: free plan + paid
We couldn't verify Postman's plan details on its own site yet, so we don't list them.
Postman pricing pagePlatforms
| Platform | Hoppscotch | Postman |
|---|---|---|
| Web | ||
| Windows | ||
| macOS | ||
| Linux | ||
| Self-hosted |
Hoppscotch facts
3 of 3 verified- Runs in browser
- Yes
- Checked Oct 24, 2026hoppscotch.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Cross-Platform Apps Works on Mac, Windows, Linux, Web and CLI.”
- Open source
- Yes
- Checked Oct 24, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “License: MIT (MIT License).”
- Self-hosting
- Yes
- Checked Oct 24, 2026hoppscotch.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Get Started on Cloud Self-Host from GitHub Join the developers and engineers from startups”
Postman facts
0 of 3 verifiedPros and cons of Hoppscotch
- Runs in the browser
- Open source and self-hostable
- Supports many protocols
- Fewer advanced testing features than Postman
- Browser CORS limits need a proxy or extension
Pros and cons of Postman
- Covers design, testing, docs and monitoring
- Supports REST, GraphQL, gRPC
- Huge public API network
- Pushes cloud accounts and sync
- Heavy for simple request testing
Other apps to consider
Thunder ClientInstead of Postman
A lightweight client inside VS Code or JetBrains if Postman feels heavy.
Hoppscotch vs Postman: common questions
Is Hoppscotch better than Postman?
Hoppscotch suits developers who want a fast, open-source API client in the browser, or teams that want to self-host their workspaces. Postman suits teams that need a full platform for testing, documentation, mocks and monitoring. The biggest difference is weight and hosting: Hoppscotch is light and self-hostable, while Postman offers deeper testing features but is a closed, cloud-centred product.
Is Hoppscotch free?
Yes. Hoppscotch is free, open-source software you can host yourself.
Is Postman free?
Postman has a free plan, with paid plans for more features. See its verified pricing facts above for current limits.
Is Hoppscotch or Postman open source?
Hoppscotch is open source; Postman is not.
Which platforms do Hoppscotch and Postman support?
Hoppscotch: Web, Windows, macOS, Linux and Self-hosted. Postman: Web, Windows, macOS and Linux.