18.4
Scalar is a collection of API products for documentation, client generation, API management, requests, and MCP server use.
Free planOpen sourceWebAPILinux
Best API 1 in 2026
API management and gateway tools help teams publish, protect and document application programming interfaces. This list covers services and software that run on the web, Windows, macOS, Linux, self-hosted setups or through an API. If you plan to work from a Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO phone or tablet, check for an Android app before choosing. Compare deployment, API gateway and specification support, rate limiting,…
28.2
Amazon API Gateway is a managed service for creating, publishing, maintaining, monitoring, and securing APIs that connect applications with backend services.
Free planAndroidiOSWeb
38.1
Bruno is a Git-native API client for exploring and testing REST, GraphQL, gRPC, and WebSocket APIs.
Free planOpen sourceAPIExtensionLinux
- 4
Apidog
Apidog is an API platform for designing, debugging, mocking, testing, and documenting APIs, with GraphQL and SOAP support.
Free planWebAPIExtensionLinux8.0From $9 a month - 5
Fern
Fern Docs builds interactive documentation websites from Markdown and API specifications, while Fern also generates strongly typed client libraries.
Free planOpen sourceWebAPILinuxmacOS7.8Free plan - 6
Postman
Postman is a platform for designing, testing, distributing, documenting, and monitoring APIs.
Free planWebExtensionLinuxmacOS7.6From $9 a month - 7
Insomnia
Insomnia is an API collaboration platform for designing, testing, debugging, mocking, and governing APIs.
Free planLinuxmacOSSelf-hostedWindows7.2From $12 a month - 8
SwaggerHub
SwaggerHub is a toolkit for API design, testing, documentation, and governance.
Free planWebSelf-hosted7.1From $740 a year - 9
Redocly
WebAPIExtension7.0From $10 a month - 10
Mockoon
Mockoon is a free, open-source tool for designing and running mock APIs locally.
WebAPILinuxmacOS6.8From €10 a month - 11
ReadMe
Free planWeb6.7From $250 a month - 12
Bump.sh
Bump.sh is a paid web, API, and self-hosted service for publishing API documentation and providing MCP servers that update with API releases.
WebAPISelf-hosted6.4From $50 a month - 13
KrakenD API Gateway
KrakenD API Gateway is a stateless, distributed gateway for connecting, protecting, combining and transforming APIs and AI workloads.
Free planLinuxmacOSSelf-hostedWindows6.4Free plan - 14
Stoplight Elements
Free planWebSelf-hosted6.4Free plan - 15
Fusio
Fusio is a free, open-source API management platform for connecting business logic and infrastructure to APIs.
Free planWebAPILinuxSelf-hosted6.3Free plan - 16
Kong Konnect
WebLinuxmacOSWindows6.2From $25 a month - 17
Tyk API Management
Tyk API Management is a platform for developing, operating, governing, and publishing APIs.
WebAPILinuxSelf-hosted6.1 - 18
Gravitee API Management
WebLinuxWindows5.9From $2,500 a month - 19
Speakeasy
Speakeasy is an AI control plane for connecting, securing, and observing agents and MCP servers from one entry point.
WebAPILinuxmacOS5.9 - 20
Apache APISIX
Apache APISIX is an open-source gateway for routing, securing, and managing traffic to APIs, microservices, and LLM workloads.
APILinuxSelf-hosted5.8 - 21
5.8From $365 a month - 225.8From $83 a month
- 23
WSO2 API Manager
WebLinuxmacOSWindows5.3 - 24
5.2 - 25
Spectral
LinuxmacOSWindows4.9
Choosing well
Check where it runs
Match the deployment model to your team and infrastructure.
For phone use, verify Android availability directly before signing up; an available web interface does not confirm an Android app.
Compare free and paid plans
A free plan is available from products in this category, while other plans use paid or freemium pricing. Check the published starting price and what the free plan includes.
A free trial is offered by products in the list. Confirm trial length, billing terms and whether a card is required before starting.
Review gateway controls
Compare API gateway support, API specification support and rate-limiting controls. These fields show how a service can expose interfaces and manage traffic.
Check free-tier API calls as well, since limits can affect a small project before paid usage begins.
Look at developer tooling
A developer portal can give API users a place to find documentation and access details. Compare portal support with the documentation supplied by the product.
If you need to inspect or change code, check whether the project is open source and review its licence.
Choose a deployment model
Self-hosted software can fit teams that want to run the service in their own environment, while web services reduce local setup. Compare deployment options with your operational requirements.
API access may suit automation or integration work, but confirm the supported interface and usage limits first.
Questions people ask
Do these API tools have Android apps?
The listed platform options are web, Linux, self-hosted, Windows, macOS and API. Check the product page for Android support before choosing a tool for a Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO device.
Can I start without paying?
Products in this category offer free plans, and some use freemium pricing. Check the plan terms, limits and paid starting price for the tool you are considering.
Are free trials available?
Yes. A free trial is offered by products in the list. Trial length and billing conditions vary, so review the product's current terms before starting.
What API features should I compare?
Compare API gateway support, API specification support, rate limiting, free-tier API calls and developer-portal availability.
Can I run an API tool myself?
Self-hosted deployment is available among the listed platform options. Check the product's deployment documentation and licence before setting it up.