Best API Design Tools in 2026
Updated
In short: Apidog is ranked #1 of 26 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Apollo Studio and Microcks. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Apollo Studio. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Apidog at $2.25/mo.
API design tools can support specification work, validation, and coordination across a team. Compare OpenAPI and AsyncAPI support with contract validation, Git synchronization, and mock server availability. Team collaboration and included team seats help clarify what is listed for shared work, while free plans and paid-from pricing offer plan details to compare. Apidog and Postman lead the ranking, followed by OpenAPI Studio and TypeSpec; SwaggerHub is also among the early entries. Consider which specifications and validation steps your work requires, then weigh collaboration features and mock-server support against those needs.
26 API design tools ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
#1 Apidog Top pick · 7.4 Free plan · $2.25/mo
#2 Apollo Studio Runner-up · 7.3 Free plan · $5/mo
#3 Microcks Also great · 7.3 Free plan · Free
- Free planFree trial apiextensionLinuxmacOSself-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Paid from
- 9 /user/mo
- Mock server
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$2.25/mofirst paid tier About ApidogVisit site - Free plan apiLinuxmacOSself-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Contract validation
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$5/mofirst paid tier About Apollo StudioVisit site - Free plan apiextensionLinuxmacOSself-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free planFree trial apiLinuxmacOSself-hostedWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Mock server
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$115.42/mofirst paid tier About PactVisit site - Free planFree trial extensionLinuxmacOSWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Mock server
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$9/mofirst paid tier About PostmanVisit site - Free plan extensionLinuxmacOSWebWindows
- OpenAPI support
- Yes
- AsyncAPI support
- No
- Mock server
- Yes
- Contract validation
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free planFree trial apiLinuxmacOSself-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- AsyncAPI support
- No
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$100/mofirst paid tier About oasdiffVisit site - Free planFree trial apiLinuxmacOSself-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- OpenAPI support
- Yes
- Mock server
- Yes
- Contract validation
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free plan apiLinuxmacOSself-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free planFree trial self-hostedWeb
- Free plan
- Yes
- OpenAPI support
- Yes
- AsyncAPI support
- Yes
- Contract validation
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$9/mofirst paid tier About OpenAPI StudioVisit site - Free plan LinuxmacOSself-hostedWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free planFree trial self-hostedWebRecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$61.67/mofirst paid tier About SwaggerHubVisit site
- Free planFree trial apiself-hostedWeb
- Free plan
- Yes
- Mock server
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$20/mofirst paid tier About GraphQL HiveVisit site - Free planFree trial apiself-hostedWeb
- Free plan
- Yes
- Mock server
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$115.42/mofirst paid tier About PactFlowVisit site - Free plan self-hostedWeb
- Free plan
- Yes
- OpenAPI support
- Yes
- AsyncAPI support
- Yes
- Mock server
- No
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free planFree trial self-hostedWeb
- Free plan
- Yes
- OpenAPI support
- Yes
- AsyncAPI support
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Free trial apiextensionWeb
- Free plan
- No
- Paid from
- 10 /user/mo
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$10/mofirst paid tier About RedoclyVisit site - Free trial extensionLinuxmacOSWebWindows
- Free plan
- No
- OpenAPI support
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$119/mofirst paid tier About WSO2 API DesignerVisit site - Free trial apiLinuxmacOSself-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms€10/mofirst paid tier About MockoonVisit site - Web
- Free plan
- No
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms$2,000/mofirst paid tier About MuleSoft ComposerVisit site - WindowsmacOSLinux
- OpenAPI support
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - macOSLinux
- OpenAPI support
- Yes
- AsyncAPI support
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - LinuxWeb
- Free plan
- No
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Web
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms - Web
- AsyncAPI support
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planPlatforms
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which API design tool is ranked first on Everything Xiaomi?
Apidog is ranked #1 of 26 with a score of 7.4. Apollo Studio is second and Microcks third.
How many of these have a free plan?
16 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Apidog has the lowest first paid tier we found: $2.25/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes: documentation depth, a free tier and the platforms it runs on. Paid placements never change a rank.