Developer Tools·Standings

REST API Tools Compared

REST API tools help you publish, protect, document and monitor web APIs; the choice turns on the platform you need and the access controls, documentation and pricing you require.

Compare the board’s free-plan status and paid entry prices alongside gateway capabilities, deployment, specification support, developer portals, analytics retention and user permissions. Platform categories span browser-based access, Linux, API, self-hosted, Windows and macOS.

  • 28 platforms
  • 15 with a free tier
  • Checked 7 Oct 2026
  1. 1
    M
    Mintlifymintlify.com

    Mintlify is a documentation platform that creates, maintains and publishes developer documentation and API references.

    6.7 APIOpenFree Free tier · from $450/mo
  2. 2
    AA
    Amazon API Gatewayaws.amazon.com

    Managed API service for creating, securing, publishing, and monitoring backend connections.

    6.6 APIOpenFree Free tier · from $1/mo
  3. 3
    P
    Postmanpostman.com

    Freemium API workspace supporting GraphQL on web, desktop, and browser extension.

    6.5 APIOpenFree Free tier · from $9/mo
  4. 4
    R
    Redoclyredocly.com

    A web and browser-extension service for publishing API guides for private or public use.

    6.3 APIOpenFree Free tier · from $10/mo
  5. 5
    KA
    KrakenD API Gatewaykrakend.io

    Freemium distributed gateway that combines APIs and controls traffic across several systems.

    6.2 APIOpenFree Free tier
  6. 6
    S
    SwaggerHubswagger.io

    Web or self-hosted software for designing and publishing API specifications, with a free plan.

    6.1 APIOpenFree Free tier · from $740/yr
  7. 7
    F
    Fusiofusio-project.org

    Fusio is an open-source API management platform for connecting business logic and infrastructure to APIs.

    6.1 APIOpenFree Free tier
  8. 8
    AA
    Apache APISIXapisix.apache.org

    Apache APISIX is an open-source API gateway for routing, securing, and managing traffic to APIs, microservices, and LLM workloads.

    6.0 APIOpenFree Free tier
  9. 9
    GC
    Google Cloud API Gatewaycloud.google.com

    A freemium service that gives backend services a consistent REST API with access controls and API keys.

    6.0 APIOpenFree Free tier · from $1.50/mo
  10. 10
    SE
    Stoplight Elementsstoplight.io

    Free components turn OpenAPI documents into interactive API docs with a built-in request console.

    6.0 APIOpenFree Free tier
  11. 11
    KG
    Kong Gatewaykonghq.com

    Kong Gateway is an open-source API gateway built for hybrid and multi-cloud environments and optimized for microservices and distributed architectures.

    6.0 APIOpenFree Free tier
  12. 12
    A
    Apimanapiman.io

    Apiman is open-source API management software covering the API management lifecycle, including secure API access and API discovery and governance.

    6.0 APIOpenFree Free tier
  13. 13
    KK
    Kong Konnectkonghq.com

    Paid API platform with a catalog and developer portal for major desktop systems and web.

    5.9 APIOpenFree From $25/mo
  14. 14
    TA
    Tyk API Managementtyk.io

    Tyk provides a unified platform to develop, operate, govern, and publish APIs.

    5.8 APIOpenFree Free tier
  15. 15
    SA
    Sensedia API Managementsensedia.com

    Sensedia API Management provides centralized control to see, govern, secure, monitor, and manage APIs.

    5.6 APIOpenFree —
  16. 16
    BS
    Bump.shbump.sh

    API documentation service supporting OpenAPI, AsyncAPI, and Arazzo with change checks.

    5.5 APIOpenFree From $50/mo
  17. 17
    R
    ReadMereadme.com
    5.5 APIOpenFree Free tier · from $250/mo
  18. 18
    GA
    5.5 APIOpenFree Free tier · from $2,500/mo
  19. 19
    AE
    API7 Enterpriseapi7.ai

    Paid API lifecycle platform with centralized control across teams, environments, and clusters.

    5.4 APIOpenFree —
  20. 20
    IA
    IBM API Connectibm.com

    IBM API Connect manages the API lifecycle, including governing, testing, publishing and monitoring APIs.

    5.3 APIOpenFree —
  21. 21
    AA
    Azure API Managementazure.microsoft.com

    Paid hybrid API manager with a catalog, developer portal, policies, and lifecycle tools.

    5.1 APIOpenFree —
  22. 22
    AA
    Axway Amplify API Managementaxway.com

    Amplify API Management helps discover, secure, govern, publish, monitor, and evolve enterprise APIs.

    4.8 APIOpenFree —
  23. 23
    WA
    WSO2 API Managerwso2.com

    Open-source, self-hosted API software with lifecycle tools, a developer portal, and catalog.

    4.5 APIOpenFree —
  24. 24
    GA
    Google Apigeecloud.google.com

    Paid hybrid API platform with a web catalog and developer portal.

    4.4 APIOpenFree From $365/mo
  25. 25
    AC
    Alibaba Cloud API Gatewayalibabacloud.com

    Cloud API gateway supporting six protocols, authentication options, and rate limits.

    4.1 APIOpenFree —

Places #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 on this board are open to sponsors. Take #1 · Other ways to advertise

How to choose

Which platforms does it need to run on?

Choose a tool whose listed platform matches your setup. The available categories range from web and Linux to API, self-hosted, Windows and macOS.

A self-hosted deployment keeps the service in your environment, while a web option runs through a browser. Confirm the platform before comparing other features.

Does it provide the API gateway features you need?

Start by checking gateway capabilities and API specification support. An API gateway is the front door that routes and controls requests to your services.

Developer portal support matters when outside or internal users need a place to find API information.

How should it handle access and usage records?

Look at the access controls based on user roles and how long analytics data is kept. Role-based access lets you give different permissions to different users; analytics retention sets how long usage records remain available.

These fields help match the tool to your team's permission and reporting requirements.

Can you start within your budget?

Check the free-plan, paid-from and free-trial details together. Apache APISIX, Apiman and Fusio list free plans, and Amazon API Gateway also has a free plan, with paid service beginning at $1.

Examples with listed pricing include Bump.sh at $50 per month and a 14-day trial, Google Apigee at $13 and a 60-day trial, and Google Cloud API Gateway, which has a free plan and paid service from $3. Some providers show pricing on request.

Do you need open-source code or a licence you can change?

If you need to inspect or modify code, check the licence details before deciding. The board compares open-source status, so use that field with your deployment requirements.

Questions

What is a REST API tool used for?

It helps publish, route, protect, document and monitor web APIs that let software exchange data.

Which REST API tools have a free plan?

Free-plan availability is marked for Amazon API Gateway, Apache APISIX, Apiman, Fusio and Google Cloud API Gateway, among others.

Can I run a REST API tool myself?

Yes. Self-hosted is one of the deployment labels used on the board; check the platform and deployment fields for a suitable option.

What should I compare when choosing an API gateway?

Consider gateway capabilities, specification support, developer portals, analytics retention, role-based permissions, deployment and pricing.

Are there REST API tools with free trials?

Bump.sh lists a 14-day trial, while Google Apigee lists a 60-day trial.

Some top positions on this board can be paid placements, standing where they were sold. The facts on each platform are not for sale. How we rank · Disclosure