The best API testing tool depends on whether you care more about team collaboration or local sanity. Those are not always the same thing.
Postman is still the standard for shared collections and team onboarding. Bruno is the best API testing tool if you want local files, git-friendly storage, and less platform overhead. Insomnia stays useful when you want a polished client that still feels developer-first.
The short answer
Use Postman for shared team collections, Bruno for local-first API work, and Insomnia when you want a balanced desktop client.
Top picks
Best best API testing tools
It became the default because it helps teams standardize how APIs are explored and documented.
Watch for this: It can feel heavy when all you want is a fast local request runner.
Bruno feels clean because it treats requests like project assets you can version in git.
Watch for this: Team workflows are simpler than Postman's broader collaboration layer.
It lands in the middle well. The app is capable without feeling as platform-heavy as Postman.
Watch for this: It no longer feels as distinct as it once did when Bruno-style local-first tools entered the conversation.
Why local-first API tools keep gaining fans
API requests are often part of the codebase in practice, even when they live outside it in a GUI tool. Local-first clients fix that by letting collections live in files you can review, version, and move with the repo.
That is the clearest reason Bruno has gained ground. It feels closer to how developers already work.
When Postman still makes more sense
Postman is still stronger when the job includes shared collections, onboarding less technical teammates, and giving everyone the same documented request flows.
If the API is central to cross-team work, Postman still earns the overhead. The platform is heavier, but the collaboration layer is real.
The best tool is usually the one that fits your team shape
Solo developers and small teams often prefer local-first tools because they stay closer to code. Larger teams often choose the tool that makes shared documentation and onboarding easier.
This is less a feature race than a workflow choice. Start with the team shape, then pick the client.