Gud API vs Postman
Postman is the industry standard for API work. It does almost everything — mock servers, API monitors, generated documentation, workspaces, and a large integration marketplace. That comes with trade-offs: a ~500MB Electron desktop app, a required account, cloud-first storage, and enterprise-level pricing.
Gud API takes the opposite approach: a lightweight editor extension that covers the 90% of HTTP work developers do every day, without forcing you into a separate app or a cloud account.
At a glance
| Gud API | Postman | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs in | Any code editor (Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf, VSCodium…) | Separate desktop app (~500MB) + web |
| Account required | No | Yes |
| Offline-first | ✅ | ❌ (cloud-first) |
| Storage | Local files (optional sync) | Postman Cloud |
| Free tier | Unlimited collections, 1 environment | Limited (collection run caps, forced cloud) |
| Paid entry price | £4/mo or £29 lifetime | $14/user/mo |
| Team plan | £8/seat/mo (admin pays, members free) | $29-49/user/mo per member |
| Lifetime option | ✅ £29 Pro | ❌ |
| AI agent integration (MCP) | ✅ local, editor-native | Cloud-first (Postbot) |
| Mock servers | ❌ | ✅ |
| API monitors | ❌ | ✅ |
| Generated API docs | ❌ | ✅ |
| AI assistant | ❌ | ✅ (Postbot) |
| cURL import | ✅ Paste directly in URL bar | ✅ Import dialog |
| GraphQL | ✅ | ✅ |
| JSON5 bodies | ✅ | ❌ |
| Shared collections | ✅ with read/write permissions | ✅ Workspaces |
Where Gud API wins
1. Stays in your editor
You don't switch apps to test an endpoint. Open your editor, open Gud API's sidebar, send a request, read the response — all in the editor you already have open.
2. No account required
Install the extension, send a request. That's it. Postman requires you to create an account and sign in before you can do anything.
3. Lightweight
Postman's desktop app is ~500MB and takes several seconds to launch on older machines. Gud API is a small editor extension (~330KB) that loads instantly with your editor.
4. Offline-first by default
Your collections and environments are local files. Sync is optional (Pro feature). With Postman, everything lives in Postman Cloud by default — even solo work requires an internet connection.
5. Lifetime pricing
One-time £29 for Pro. Postman has no lifetime option. Over 3 years, a Postman team of 5 costs thousands; Gud API Team (admin-pays-seats) is fraction of that cost.
6. Team pricing model
In Postman, every team member pays $29–49/mo. In Gud API's Team plan, the admin pays £8/seat/mo and team members don't need their own license. For a team of 5, that's £40/mo vs Postman's $145+/mo.
7. Your data in plain files
Gud API stores collections as JSON files in your editor's extension storage (or your workspace, if you opt in). You can version them, back them up, inspect them. Postman keeps everything in their cloud.
8. JSON5 & relaxed JSON
Write bodies with comments and trailing commas. Gud API auto-fixes missing commas between properties. Postman requires strict JSON.
Where Postman wins
Postman does more. If you need these, Postman is the right call:
- Mock servers — stand up a mock API from a collection
- Monitors — scheduled collection runs that alert on failure
- API documentation generation — publish a styled doc site from a collection
- Postbot (AI) — AI helpers for writing tests, documentation, and queries
- Flows — visual workflow builder for chained requests
- Integrations marketplace — hundreds of pre-built API integrations
- Enterprise features — SSO, audit logs, SCIM, compliance certifications
- Huge ecosystem — more tutorials, StackOverflow answers, and YouTube content exist
If your company needs any of the above, Postman is a mature, well-funded option.
Where Gud API doesn't try to compete
We're honest: Gud API is not a Postman replacement in every dimension. It's focused on the core developer workflow — sending requests, organizing them, sharing with a small team.
If you're a platform team managing hundreds of APIs with dedicated mocking and monitoring needs, Postman or Apigee probably fits better. If you're a developer who spends 90% of their API time doing quick calls, organizing them in collections, and sharing a few with teammates — Gud API is probably enough.
Migrating from Postman
Postman collections export cleanly:
- In Postman, right-click a collection → Export → choose Collection v2.1
- In Gud API, open the sidebar → Import Collection → pick the exported JSON
- Requests, folders, headers, auth, tests, and pre-request scripts transfer
- Environment variables export separately via Manage Environments → Export
Nested folders are preserved. Variable references () work identically.
When to stay with Postman
You should probably stay with Postman if:
- Your team relies on mock servers, monitors, or generated documentation
- You need enterprise features like SSO or SCIM provisioning
- Your organization has already standardized on Postman workspaces
- You use Postman Flows or AI features daily
When to try Gud API
Switch to Gud API if:
- You're tired of launching a separate app every time you want to test an endpoint
- You hate the forced cloud account and want your data local
- You want to stop paying $29-49/mo per team member
- You spend most of your API time in the 90% core workflow (send, organize, share)
- You want a lifetime option
Gud API is free to try. No account needed.