Insomnia vs ReadMe
Insomnia and ReadMe are both API & developer docs tools. Insomnia is aimed at developers and small businesses, while ReadMe is aimed at developers and enterprise. Insomnia costs less, from $12/mo versus $250/mo for ReadMe. Both have a free plan.
Open-source API client for REST, GraphQL, gRPC and MCP from Kong
Interactive API documentation hubs
| Pricing | Open source · $12 | Freemium · $250 |
| Starting price | $12/mo | $250/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | 14 days | — |
| Built for | Developers, Small businesses, Enterprise | Developers, Enterprise |
| Platforms | macos, windows, linux | web |
| Country | US · 2015 | US · 2014 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Insomnia if
Developers who want a fast, local-first, open-source API client with Git-based collaboration.
- Open-source core under the Apache 2.0 license
- Local-first storage keeps sensitive requests off the cloud
- Clean, fast interface that is lighter than Postman
Look elsewhere if: Teams that need a full API platform with published docs and broad workspace collaboration (Postman, Apidog, Stoplight).
Choose ReadMe if
API-first companies wanting docs plus usage analytics.
- API usage metrics connected to docs
- Personalized developer experience
- Mature platform
Look elsewhere if: Small projects (Docusaurus, Scalar).
Insomnia vs ReadMe pricing
Insomnia
- Essentials$0Local, Git and cloud projects; Git Sync for up to 3 users
- Pro$12/user/mo$10 billed annually; unlimited users, RBAC, 10K mock requests
- Enterprise$45/user/moSelf-serve up to 50 users; SSO, SCIM, storage policies
ReadMe
- Starter$01 project, 1 published version, 1 admin
- Pro$250/moBilled annually; 5 admins, unlimited versions
- EnterpriseCustomAnnual billing only
Insomnia · Key features
- Requests for REST, GraphQL, gRPC, WebSocket, SSE and Socket.IO
- MCP client for testing Model Context Protocol servers
- OpenAPI design editor with live preview and linting
- Local, Git or end-to-end encrypted cloud storage per project
- Collection runner with pre- and post-request scripts and tests
- Mock servers built from specs, responses or plain-language prompts
Cons
- Collaboration and API documentation features trail Postman
- Free Git Sync is limited to 3 users
- Past login and sync changes hurt community trust
ReadMe · Key features
- Interactive API reference with try-it
- Guides, recipes and changelogs
- API metrics per developer and endpoint
- Personalized docs with user keys
- AI search (Owlbot)
- Versioning and staging
Cons
- Pro plan is expensive
- Design flexibility limited
- Docs-as-code workflow less native than Mintlify
Insomnia vs ReadMe: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Insomnia or ReadMe?
Insomnia starts at $12/mo and ReadMe at $250/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Insomnia and ReadMe have a free plan?
Yes, both Insomnia and ReadMe have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.
Which is better for small businesses, Insomnia or ReadMe?
Insomnia lists small businesses as a core audience, while ReadMe is aimed more at developers and enterprise.