Insomnia vs Stoplight
Insomnia and Stoplight are both API & developer docs tools. Insomnia is aimed at developers and small businesses, while Stoplight is aimed at developers and enterprise. Insomnia costs less, from $12/mo versus $56/mo for Stoplight. Both have a free plan.
Open-source API client for REST, GraphQL, gRPC and MCP from Kong
API design, docs and governance
| Pricing | Open source · $12 | Freemium · $56 |
| Starting price | $12/mo | $56/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | 14 days | 14 days |
| Built for | Developers, Small businesses, Enterprise | Developers, Enterprise |
| Platforms | macos, windows, linux | web |
| Country | US · 2015 | US · 2015 |
| 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 Stoplight if
API-first organizations.
- Design-first workflow
- Spectral linting
- Mocking
Look elsewhere if: Small projects.
Insomnia vs Stoplight 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
Stoplight
- Free$01 user, 1 project
- Basic$56/mo$44/mo billed annually; 3 users, unlimited projects
- Startup$147/mo$113/mo billed annually; 8 users
- Pro Team$453/mo$362/mo billed annually; 15 users, up to 20 teams
- EnterpriseCustom
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
Stoplight · Key features
- Visual API design
- Mock servers
- Style guides (Spectral)
- Hosted docs
- Git sync
- Governance
Cons
- Pricey tiers
- SmartBear integration changes
- UI heavier
Insomnia vs Stoplight: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Insomnia or Stoplight?
Insomnia starts at $12/mo and Stoplight at $56/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Insomnia and Stoplight have a free plan?
Yes, both Insomnia and Stoplight have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.
Which is better for small businesses, Insomnia or Stoplight?
Insomnia lists small businesses as a core audience, while Stoplight is aimed more at developers and enterprise.