Postman vs ReadMe
Postman and ReadMe are both API & developer docs tools. Postman is aimed at developers and small businesses, while ReadMe is aimed at developers and enterprise. Postman costs less, from $9/mo versus $250/mo for ReadMe. Both have a free plan.
API platform for testing, mocking, documenting and sharing APIs
Interactive API documentation hubs
| Pricing | Freemium · $9 | Freemium · $250 |
| Starting price | $9/mo | $250/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Built for | Developers, Small businesses, Enterprise | Developers, Enterprise |
| Platforms | web, macos, windows, linux | web |
| Country | US · 2014 | US · 2014 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Postman if
Development teams that want a shared, full-featured workspace for testing, mocking and documenting APIs.
- Industry standard; many API vendors ship ready Postman collections
- Testing, mocking, docs and monitoring in a single tool
- Capable Free plan for solo developers
Look elsewhere if: Developers who want a lightweight Git-native client or just a docs portal (Bruno, Insomnia, ReadMe, Scalar).
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).
Postman vs ReadMe pricing
Postman
- Free$01 user; collections, mock servers, up to 5 integrations
- Solo$9/moBilled annually; 1 user, 400 AI credits/mo
- Team$19/user/moBilled annually; unlimited users, 400 AI credits/user
- EnterpriseCustomGovernance, 800 pooled AI credits/user, 100 integrations
ReadMe
- Starter$01 project, 1 published version, 1 admin
- Pro$250/moBilled annually; 5 admins, unlimited versions
- EnterpriseCustomAnnual billing only
Postman · Key features
- Collections with pre-request scripts, tests and environment variables
- Requests for REST, GraphQL, gRPC, WebSocket and MQTT APIs
- Mock servers that simulate endpoints before the backend exists
- Scheduled monitors for uptime and response checks
- Collection runner and Postman CLI for CI/CD pipelines
- Spec Hub and native Git sync for API definitions
Cons
- Free plan no longer allows team collaboration
- Heavy desktop app and a cloud account needed for most features
- Collections live in a proprietary format, not plain files in your repo
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
Postman vs ReadMe: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Postman or ReadMe?
Postman starts at $9/mo and ReadMe at $250/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Postman and ReadMe have a free plan?
Yes, both Postman and ReadMe have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.
Which is better for small businesses, Postman or ReadMe?
Postman lists small businesses as a core audience, while ReadMe is aimed more at developers and enterprise.