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API Management · head to head

Apigee vs Insomnia

Apigee logo

Apigee

API Management

API management platform for designing, securing, and scaling APIs

From
$500/monthly
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Insomnia logo

Insomnia

Testing & QA

REST and GraphQL API client for development and testing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Insomnia has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Apigee the free evaluation is a sandbox limited to 60 days; Insomnia git Sync on the free tier covers up to 3 users only
  • They diverge on capability: Apigee covers API Gateway, Insomnia covers REST API Client.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apigee and Insomnia actually diverge.

Attributes where Apigee and Insomnia differ
AttributeApigeeInsomnia
Starting price$500/monthlyFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud, Hybrid, On-premisesWindows, MacOS, Linux, Web
CategoryAPI ManagementTesting & QA
Founded20062010

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Apigee

  • API Gateway
  • API Analytics
  • Developer Portal
  • Google Cloud services
  • Azure
  • AWS
  • Okta
  • Cloud support

Only in Insomnia

  • REST API Client
  • GraphQL Support
  • gRPC Support
  • GitHub
  • GitLab
  • Slack
  • Windows support
  • MacOS support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Apigee

  • Publishing, securing and versioning APIs for an enterprise API programnot Insomnia
  • Monetizing APIs and running a developer portalnot Insomnia
  • Analyzing API traffic and defending APIs against bots and abusenot Insomnia

Insomnia

  • Sending and debugging HTTP, GraphQL and gRPC requestsnot Apigee
  • Storing collections in Git rather than a vendor cloudnot Apigee
  • Mocking an API endpoint before it existsnot Apigee
  • Running collections in CI with the Inso CLInot Apigee
  • Environment management across staging and productionnot Apigee

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Apigee

  • The free evaluation is a sandbox limited to 60 days
  • Pay-as-you-go has no SLA available at all
  • Pay-as-you-go bills environments separately from API calls, with a Base environment costing $365 per month per region
  • The Base environment is capped at 50 QPS with an SLA of up to 99%
  • Standard API Proxy calls are billed at $20 per 1M calls up to 50M, and Extensible API Proxy calls at $100 per 1M calls up to 50M
  • API Analytics is a paid add-on at $20 per 1M API calls and cannot be bought on a Base environment
  • Advanced API Security is a paid add-on at $350 per 1M API calls and cannot be bought on a Base environment
  • Monetization is unavailable on pay-as-you-go and requires a subscription tier
  • Additional API proxy deployments beyond those included cost $0.04 per hour per region on a Comprehensive environment
  • Subscription tiers Standard, Enterprise and Enterprise Plus are quote only with no published price
  • Google Cloud networking charges for IP addresses, data transfer out and forwarding rules are billed on top of Apigee usage

Insomnia

  • Git Sync on the free tier covers up to 3 users only
  • Mock servers are capped at 1,000 requests a month on free, then $10 per 25,000
  • Role-based access control requires Pro at $12 per user per month
  • SSO, SCIM and vault integrations are Enterprise only at $45 per user per month
  • Working without an account is limited to the local-only Scratch Pad

Pricing, plan by plan

Apigee

$500/monthly
  • Starter$500/monthly
    • API gateway
    • Analytics
    • Developer portal
  • Professional$2500/monthly
    • Advanced security
    • Traffic management
    • Monetization
  • Enterprise$undefined/monthly
    • Custom deployment
    • SLA
    • Dedicated support

Insomnia

Free
  • FreeFree
    • REST, GraphQL, gRPC support
    • Local data
  • Pro$5/monthly
    • Cloud sync
    • Team collaboration
    • Advanced features
  • Team$30/monthly
    • Team management
    • Advanced analytics
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Apigee if

  • You need api gateway.
  • You work on Cloud, Hybrid, On-premises.
  • You also want api analytics.
Apigee review

Choose Insomnia if

  • You need rest api client.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux, Web.
  • You also want graphql support.
Insomnia review

Questions people ask

Is Apigee or Insomnia better?
Neither clearly leads. Apigee starts at $500/monthly and Insomnia at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apigee or Insomnia?
Insomnia has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $500/monthly for Apigee and Free for Insomnia.
Does Apigee or Insomnia run on more platforms?
Apigee runs on Cloud, Hybrid, On-premises. Insomnia runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux, Web.
Can I use Insomnia for free?
Yes. Insomnia has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Apigee starts at $500/monthly.
What is Apigee best used for?
Apigee is most often used for publishing, securing and versioning apis for an enterprise api program, monetizing apis and running a developer portal, analyzing api traffic and defending apis against bots and abuse. Of those, publishing, securing and versioning apis for an enterprise api program and monetizing apis and running a developer portal are not what Insomnia is typically brought in for.
What can Apigee do that Insomnia cannot?
Apigee covers API Gateway, API Analytics, Developer Portal, Google Cloud services. Insomnia covers REST API Client, GraphQL Support, gRPC Support, GitHub.
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