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Testing · head to head

Insomnia vs Strapi

Insomnia logo

Insomnia

Testing

REST and GraphQL API client for development and testing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Strapi logo

Strapi

APIs

Headless CMS with REST and GraphQL APIs

From
$35/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Insomnia has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Insomnia git Sync on the free tier covers up to 3 users only; Strapi cloud pricing is per project, not per account, so a second project doubles the bill
  • They diverge on capability: Insomnia covers REST API Client, Strapi covers REST API.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Insomnia and Strapi actually diverge.

Attributes where Insomnia and Strapi differ
AttributeInsomniaStrapi
Starting priceFree$35/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, MacOS, Linux, WebNode.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker
CategoryTestingAPIs
Founded20102015

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 Insomnia

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

Only in Strapi

  • REST API
  • GraphQL API
  • Content management
  • PostgreSQL
  • MySQL
  • MongoDB
  • AWS
  • Webhooks

What people use each for

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

Insomnia

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

Strapi

  • Running a self hosted headless CMS with a REST or GraphQL APInot Insomnia
  • Giving editors a content admin panel over a custom content modelnot Insomnia

Where each one falls short

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

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

Strapi

  • Cloud pricing is per project, not per account, so a second project doubles the bill
  • Starter at $35 a month allows 100,000 API requests, and overage is $1.50 per 25,000
  • Extra bandwidth is $30 per 100 GB and extra asset storage $0.60 per GB
  • Backups start at the Pro plan, weekly, and only become daily at Business
  • An uptime SLA is Business only, at $450 a month per project
  • Additional environments cost $60 a month on Pro and $300 a month on Business

Pricing, plan by plan

Insomnia

Free
  • EssentialsFree
    • unlimited Cloud/Local projects
    • up to 3 users with Git Sync
    • 1,000 mock server requests/month
  • Pro$12/user/month
    • unlimited users with Git Sync access
    • unlimited organizations
    • role-based access control
  • Enterprise$45/user/month
    • Kong Konnect integration
    • SSO (SAML/OIDC)
    • SCIM provisioning

Strapi

$35/month
  • Starter$35/month
    • 100k API requests
    • 50 GB asset storage
    • 50 GB asset bandwidth
  • Pro$90/month
    • 1M API requests
    • 250 GB asset storage
    • 500 GB asset bandwidth
  • Business$450/month
    • 10M API requests
    • 1000 GB asset storage
    • 1000 GB asset bandwidth

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Strapi if

  • You need rest api.
  • You work on Node.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker.
  • You also want graphql api.
Strapi review

Questions people ask

Is Insomnia or Strapi better?
Neither clearly leads. Insomnia starts at Free and Strapi at $35/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Insomnia or Strapi?
Insomnia has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Insomnia and $35/month for Strapi.
Does Insomnia or Strapi run on more platforms?
Insomnia runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux, Web. Strapi runs on Node.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker.
Can I use Insomnia for free?
Yes. Insomnia has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Strapi starts at $35/month.
What is Insomnia best used for?
Insomnia is most often used for sending and debugging http, graphql and grpc requests, storing collections in git rather than a vendor cloud, mocking an api endpoint before it exists, running collections in ci with the inso cli. Of those, sending and debugging http, graphql and grpc requests and storing collections in git rather than a vendor cloud are not what Strapi is typically brought in for.
What can Insomnia do that Strapi cannot?
Insomnia covers REST API Client, GraphQL Support, gRPC Support, GitHub. Strapi covers REST API, GraphQL API, Content management, PostgreSQL.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Insomnia: How much does Insomnia cost?

Insomnia offers a free Essentials plan. Pro plans cost $12 per user per month with annual billing offering 17% savings. Enterprise plans cost $45 per user per month with support for up to 50 users self-serve; contact sales for larger teams.

Source
Strapi: How much do API request overages cost?

Additional API requests beyond the plan limit cost $1.50 per 25000 requests. Extra asset storage costs $0.60 per GB, and additional bandwidth costs $30 per 100 GB.

Source
Insomnia: Is there a free version of Insomnia?

Yes, the Essentials plan is free and includes unlimited Cloud and Local projects, Git Sync for up to 3 users, 1,000 mock server requests per month, Inso CLI, E2EE, custom linting, plugins, and AI features.

Source
Strapi: Is yearly billing available?

Yes, yearly billing saves up to 17% compared to monthly billing on Strapi Cloud plans.

Source
Insomnia: What mock server request limits apply to Insomnia plans?

Essentials includes 1,000 mock server requests per month. Pro includes 10,000 requests per month. Enterprise includes unlimited mock server requests. Additional mock server requests beyond plan allowances cost $10 per 25,000 requests.

Source
Strapi: What is included with the Pro plan?

The Pro plan costs $90 per month per project and includes 1M API requests, 250 GB asset storage, 500 GB bandwidth, multi-environment support, weekly backups, and manual backups.

Source
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