Insomnia vs Paw: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Insomnia and Paw side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, Paw leads on lower entry price. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Insomnia
API client for REST and GraphQL
Best for you if:
- • You want a free tier before you commit
Paw
Native Mac API client for beautiful, powerful API testing
Best for you if:
- • You want mac API client
| At a Glance | Insomnia | Paw |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free plan, paid from $12/user/mo, billed monthly Pro plan | Free plan, paid from $10/user/mo, billed monthly Team plan |
Category | API Tools Developer Tools | API Tools Developer Tools |
Rating | 4.4/5 G2 4.4 21 reviews | 4.5/5 G2 4.5 9 reviews |
Free plan | Yes | No |
Watch out for | Overage fees for mock server requests on Pro tier | n/a |
Choose Insomnia or Paw?
Choose Insomnia if
- You want a free tier before you commit
- You want supports 7+ API protocols in a single tool, no need for separate clients
- You want free tier includes unlimited local projects, collection runs, and environments
Choose Paw if
- You want mac API client
- You want beautiful interface
- Budget matters ($10/user/mo, billed monthly vs $12/user/mo, billed monthly)
In-Depth Analysis
Insomnia
API client for REST and GraphQL
Insomnia's pricing is quite generous, especially with its robust free 'Essentials' tier which offers significant functionality for individual developers and small teams.
Watch out
Overage fees for mock server requests on Pro tier
Strengths
- Pro: Supports 7+ API protocols in a single tool, no need for separate clients
- Pro: Free tier includes unlimited local projects, collection runs, and environments
- Pro: Git Sync provides true version control without vendor lock-in
- Pro: Open-source core means transparency and community-driven development
- Pro: Inso CLI integrates API testing directly into CI/CD pipelines
Weaknesses
- Con: Git Sync limited to 3 users on the free plan
- Con: Mock server requests capped at 1,000/month on the free tier
- Con: Enterprise SSO (SAML/OIDC) only available on the $45/user/month plan
- Con: Desktop-only application, no browser-based or mobile client available
- Con: Some advanced features require a Kong account even for local-only usage
Key features
Paw
Native Mac API client for beautiful, powerful API testing
Paw's pricing is quite generous, especially with its robust free tier offering a full API client.
Strengths
- Pro: Mac API client
- Pro: Beautiful interface
- Pro: Good features
- Pro: Code generation
- Pro: One-time purchase
Weaknesses
- Con: Mac only
- Con: Now RapidAPI Paw
- Con: Postman alternative
- Con: Subscription model now
- Con: Declining development
Key features
Plans and prices: Insomnia vs Paw
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Insomnia |
| insomnia.rest/pricing read Nov 2, 2026 |
| Paw |
| paw.cloud/pricing read Oct 6, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Insomnia pricing and Paw pricing.
Key Takeaways
Insomnia
- Choose if you want API client for REST and GraphQL
Paw
- Lower entry price: $10/user/mo, billed monthly vs $12/user/mo, billed monthly
What the data shows
On the data below, Paw leads on lower entry price. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- User ratings rest on too few reviews to rank (4.4/5 from 21 reviews for Insomnia, 4.5/5 from 9 reviews for Paw; we compare ratings only above 20 reviews on both sides).
- Paw has the lower entry price: $10/user/mo, billed monthly (Team) against $12/user/mo, billed monthly (Pro) for Insomnia.
- Both have a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Insomnia and Paw compare in 2026?
On the data below, Paw leads on lower entry price. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. User ratings rest on too few reviews to rank (4.4/5 from 21 reviews for Insomnia, 4.5/5 from 9 reviews for Paw; we compare ratings only above 20 reviews on both sides). Paw has the lower entry price: $10/user/mo, billed monthly (Team) against $12/user/mo, billed monthly (Pro) for Insomnia. Both have a free plan.
What are Insomnia and Paw used for?
Insomnia: API client for REST and GraphQL. Paw: Native Mac API client for beautiful, powerful API testing.
What does Insomnia cost vs Paw?
Insomnia's cheapest paid plan is Pro at $12/user/mo, billed monthly; it also has a free plan. Paw's cheapest paid plan is Team at $10/user/mo, billed monthly. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Nov 2, 2026.
What's the main difference between Insomnia and Paw?
Insomnia's main strength: supports 7+ API protocols in a single tool, no need for separate clients. Paw's main strength: mac API client.