SoapUI
UnclaimedThe world's most popular open-source API testing tool for REST, SOAP, and GraphQL.
Visit WebsiteReviews onCapterra
168 reviews trackedThe Bottom Line
Entry price
Free plan available, paid tiers above
Biggest pro
Completely free and open-source
Biggest con
Limited automation capabilities (requires scripting)
TL;DR - SoapUI
- Open-source API testing tool for REST, SOAP, and GraphQL.
- Focuses on basic functional testing capabilities.
- Requires scripting for automation and manual test analysis.
Pricing: Free plan available
Best for: Growing teams
4.5/5 across review platforms
What is SoapUI?
SoapUI is an open-source API testing tool designed for individuals and small teams to perform functional testing on various API protocols. It allows users to test REST, SOAP, and GraphQL APIs, providing fundamental capabilities for ensuring API functionality. While it requires scripting for automation and manual test analysis, it serves as a foundational tool for understanding and implementing API testing.
This tool is ideal for developers and testers who need a free, basic solution for API functional testing on a single machine. It helps users get started with API testing concepts and provides a platform to validate API behavior before integrating with more advanced solutions. SoapUI is part of the SmartBear ecosystem, known for its contributions to API quality tools like Swagger.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Completely free and open-source
- Supports multiple API protocols
- Widely used and trusted in the API testing community
- Good for individual users and learning API testing fundamentals
Cons
- Limited automation capabilities (requires scripting)
- No native CI/CD integrations
- Data-driven testing not directly available
Ratings Across the Web
4.5(168 reviews)
Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more
Preview
Key Features
Multi-Protocol Support (REST, SOAP, GraphQL, JMS)Basic Functional TestingBasic Performance TestingCustom Scripting (Groovy or Javascript)WSDL, OpenAPI, AsyncAPI, Apache Avro, Swagger, Protobuf Definitions SupportTest Logs for manual comparison
Pricing Plans
Free TrialPricing checked Jun 12, 2026
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Everything in all plans, plus:
- Multi-Protocol Support (REST, SOAP, GraphQL, Apache Kafka, gRPC)
- Build complex codeless test assertions in a few clicks
- Connect your tests to data from excel, csv, databases and other data sources to enhance test coverage
- Automatically updates requests/test steps in your project so they match an updated specification
- Generate reports in multiple formats (PDF, Junit Style, XML, CVS and Allure)
- Easily compare results from multiple test runs in dashboard so you can track improvements, degradations in testing and see trends
- Integrate with Jenkins, TeamCity, or Azure DevOps using our native plug-ins or build your own command-line arguments with our builder to integrate with nearly any CI server your organization may use
- Store tests locally or inside a Git repo for easier collaboration between team members
SoapUI Open Source
Free
Everything in all plans, plus:
- Multi-Protocol Support (REST, SOAP, GraphQL, JMS)
- Run multiple API tests using Groovy or Javascript code via scripting
- Use test logs to manually compare results
Included in all plans
- Automation (Basic Property Transfer, Custom Scripting, CI/CD Integrations, Data Generation, Dynamic Data Sources, Assertion Groups)
- Collaboration (Jira, Slack, GitHub, Bitbucket, GitLab)
- Definitions (WSDL, OpenAPI, AsyncAPI, Apache Avro, Swagger, Protobuf)
- Testing (Basic Functional Testing, Basic Performance Testing, Functional Testing, Security Testing, Performance Testing, Service Virtualization & Mocking)
Reviews
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4.5/5
Across 168 verified user reviews on Capterra
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SoapUI FAQ
How does SoapUI support different API protocols?
SoapUI is designed to support multiple API protocols, allowing users to perform functional testing on REST, SOAP, and GraphQL APIs. This provides a versatile platform for validating various types of API behavior.
Which teams would benefit most from using SoapUI?
SoapUI is ideal for individual developers and testers, as well as small teams, who require a free and fundamental solution for API functional testing. It serves as a strong starting point for understanding and implementing API testing concepts.
How is SoapUI priced?
SoapUI is available on a free tier, offering its core functionalities as an open-source tool. Paid plans are available for users who require more extensive usage and additional features beyond the basic offering.
What are the main limitations of SoapUI for advanced testing workflows?
SoapUI has limited automation capabilities, often requiring scripting for complex tasks, and it does not include native CI/CD integrations. Additionally, data-driven testing is not directly available within the tool.
Can SoapUI be used for continuous integration and delivery pipelines?
SoapUI does not offer native CI/CD integrations, meaning users would need to implement custom scripting or external solutions to incorporate it into continuous integration and delivery pipelines. Its primary focus is on foundational functional testing.
How does SoapUI compare to Postman for API testing?
SoapUI is an open-source tool primarily focused on functional testing for REST, SOAP, and GraphQL APIs, often requiring scripting for automation. Postman, while also popular for API testing, typically offers more built-in features for collaboration and advanced automation out-of-the-box.
Source: soapui.org