Karate
Karate: A broad, automation-focused API framework with a valuable free tier and paid tooling add-ons. Ranked #4 of 33 in API Testing Tools by our editors (8.9/10); pricing: Free plan; best for engineering teams building automated API test suites.
At a glance
- Editor score8.9 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forEngineering teams building automated API test suites
- Free planYes
- Paid from$100/user/yr
- Scheduled runsYes
- Founded2021
- Facts checked21 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Tests REST, GraphQL, and SOAP APIs with Gherkin-based authoring
- Combines mocks, contract testing, reports, and parallel execution
- Supports CI/CD, self-hosting, and Gatling performance testing
Where it doesn't
- Advanced IDE and Xplorer capabilities are split across paid tiers
- The Pro plan costs $640 per user per year
- Enterprise licensing uses custom commercial pricing
Our verdict on Karate
Karate is an open-source test automation framework for developers and QA teams building automated suites for REST, GraphQL, and SOAP APIs. Its Gherkin-based syntax supports JSON and XML assertions, schema validation, data-driven scenarios, parallel execution, HTTP mocks, contract testing, and multiple report formats. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and self-hosted environments, and also extends into UI automation and performance testing through Gatling integration.
Pricing is structured as a free framework plus paid development and enterprise options. The Free plan includes the MIT-licensed Karate Framework, API testing across REST, GraphQL, and SOAP, built-in mocks and stubs, CI/CD integration, and the Xplorer desktop client free tier. IDE Plus costs $100 per user per year and adds syntax highlighting, IDE execution, structure view, and formatting. Xplorer Premium costs $200 per user per year for premium Xplorer capabilities. Pro costs $640 per user per year and includes IntelliJ and VS Code Pro plugins, debugging, step-through, enhanced autocomplete, Xplorer Premium, and priority email support. Enterprise adds custom commercial licensing, async protocol testing, API coverage and governance, commercial support, and an SLA.
Karate fits teams that want one framework spanning API protocols, test authoring, mocks, contracts, reporting, and delivery pipelines. Its ecosystem includes GitHub Actions, Jenkins, GitLab CI, Maven, Gradle, and Gatling, with GitHub Actions and Jenkins examples available for CI/CD execution. The free plan is a strong starting point for teams comfortable with an open-source framework, while paid plans suit organizations seeking richer IDE and desktop-client capabilities or commercial support. Teams wanting only a narrowly focused API client or a simpler paid pricing structure may prefer an alternative.
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Karate pricing
All 5 Karate plans and prices →
Karate fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | $100/user/yr |
| GraphQL support | Yes |
| SOAP support | Yes |
| Scheduled runs | Yes |
| CI/CD integration | Yes |
| Mock server | Yes |
| Contract testing | Yes |
| Included requests | Not verified |
| Deployment | Self-hosted, Desktop |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Compliance & security | SSO/SAML |
| Support | Email, Community, Docs |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 40+ integrations: GitHub Actions, Jenkins, Maven, Gradle, Docker, Testcontainers … See all → |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | karatelabs.io |
| Facts checked | 21 Sep 2026 |
Karate integrations
Karate lists 40+ integrations on its own site — the 12 named here are the ones its pages call out.
- GitHub Actions
- Jenkins
- Maven
- Gradle
- Docker
- Testcontainers
- AWS
- Google Cloud
- Azure
- Gatling
- IntelliJ
- VS Code
Alternatives to Karate
- PostmanA mature API test platform with broad protocol support and a wide feature set.9.3
- ApidogA broad API toolkit for teams that need design, testing, automation, and documentation together.9.2
- SoapUIA broad, free API testing desktop tool for functional, contract, performance, and load work.9.0
Karate vs the competition
- Karate vs Postman
- Karate vs Apidog
- Karate vs SoapUI
- Karate vs ReadyAPI
- Karate vs Insomnia
- Karate vs Bruno
Compare Karate with any tool side by side →
Also Ranked In
Karate is ranked in 8 of our directories; the 6 strongest besides API Testing Tools.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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