OpenReq review
A free, open-source API client with broad testing and documentation tools.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
OpenReq is a free, open-source API client for developers and teams building, testing, debugging, and documenting APIs. It combines an HTTP request builder with GraphQL editing, WebSocket connections, scripting, environment variables, authentication options, code generation, automated test flows, collection runs, and shareable API documentation. Team workspaces are supported through its self-hosted backend, while data can be stored locally. It is a strong fit for teams that want a broad API workflow without subscription tiers, especially when open-source deployment matters.
The published plan is Free and open source at $0, with no subscription tiers. It includes a self-hosted web application, a standalone desktop application, and a Windows desktop client connected to a self-hosted backend. The feature set covers OAuth 2.0, bearer token, basic, and API key authentication; Python and JavaScript pre-request and post-response scripts; code generation for cURL, Python, JavaScript, Go, Java, C#, and PHP; and visual flows with assertions, conditions, loops, and scripts. Integrations with Postman, OpenAPI, cURL, OpenAI, Ollama, and a Chrome Extension extend its workflow fit.
OpenReq’s main trade-off is platform coverage. The documented desktop client is Windows-only, with macOS and Linux versions described as in progress, so teams standardizing on those operating systems may prefer an alternative with current native support. It also does not support gRPC, although it covers HTTP, GraphQL, and WebSocket work and includes collection results with real-time output plus JSON or HTML reports. Choose OpenReq for a free, self-hosted API workspace with testing and documentation depth; look elsewhere if gRPC or broader desktop operating-system coverage is essential.
OpenReq pros and cons
- Where it wins
- HTTP, GraphQL, and WebSocket support with scripting
- Visual test flows, collection runs, and JSON or HTML reports
- Imports from Postman, OpenAPI, and cURL; exports to Postman
- Where it doesn't
- Desktop client coverage is limited to Windows
- No gRPC support
- Self-hosted deployment is required for the web application
OpenReq fact sheet, pricing and score →
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