Apigee vs Postman: What are the differences?

Apigee and Postman are two popular tools used in the API development and testing process. Let's explore the key differences between them.

1. Pricing Model: Apigee offers a subscription-based pricing model, where the cost is based on factors such as the number of API calls, data consumed, and additional features used. On the other hand, Postman provides both free and paid plans, with the paid plans offering additional features like team collaboration and advanced monitoring.

2. Functionality: Apigee is a full-fledged API management platform that provides end-to-end features for designing, securing, analyzing, and scaling APIs. It supports features like authentication, rate limiting, caching, analytics, and developer portal. Postman, on the other hand, is primarily a tool for testing and documenting APIs. It allows users to send requests, inspect responses, and create automated test suites but lacks the comprehensive API management capabilities provided by Apigee.

3. Collaboration and Teamwork: Apigee offers extensive features for collaboration and teamwork, allowing multiple users to work together on the same API project. It provides role-based access control, version control, and workflow management. Postman also offers collaboration features but they are more limited, primarily focused on sharing collections of API requests.

4. Deployment Options: Apigee can be deployed on-premises or in the cloud, providing flexibility for organizations with specific infrastructure requirements. It allows integrations with other enterprise systems and offers high availability and scalability. Postman is a cloud-based tool and does not provide an on-premises deployment option.

5. API Documentation: Apigee offers powerful features for generating interactive API documentation automatically. It allows developers to create well-structured and customizable documentation with detailed information about endpoints, request/response examples, and parameter details. Postman also provides documentation features, but they are more limited in terms of customization and presentation options.

6. Learning Curve: Apigee, being a comprehensive API management platform, has a steeper learning curve compared to Postman. It requires a good understanding of APIs, security mechanisms, and various API management concepts. Postman, on the other hand, is relatively easier to learn and use, making it more suitable for individual developers or smaller teams.

In summary, Apigee is a full-fledged API management platform that provides extensive features for designing, securing, and scaling APIs, along with collaboration and deployment options. Postman, on the other hand, is primarily a tool for testing and documenting APIs, with limited API management capabilities.