Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

cURL VS API Tester

Compare cURL VS API Tester and see what are their differences

cURL logo cURL

cURL is a computer software project providing a library and command-line tool for transferring data...

API Tester logo API Tester

API Tester is the first mobile app to test any type of API on the go. Including REST, GraphQL, WebSocket, SOAP, JSON RPC, XML, HTTP, HTTPS.
  • cURL Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-12-13
  • API Tester Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-06

Main features: - All types of HTTP requests: GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS, COPY, LINK, UNLINK, PURGE, LOCK, UNLOCK, PROPFIND, VIEW. - Powerful GraphQL editor with full-scale experience: body editor with Queries, Mutations, Subscriptions and syntax support; variables editor; documentation explorer; request settings and metadata. - WebSocket testing tool. Handles connection and message exchange via WS or WSS. - API calls with any kind of request data encoding and transfer type (query params, URLEncoded params, FormData, raw data, send files from device storage, cloud, remote server). - Settings. TLS can be skipped, redirects can be disabled, timeouts are adjustable. Weak SSL verification can be enabled and replaced with self-signed certificate. - Import request or collection by curl, link or file from your device. And naturally, there is any type of collection for you: Swagger, OpenAPI, Postman, YAML. - Need to share request in seconds? One tap and done. Deep link and cURL command supported. - Integrations: Shortcuts, Widgets, Apple Watch app.

Additional little things: - Autocomplete for most common headers keys. - Syntax highlighting; Auto formatting. - Optimized for viewing on any device screen. - Cookies. Collect, edit, create. - Request metrics. Measure request duration, response size, status code changing. - History of all request calls. - Request authorisation. Basic Auth with password and username. OAuth with header or query access token.

cURL

Website
curl.se
$ Details
Platforms
-

API Tester

$ Details
free
Platforms
iOS Android Mac OSX

cURL features and specs

  • Versatility
    cURL supports a wide range of protocols including HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, and many more, making it a highly versatile tool for developers.
  • Cross-Platform
    cURL can be used on various operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux, providing consistency across different environments.
  • Command-Line Usage
    It can be easily used from the command line, enabling quick and powerful interactions with web services without the need for a graphical interface.
  • Automation
    cURL can be incorporated into scripts for automation, making it essential for repetitive tasks such as automated testing or continuous integration.
  • Support for Multiple Data Formats
    It can work with multiple data formats such as JSON, XML, and form-urlencoded, making it flexible for interacting with various APIs.
  • Open Source
    Being an open-source tool, cURL is free to use and has a large community that contributes to its continuous improvement and support.

Possible disadvantages of cURL

  • Steep Learning Curve
    For beginners, the variety of options and parameters available can be overwhelming, requiring time and effort to become proficient.
  • Limited Error Messages
    cURL sometimes provides minimal error messages, which can make debugging issues more complicated, especially for new users.
  • Security Concerns
    Improper handling of SSL certificates or sensitive data could lead to security vulnerabilities, requiring users to be cautious and knowledgeable.
  • Not User-Friendly
    As a command-line tool, it lacks a graphical user interface, which can make it less accessible for users who are not comfortable with terminal commands.
  • Manual Configuration
    Requires manual configuration for advanced options, which can be time-consuming and cumbersome for complex tasks.

API Tester features and specs

  • GraphQL
  • Websocket
  • Debugging APIs

cURL videos

BOUNCE CURL REVIEW | Curl Review Series #2

More videos:

  • Review - CURLS BLUEBERRY BLISS REVIEW | Curl Review Series #1
  • Review - Curls Triple Threat Review // Frizz Free Curly Hair
  • Tutorial - How to use CURL

API Tester videos

7 Reasons Why You Should Become An API Tester | 100% Salary Hike Possible? | TheTestingAcademy

More videos:

  • Review - Talend API Tester: Technical Overview
  • Tutorial - How To Use DevTools As an API Tester? | API Testing Tutorial | Day 29

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to cURL and API Tester)
API Tools
81 81%
19% 19
Developer Tools
64 64%
36% 36
APIs
60 60%
40% 40
CLI
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare cURL and API Tester

cURL Reviews

Top 20 Open Source & Cloud Free Postman Alternatives (2024 Updated)
cURL is a widely used command-line tool for transferring data with URLs. It supports a multitude of protocols, making it a versatile choice for API testing.
Source: medium.com
Top 10 HTTP Client and Web Debugging Proxy Tools (2023)
The uniqueness of cURL above others is that it supports different types of protocols, like HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, SFTP, POP3 SCP, and more. As a developer, you have to understand how cURL works.

API Tester Reviews

We have no reviews of API Tester yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, cURL should be more popular than API Tester. It has been mentiond 121 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

cURL mentions (121)

  • Most Effective Approaches for Debugging Applications
    Complex applications, with their interwoven layers of front-end, back-end, and database logic, often obscure bugs. Simplifying the problem by isolating components—such as a React component, a REST API endpoint, or a PostgreSQL query—helps developers focus on the failure point. Spencer Romenco, Chief Growth Strategist at Growth Spurt, shares a case study: “Simplifying and isolating the problem has always been the... - Source: dev.to / 11 days ago
  • The Inflation of "Security Researchers" and Its Consequences for Open Source
    A well-documented case that illustrates this problem is CVE-2020-19909, which was recently reassigned as a "critical" vulnerability in Curl — despite being a decades-old, non-exploitable bug. This case exposes the systemic flaws in how CVEs are assigned and scored [Daniel Stenberg’s blog][Hacker News discussion]. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Python for Beginners: Chapter 2 – Building Your First REST API with Flask
    For POST, PUT, and DELETE, you'll need a tool like Postman or curl. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • How to Build a CRUD API with Laravel for Beginners
    To test the API, you can use a tool like Postman or cURL. Here are the routes you can test:. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • Open Source Developer Patronage Programs: A Sustainable Future for FOSS
    Projects like curl and Homebrew have successfully leveraged patronage programs to achieve financial sustainability. These examples highlight the potential for other projects to follow suit and secure the funding necessary for continued innovation. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
View more

API Tester mentions (18)

  • How to Test APIs for Beginners-API Testing Best Practices🔥
    Manual API testing involves directly interacting with the API using tools like Apidog, API Tester or any other available online tools. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • All about Postman Collection
    You can also import this collection to the mobile app and test it. This is possible by using the API Tester. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Defect life cycle in API testing ⚙️
    It is worth noting that detecting bugs is not as simple as it may appear at first.That’s why developers and testers must have good testing tools for this. I suggest you try API Tester; you’ll love it! - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • Status codes in API Testing🆗🆘
    How successful response code looks like in API Tester app. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • Top 5 cryptocurrency APIs for developers ©️
    Do you know what is common to all the aforementioned APIs? You can easily access any of them by using the greatest app – API Tester :). - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing cURL and API Tester, you can also consider the following products

Insomnia REST - Design, debug, test, and mock APIs locally, on Git, or cloud. Build better APIs collaboratively for the most popular protocols with a dev‑friendly UI, built-in automation, and an extensible plugin ecosystem.

Postman - The Collaboration Platform for API Development

HTTPie - CLI HTTP that will make you smile. JSON support, syntax highlighting, wget-like downloads, extensions, and more.

RapidAPI for Mac - Paw is a REST client for Mac.

Hoppscotch - Open source API development ecosystem

FileZilla - FileZilla is an FTP, or file transfer protocol, client. It lets individuals transfer single files or batches to a web server. For many years, FTP was the standard for website design. Read more about FileZilla.