Postman (software)
Postman is a global software company that offers an API platform for developers to design, build, test, and collaborate on APIs.[1]
![]() | |
Original author(s) | Abhinav Asthana, Ankit Sobti, Abhijit Kane |
---|---|
Stable release | v11
/ May 1, 2024 |
Type | Software testing |
License | proprietary software |
Website | www![]() |
Over 30 million registered users and 500,000 organizations use Postman.[2]
Postman also maintains the Postman API Network, a directory of over 100,000 public APIs that is listed as the world’s largest.[3]
The company is headquartered in San Francisco and has additional offices in Tokyo and Bangalore, where Postman was founded.
History
Postman started in 2012 as a side project of software engineer Abhinav Asthana, who wanted to simplify API testing while working at Yahoo Bangalore.[4] He named his app Postman – a play on the API request “POST” – and offered it free in the Chrome Web Store.
As the app's usage grew, Abhinav recruited former colleagues Ankit Sobti and Abhijit Kane to help create Postman, Inc. The three co-founders lead the company today, with Abhinav serving as CEO and Sobti as CTO.
In 2023, Postman announced it had acquired Akita, an API observability solution.[5] In 2024, Postman acquired Orbit, a solution for building and managing developer communities.[6]
Features
Postman features include:
- API repository: Allows users to store, catalog, and collaborate around API artifacts in a central platform within public, private, or partner networks
- API builder: Helps implement an API design workflow through specifications including OpenAPI, GraphQL, and RAML. Integrates varied source controls, CI/CD, gateways, and APM solutions
- Tools: API client, API design, API documentation, API testing, mock servers, and API detection
- Intelligence: Security warnings, API repository search, workspaces, reporting, API governance
- Workspaces: Personal, team, partner, and public workspaces allow for developer collaboration internally and externally
Postman v11 was released in May 2024. Features that generated news in tech media include AI-powered assistants to help with API test generation, documentation, debugging, and data visualization, as well as broader sharing of API collections with external partners.[7]
Business model
Postman offers tiered pricing, ranging from free options for small teams to paid plans for larger companies and enterprises.
Ownership
Postman is privately held, with funding from Nexus Venture Partners, CRV, Insight Partners, Coatue, Battery Ventures, and Mary Meeker’s BOND.
In May 2015, the company raised a $1 million seed round. In August 2021, Postman raised a $225 million Series D round at a $5.6 billion valuation.
Postman has been named a member of Forbes' Cloud 100 for the past three years, placing most recently at #42.[8]
References
- Singh, Manish (May 14, 2024). "API platform Postman valued at $5.6 billion in $225 million fundraise". TechCrunch. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - "Postman Acquires Orbit To Expand Reach In Software Developer Community". BW Disrupt. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
- Team, DRJ Editorial (2024-05-14). "Postman Announces Winners of Inaugural Postman API Network Awards". Disaster Recovery Journal. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
- Asthana, Abhinav (2021-04-05). "How We Built Postman—the Product and the Company". Postman Blog. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
- Wire, Business (2023-07-19). "Postman Acquires Akita Software". MarTech Series. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
{{cite web}}
:|first=
has generic name (help) - "Postman Acquires Orbit | DEVOPSdigest". www.devopsdigest.com. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
- Lawson, Loraine (2024-05-08). "New Postman Release Supports AI API Development With ... AI". The New Stack. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
- CAI", "KENRICK. "The Cloud 100 2023". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-05-14.