Best API tester apps for Android (2026)
Cards on the table: we make ReqPad. We wrote this guide anyway because the question deserves a straight answer — Android's API-tool shelf is uneven, and a lot of "top 10" lists are ad-farm filler. Every number below was re-checked on Google Play on October 16, 2026.
Need more than REST — GraphQL, gRPC, MQTT, Socket.IO or MCP — or want your Postman collections on your phone? Install ReqPad: it's the only Android client that covers all seven protocols, and REST & WebSocket are free forever. Need to capture another app's traffic? Reqable. Want one-tap home-screen requests? HTTP Request Shortcuts.
The short list
| App | Play installs · rating* | Last Play update* | What it actually is | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ReqPad (us) | new on Play (2026) · ratings accruing | Oct 15, 2026 | 7-protocol client (REST→gRPC/Socket.IO/MCP) with Postman import, scripts, AI and enterprise auth; Android, iOS & Mac | newest app here; REST & WebSocket free, heavy protocols are Pro |
| Teste (ex-API Tester) | 100K+ · 4.2 (4.6K) | Aug 9, 2025 | REST, GraphQL & WebSocket client with scripts and a terminal | no Play update in over a year; earlier 2026 reviews reported crashes on some Pixel/Samsung devices |
| Reqable | 100K+ · 4.3 (797) | Oct 12, 2026 | traffic-capture proxy (ex-HttpCanary) + REST client; pairs with its desktop app | proxy/VPN setup has a learning curve; REST-only client side |
| HTTP Request Shortcuts | 100K+ · 4.6 (2K) | Oct 9, 2026 | open-source; fire predefined requests from home-screen shortcuts | automation tool, not an exploratory client |
| IoT MQTT Panel / MQTT Dash | 100K+ each · 4.6 / 4.7 | Sep 29, 2026 / Mar 2, 2017 | MQTT-only dashboards for IoT work | single-protocol by design; MQTT Dash is no longer updated |
| Postman web (browser) | — | — | real Postman, desktop layout in a phone browser | tap targets and Agent assumption; fallback only |
* Google Play public listings (US), checked October 16, 2026. Always re-check current reviews — mobile app quality moves fast in both directions.
Protocols and features, side by side
| Feature | ReqPad | Teste | Reqable | HTTP Shortcuts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| REST / HTTP | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Server-Sent Events | ✓ | — | — | — |
| WebSocket | ✓ | ✓ | capture only | — |
| GraphQL | ✓ | ✓ | — | — |
| gRPC | ✓ | — | — | — |
| MQTT | ✓ | — | — | — |
| Socket.IO | ✓ | — | — | — |
| MCP (AI tool servers) | ✓ | — | — | — |
| Postman import | Cloud Sync, one tap | file | — | — |
| Scripts | Postman pm.* | ✓ | — | JavaScript |
| Collection runner | CSV / JSON data | — | — | — |
| OAuth 2.0 flows | PKCE + auto refresh | token only | — | — |
| AWS SigV4 / Hawk / EdgeGrid | ✓ | — | — | — |
| Built-in AI | ✓ | — | — | — |
| Traffic capture (proxy) | — | — | ✓ | — |
| Home-screen shortcuts | — | — | — | ✓ |
Competitor columns reflect what each Google Play listing advertises (October 16, 2026); "—" means not advertised — verify in-app. Corrections welcome at [email protected].
1. ReqPad — the protocol-depth pick
Our app, so judge it by what you can check: ReqPad is the only Android API client on Google Play that advertises gRPC (server reflection and .proto files, unary through bidirectional streaming) and Socket.IO. Alongside them: REST with Server-Sent Events, WebSocket, GraphQL with subscriptions, MQTT with QoS, and MCP for testing AI tool servers — seven protocols in one app.
- Bring your Postman work with you — one-tap Postman Cloud Sync import, plus Postman v2.1 files, cURL, OpenAPI/Swagger and HAR.
- Scripts & automation — Postman-compatible
pm.*pre-request and test scripts, and a Collection Runner with CSV/JSON data files. - ReqPad AI — explains a failing request with a one-tap fix, builds a request from plain words, writes GraphQL queries and tests. Secrets are removed on your device first.
- Enterprise auth — OAuth 2.0 with PKCE and automatic refresh, AWS Signature v4, Hawk, Akamai EdgeGrid, Digest and more.
- Private by default — no account, no ads; requests, keys and history stay on your device.
Honest cons: it's the newest app on this list, so its Play rating count is still small; and GraphQL, gRPC, MQTT, Socket.IO, MCP, scripts and advanced auth are Pro ($3.99/month, $24.99/year or $59.99 lifetime, 7-day free trial). REST and WebSocket stay free forever.
2. Teste — the incumbent, with an asterisk
The install leader (100K+) and a capable REST, GraphQL and WebSocket client with scripting and a terminal. The asterisk: as of October 2026 its newest Google Play release is dated August 9, 2025 — over a year without an update — and earlier this year a noticeable share of reviews reported crash-on-launch issues on some Pixel and Samsung devices. If it runs well on your phone, it's a solid REST tool; install it, test for a day, and decide on evidence. No gRPC, MQTT or Socket.IO in its listing. Our head-to-head: Teste vs ReqPad.
3. Reqable — when you also need to see the traffic
The successor to HttpCanary, and closer to "Charles Proxy with a client attached" than a plain API tester: capture and inspect device traffic (HTTP/1, HTTP/2, WebSocket upgrades), then replay and modify requests. If your debugging style is watch what the app actually sends rather than compose requests from scratch, this is the strongest Android pick — especially paired with its desktop counterpart. Its composer is REST-only, with API key, Basic and Bearer auth.
4. HTTP Request Shortcuts — a different job, done beautifully
Open source, free and actively maintained: define a request once, put it on your home screen, fire it with one tap, and post-process the response with JavaScript. It's not an exploratory client — it's automation for requests you send repeatedly (toggle the smart home, kick a CI job, hit a health endpoint). Many developers run it alongside a full client rather than instead of one.
5. MQTT dashboards — IoT only
IoT MQTT Panel (updated September 2026) and MQTT Dash are great for building tap-and-glance dashboards over a broker. MQTT Dash hasn't been updated since 2017, so prefer IoT MQTT Panel for a dashboard. If you need to publish, subscribe and debug MQTT alongside your HTTP APIs, ReqPad does both in one app.
How to choose in 30 seconds
- You need gRPC, Socket.IO, MCP, GraphQL or MQTT on the move — ReqPad; it's the only Android client with gRPC and Socket.IO, and it covers all five.
- You live in Postman — ReqPad imports your workspaces in one tap and runs
pm.*scripts. There is no Postman mobile app. - You want to see what another app sends — Reqable.
- The same few requests, one tap each — HTTP Request Shortcuts.
- Plain REST and you already like Teste — keep it if it runs well on your device.
FAQ
Which Android API tester supports gRPC, MQTT and Socket.IO?
ReqPad. Across the Google Play listings we checked in October 2026, it is the only API client that advertises gRPC (server reflection and .proto files, all four streaming modes) and Socket.IO, and it covers MQTT, GraphQL, WebSocket, REST/SSE and MCP in the same app.
What happened to the app called "API Tester" on Android?
It was renamed: API Tester (apitester.org) is now called Teste. Same developer and app, new brand — still 100K+ downloads on Google Play. Its last Play update is dated August 9, 2025, so check recent reviews for your device before relying on it.
Is there an official Postman app for Android?
No. Postman offers desktop and web clients only. The web client loads in a mobile browser but is designed for desktop screens. ReqPad imports your Postman workspaces in one tap (Cloud Sync) and runs Postman-compatible pm.* scripts — see our full guide on the Postman mobile situation.
Is ReqPad free on Android?
REST (including Server-Sent Events) and WebSocket are free forever, with no account and no ads. ReqPad Pro unlocks GraphQL, gRPC, MQTT, Socket.IO and MCP, scripts and the Collection Runner, advanced auth, imports, code generation and 300 AI actions a month: $3.99/month, $24.99/year or $59.99 lifetime, with a 7-day free trial.
What should I check before trusting any of these with production debugging?
Three things: the most recent reviews and the last update date (stability varies by device and an unmaintained app falls behind Android releases), whether your auth scheme is supported (OAuth2 and signed schemes like AWS SigV4 are where most mobile clients stop), and where your request data and secrets are stored.
Seven protocols on your Android phone.
ReqPad runs REST, WebSocket, GraphQL, gRPC, MQTT, Socket.IO and MCP with enterprise auth — REST & WebSocket free forever, no account; the rest Pro with a 7-day free trial.