Quick answer
Beeceptor - Beeceptor wins for most builders who need realistic API mocking, because its free tier includes request handling, dynamic behavior, inspection, and stateful flows, while mockapi.io is better only if you mainly need a tiny CRUD-style mock with a very small project/resource cap.
How the free tiers compare
These two free tiers solve different problems. Beeceptor is the deeper mocking tool: even free, you get a public endpoint, 50 requests per day per endpoint, 3 mock rules, dynamic and conditional responses, live traffic inspection, AI mock creation, test data generation, multi-step stateful behavior, CRUD routes, and an ephemeral local tunnel. That makes it useful for testing integrations and edge cases, not just standing up a placeholder API. mockapi.io is narrower but simpler: 1 project and 2 resources free, with no custom responses or collaboration on the free tier. Its paid path stays inexpensive, but the free tier is much more constrained. If you need response logic and inspection, Beeceptor is the better starting point. If you only need a tiny REST mock with basic data models, mockapi.io is enough.
Beeceptor vs mockapi.io free tier, side by side
| BeeceptorFTV 56 | mockapi.ioFTV 45 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free projectsBeeceptor’s free tier is endpoint-based, not project-based. | Not specified | 1 project |
| Free requestsmockapi.io’s free tier details provided here do not include request quotas. | 50 requests/day per endpoint | Not specified |
| Free mock rules / resourcesDifferent quota types, so this is only a rough comparison. | 3 mock rules per endpoint | 2 resources |
| Free endpoint accessBeeceptor explicitly includes public endpoint access. | Public endpoint | Not specified |
| Free custom responsesThis is one of the clearest functional gaps between the two. | Dynamic and conditional responses | No custom response support |
| Free collaborationOnly mockapi.io explicitly calls this out. | Not specified | No collaboration support |
| Free stateful behaviorBeeceptor explicitly includes multi-step stateful behavior. | Included | Not specified |
| Free local tunnelBeeceptor explicitly includes this on the free tier. | Ephemeral local tunnel | Not specified |
After you outgrow the free tier
Beeceptor uses flat pricing on paid plans, starting at $10/month for Individual and rising to $25/month Team and $99/month Scale, with an Enterprise contact-sales tier. mockapi.io is also flat-priced, starting at $5/month Pro or $35/year Annual. For small-team use, mockapi.io is cheaper on price alone, but Beeceptor adds much more capability at the first paid step. Because both are flat plans, costs diverge mainly by feature depth and the size of the endpoint or project workload, not by per-request billing.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | Beeceptor | mockapi.io |
|---|---|---|
| Small builder moving past free limitsBeeceptor’s first paid tier is higher, but the free tier is also much richer. | $10/mo | $5/mo |
| Team needing more room for mock endpointsmockapi.io Pro still lists 20 projects and 50 resources; Beeceptor Team scales requests, rules, and CRUD objects much further. | $25/mo | $5/mo |
| Annual commitment for a small projectmockapi.io’s Annual plan is cheaper monthly, but billed yearly at $35/year. | $10/mo equivalent at the first paid tier | $2.92/mo equivalent |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick Beeceptor when…
- You need conditional or dynamic mock responses on the free tier.
- You want to inspect live traffic while testing an integration.
- You are simulating stateful or multi-step API behavior.
- You need a public mock endpoint for QA or demo work.
- You want AI-generated mocks or test data without paying first.
Pick mockapi.io when…
- You only need a tiny REST mock with one project and a couple of resources.
- You are modeling simple CRUD data without custom responses.
- You want the lowest-friction starter for a small personal prototype.
- You do not need request inspection or stateful behavior on day one.
- You expect to stay within very small project and resource limits.
Bottom line
For the most common builder case, Beeceptor is the better free tier because it is actually useful for integration testing, not just schema stubbing. You can mock behavior, inspect traffic, and simulate state, which matters once a backend gets real. mockapi.io wins if your needs are minimal and you care most about the cheapest paid path after a tiny starter free tier. If you want the free plan to carry real testing weight, Beeceptor is the safer pick.
Read the full listings: Beeceptor and mockapi.io. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.