Quick answer
Mockfly - Mockfly wins for most builders because its free tier is more useful for day-to-day API testing, with request volume and endpoint structure that fit a real mock server better than mockapi.io’s very small starter limits.
How the free tiers compare
These two tools overlap, but they optimize for slightly different kinds of free usage. mockapi.io is the simpler starter if you only need a tiny REST mock with a single project and a couple of resources, and it moves to a very cheap flat paid tier. Mockfly gives you more of a working mock backend on the free plan: 500 requests per day, 4 endpoints, and multiple responses per endpoint, plus features like request logging and version history in the product. That makes it more practical for frontend testing and prototype loops, even though its paid path starts a bit higher. On pricing, both are flat at the first paid step, but Mockfly’s enterprise path becomes custom while mockapi.io stays published and low-cost.
mockapi.io vs Mockfly free tier, side by side
| mockapi.ioFTV 45 | MockflyFTV 47 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free projectsBoth free tiers keep you to a single project. | 1 project | 1 project |
| Free structure limitsThe products count different things, so this is only a rough shape comparison. | 2 resources | 4 endpoints |
| Free traffic limitMockfly publishes a request cap; mockapi.io does not list a request quota here. | Not stated | 500 requests per day |
| Free response behaviorMockfly allows multiple responses per endpoint on free; mockapi.io does not allow custom responses. | No custom response support | 2 responses per endpoint |
| Collaboration on freeOnly mockapi.io explicitly says collaboration is excluded on free. | No collaboration support | Not stated |
| First paid priceBoth first paid tiers are flat-priced. | Pro - $5/month | Profesional - $8 per month or 88€ per year (1 month free) |
After you outgrow the free tier
mockapi.io uses a simple flat-price ladder: the first paid plan is Pro at $5/month, then an annual option at $35/year. Mockfly also starts with a flat plan, Profesional at 8€ per month or 88€ per year, then moves to a contact-sales enterprise tier. For a small team that just needs more room, mockapi.io is cheaper and more transparent. Mockfly costs a bit more, but it removes the free plan’s request and endpoint ceilings and adds AI and support features. No usage-based rates were provided, so there are no per-volume calculations to work from.
When to pick each one
Pick mockapi.io when…
- You only need one very small mock API for a demo or tutorial.
- Your data model is resource-based and you want simple CRUD endpoints without many moving parts.
- You care more about the cheapest published paid upgrade after free than about free-tier depth.
- You only need 1 project and 2 resources to validate a feature.
- You want a low-cost path to custom responses and collaboration at $5/month.
Pick Mockfly when…
- You need a free mock server that can handle regular testing traffic.
- Your frontend team wants 4 endpoints and multiple responses per endpoint on the free plan.
- You want request logging or version history as part of the mock workflow.
- You are prototyping and need something closer to a usable hosted mock backend, not just a tiny starter.
- You expect to outgrow the free tier into a higher-capacity flat plan with unlimited requests and endpoints.
Bottom line
For the most common builder use case, Mockfly is the better free-tier choice because it behaves more like a real hosted mock backend and gives you enough traffic and endpoint structure to test against without immediately upgrading. Pick mockapi.io if you want the lowest-cost published upgrade path and your needs stay very small. In practice, Mockfly is stronger for ongoing frontend testing, while mockapi.io is better for tiny CRUD prototypes with minimal scope.
Read the full listings: mockapi.io and Mockfly. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.