For QA Engineers

API Testing for QA Engineers

Stop maintaining mock servers. Test against a real API with stable payloads, authentication flows, and request logs. Built for QA teams using Postman, Playwright, and CI pipelines.

Get a free API key Read the docs

What do QA engineers actually need from a test API?

Not another mock server. QA teams need infrastructure that matches how real APIs behave - without the overhead of maintaining it.

Stable, predictable responses

Same request returns same shape every time

Real HTTP status codes

Not mocked 200s for everything

Real authentication flows

Not fake /login endpoints that always return 200

Request logging

See what was sent and received when tests fail

No infrastructure to maintain

No Docker, no local servers, no seed scripts

Available 24/7

CI runs at 3am; staging might not be up

ReqRes delivers on all of these. One API key, and you're testing against real HTTP - not a simulation of it.

How is ReqRes different from JSONPlaceholder or mock APIs?

JSONPlaceholder is great for learning. But when you need real auth, persistent data, and logs to debug failures - you need more.

Feature ReqRes JSONPlaceholder Postman Mock Local Mock
Auth flows Real auth None Simulated DIY
Persistent data Yes No No Needs DB
Request logs Built-in No Limited DIY
CI-ready Always up Always up Needs setup Needs Docker
User isolation Per-user scoping No No DIY
Setup time 10 seconds 0 seconds 5 minutes 30+ minutes

For a deeper comparison, see JSONPlaceholder alternatives.

How ReqRes delivers on each requirement

Isolated test environments

Each project is its own namespace - collections, users, logs, all separated. No cross-contamination between test suites or team members.

Real HTTP responses

Assert against actual status codes, headers, and JSON shapes - not mocked fixtures that drift over time.

Searchable logs

Every request is logged with method, path, status, and timing. Search logs to debug failed assertions.

Auth without the setup

Magic links create test users and return session tokens. Test authenticated endpoints without standing up an auth server or maintaining test credentials.

Common QA workflows with ReqRes

Whether you're running manual tests in Postman or automated suites in CI, ReqRes fits your existing workflow.

Postman collections

Build Postman collections that hit real endpoints. Use environment variables for API keys, write tests with assertions, and export for CI runs with Newman.

Read the Postman guide →
Playwright E2E tests

Test real auth flows, user isolation, and data persistence with Playwright's request API. No mocking required - assert against actual HTTP responses.

Read the Playwright guide →
CI pipeline smoke tests

Run API tests on every push with GitHub Actions, CircleCI, or Jenkins. ReqRes is always up at 3am when your CI runs - no staging server to maintain.

Read the CI automation guide →

Example: Playwright test 

import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test'

// Get a session token in your test setup - three API calls, no auth server
let sessionToken: string

test.beforeAll(async ({ request }) => {
  // Send magic link (in test mode, token is returned directly)
  await request.post('https://reqres.in/api/app-users/login', {
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json', 'x-api-key': 'pk_test_...' },
    data: { project_id: 'proj_test', email: '[email protected]' }
  })

  // Verify and get session token
  const verify = await request.post('https://reqres.in/api/app-users/verify', {
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    data: { token: 'token_from_response' }
  })
  sessionToken = (await verify.json()).session_token
})

test('creates and retrieves a record', async ({ request }) => {
  // Seed a record
  const create = await request.post(
    'https://reqres.in/app/collections/todos/records',
    {
      headers: {
        'Authorization': `Bearer ${sessionToken}`,
        'Content-Type': 'application/json'
      },
      data: { data: { title: 'Test todo', completed: false } }
    }
  )
  expect(create.status()).toBe(201)

  // Assert it appears in the scoped list
  const list = await request.get(
    'https://reqres.in/app/collections/todos/records',
    { headers: { 'Authorization': `Bearer ${sessionToken}` } }
  )
  const body = await list.json()
  expect(body.data).toContainEqual(
    expect.objectContaining({ title: 'Test todo' })
  )
  expect(body.meta.total).toBeGreaterThan(0)
})

// No mock server. No shared staging. No fixture files.
// Real HTTP, real auth, real data - deterministic every run.

Why QA teams choose ReqRes

Runs in any CI

No Docker services. No local servers. Hit the API from GitHub Actions, CircleCI, Jenkins - anywhere.

Deterministic data

Every test run starts with the data you seeded. No shared-environment surprises. No state leaking between suites.

Real auth in your tests

Test login flows, token verification, and scoped data access - without maintaining an auth server or a credentials file.

Debug with request logs

Every request logged with method, path, status, and timing. When a test fails, search the logs instead of guessing.

Not a QA engineer? See ReqRes for founders, frontend developers, or educators.

Already using something else?

See how ReqRes compares - and where it fits alongside tools you already know.

Postman logo
ReqRes vs Postman

ReqRes provides the backend surface, Postman helps you test it. Here's how they work together.

Read comparison →

What's included in the free tier?

QA engineers respect directness. Here's exactly what you get - no surprises.

Free tier
  • 1 API key
  • 250 requests/day
  • All endpoints (CRUD, auth, users)
  • Request logs
  • No credit card required
Pro adds
  • More API keys (per team member)
  • Higher request limits
  • Priority support
  • Team features
See pricing →

Stop maintaining mock servers.

Get a free API key in 10 seconds. No credit card required.

Get a free API key