HTTP Request Tester: Test APIs Online Without Writing Code
Our free HTTP request tester is a browser-based API client that lets you send any HTTP request and inspect the full response — no terminal, no Postman install, no code required. It's the fastest way to test a REST API endpoint, debug a webhook, or explore an HTTP service from any device.
What Can You Do with the HTTP Tester?
- Test REST APIs: Quickly verify GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, and DELETE endpoints with full header and body support.
- Debug Webhooks: Send test payloads to webhook URLs and inspect the response to verify delivery.
- Inspect Response Headers: See every header returned by the server — Cache-Control, CORS, Content-Type, cookies, and more.
- Measure Response Time: Check API latency directly from your browser to catch slow endpoints.
- Test Authentication: Add Bearer tokens, API keys, or Basic Auth headers and verify protected endpoints.
- Explore Third-party APIs: Interact with public APIs (GitHub, JSONPlaceholder, httpbin) directly from the browser.
HTTP Methods Explained
- GET: Retrieve data. No request body. The most common method for reading resources.
- POST: Submit data to create a new resource. Used for form submissions and creating records.
- PUT: Replace an existing resource entirely with the provided data.
- PATCH: Partially update an existing resource — only the fields you send are changed.
- DELETE: Remove a resource. Usually no request body.
- HEAD: Like GET, but returns only response headers — no body. Used to check if a resource exists.
- OPTIONS: Asks the server what HTTP methods are allowed for a resource. Used in CORS preflight requests.
Understanding HTTP Status Codes
- 2xx Success: 200 OK, 201 Created, 204 No Content — the request succeeded.
- 3xx Redirect: 301 Moved Permanently, 302 Found — the client should follow the redirect.
- 4xx Client Error: 400 Bad Request, 401 Unauthorized, 403 Forbidden, 404 Not Found — the request has an issue on the client side.
- 5xx Server Error: 500 Internal Server Error, 502 Bad Gateway, 503 Service Unavailable — the server failed to handle the request.
HTTP Tester vs curl vs Postman
All three tools serve the same core purpose — sending HTTP requests. Here's when to use each:
- HTTP Tester (this tool): Best for quick, one-off API checks. No install, works on any device, zero setup.
- curl: Best for terminal workflows, scripting, CI pipelines, and APIs that block browser CORS requests.
- Postman: Best for long-term API collections, team collaboration, and complex test automation.
About CORS Limitations
Browser-based HTTP tools are limited by CORS (Cross-Origin Resource Sharing) policy. When an API server doesn't include the required CORS headers (Access-Control-Allow-Origin), the browser blocks the request. This is a browser security feature, not a bug in our tool. For CORS-restricted APIs, use curl from your terminal or Postman, which make requests outside the browser sandbox.