Mockoon is a solid tool for local API mocking — but it runs on your machine, requires manual setup for every route, and isn't shareable without extra setup (or a paid Cloud plan). Rest Faker gives you a fully hosted mock API with auto-generated datasets, cloud-persistent CRUD, mock auth, and a URL your entire team can use today.
Mockoon runs as a desktop application on your machine. Everyone who wants to hit the mock API has to run their own copy, or you need tunneling tools like ngrok to share it.
Mockoon supports Faker.js templates, but you write each route's response structure manually. Generating a realistic dataset of 50 users means configuring templates route by route — Rest Faker auto-populates a full dataset the moment you define a schema.
Mockoon's JSON database auto-saves to your machine, so data survives restarts — but it's tied to your laptop. Teammates can't share the same live state without tunneling or a paid Mockoon Cloud plan. Rest Faker state is cloud-hosted and always accessible.
| Feature | Mockoon | Rest Faker |
|---|---|---|
| No install or local app requiredRest Faker runs entirely in the browser and cloud | ||
| Shareable team endpoint URLFree tier is localhost-only; Mockoon Cloud (paid) adds hosted URLs — Rest Faker free plan includes a shared URL | ||
| Auto-generated dataset from schema definitionMockoon supports Faker.js templates per route; Rest Faker auto-populates a full dataset when you define a schema | ||
| Cloud-persistent CRUD (data survives restarts)Mockoon's JSON database auto-saves locally but lives on your machine — teammates can't hit it without tunneling. Rest Faker state is cloud-hosted and permanently accessible from any device | ||
| Visual schema builderBuild schemas via UI — no JSON config files | ||
| Sorting & paginationBoth support sort, page, and limit query params on resource routes | ||
| Mock authentication endpoints/signup, /signin, /profile for testing auth flows | ||
| Scenario engine (errors, latency, rate limits)Both support latency injection and error responses. Rest Faker also covers empty states, rate limits, and auth-related scenarios from the dashboard without touching config files | ||
| Request logging / traffic inspectionBoth log incoming requests and outgoing responses. Mockoon logs locally in the desktop app; Rest Faker logs are cloud-hosted and accessible from anywhere | ||
| Postman collection exportOne-click export for every route in your project | ||
| TypeScript types exportInterfaces auto-generated from your schema | ||
| OpenAPI / Swagger importBoth support OpenAPI import — Rest Faker also auto-populates records from the spec | ||
| Local mock server (no internet needed)Mockoon runs fully offline on your machine | ||
| Free to use |
Replace your Mockoon localhost with a Rest Faker hosted endpoint. No app running, no ngrok, no config to sync.
Mockoon (localhost)
// Mockoon desktop app must be running
// Teammates need their own copy or an ngrok tunnel
GET http://localhost:3001/users
// Response is a hand-written JSON example
[
{ "id": 1, "name": "John", "email": "john@example.com" },
{ "id": 2, "name": "Jane", "email": "jane@example.com" }
]
// POST /users → returns your configured example
// GET /users → still returns the same 2 recordsRest Faker (hosted)
// Hosted — no app, no tunnel, works everywhere
GET https://api.restfaker.dev/api/schema/users
apiToken: YOUR_API_TOKEN
{
"data": [
{
"id": "c3d8f2a1-...",
"name": "Nathaniel Thornton",
"email": "nate.thornton@outlook.com",
"role": "editor",
"joinedAt": "2024-03-12T09:14:00Z"
}
// ...24 more realistic records
],
"meta": { "total": 87, "page": 1, "perPage": 25 }
}
// POST /users → record saved → next GET returns itYour API lives in the cloud. No laptop running, no port forwarding, no ngrok tunnels. Share the URL and it just works.
Get up to 100 realistic records per route instantly. Names, emails, prices, timestamps — all from Faker.js, not hand-written JSON.
POST a new record, PATCH a field, DELETE an entry — the changes persist across requests so your UI flows work end to end.
Protect routes, test login and token flows, simulate authenticated states — without connecting to a real auth provider.
Download a ready-to-import Postman collection or TypeScript interfaces from any project in one click.
Every project gets a unique API token and shared base URL. Teammates consume the same hosted endpoint — no syncing config files.
You need to work completely offline with no internet access
You're mocking an existing service with specific response examples
Your workflow is already centered on a local desktop tool
You need Mockoon's proxy feature to intercept real traffic
You want a hosted API your whole team can use without running anything locally
You need realistic generated data across many records, not hand-written examples
Your app's UI depends on actual Create/Edit/Delete behavior persisting
You want to share a live API URL in a client demo or standup
You need mock auth flows, scenario testing, Postman exports, or TypeScript types
Custom schemas, real mutations, shareable URLs. Free — no credit card required.