Best GraphQL Tools in 2026
Updated
In short: Altair GraphQL Client is ranked #1 of 25 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Apollo Studio and Apollo Client. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Apollo Studio. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Apollo Studio at $5/mo.
GraphQL work may call for tools to explore APIs, generate client code, test operations or manage schemas. Compare API explorer, client code generation, operation testing and schema registry support, alongside deployment model and server languages. Free-plan availability and paid-from pricing add practical details for evaluating the options. Altair GraphQL Client, Apollo Studio and Apollo Client are among the tools shown. Check which parts of your development workflow need support, and use the listed capabilities to distinguish tools that address different needs.
25 GraphQL tools ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
25ranked
11free plans on this page
$5/molowest paid tier
4 Oct 2026last checked
Input list GraphQL Tools 25 channels on this page · 119 of 200 spec lines stated by the makers
Ch Tool Free planPaid fromDeployment modelSchema registryAPI explorerClient code generationOperation testingServer languages Spec sheet Score
01 Altair GraphQL Client Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelnot statedSchema registrynot statedAPI explorernot statedClient code generationnot statedOperation testingnot statedServer languagesnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 7.6
02 Apollo Studio Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelhybridSchema registryYesAPI explorerYesClient code generationYesOperation testingYesServer languagesTypeScript, JavaScript, Java, Kotlin, Python, C#, Go, Ruby, Rust, Elixir, PHP, Scala 7/8spec lines stated 7.6
03 Apollo Client Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelhybridSchema registryYesAPI explorerYesClient code generationNoOperation testingYesServer languagesRust 7/8spec lines stated 7.4
04 GraphQL Hive Free planYesPaid from$20/moDeployment modelself-hostedSchema registryNoAPI explorerYesClient code generationNoOperation testingYesServer languagesJavaScript, TypeScript 8/8spec lines stated 7.4
05 Hot Chocolate Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelself-hostedSchema registrynot statedAPI explorerYesClient code generationnot statedOperation testingYesServer languagesC# 5/8spec lines stated 7.1
06 WunderGraph Cosmo Free planYesPaid from$499/moDeployment modelhybridSchema registryYesAPI explorerYesClient code generationnot statedOperation testingYesServer languagesGo, Python, Java, C#, Node.js, Rust 7/8spec lines stated 6.9
07 Relay Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelnot statedSchema registrynot statedAPI explorernot statedClient code generationYesOperation testingYesServer languagesJavaScript, TypeScript, Flow 4/8spec lines stated 6.8
08 GraphQL Kotlin Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelself-hostedSchema registrynot statedAPI explorernot statedClient code generationYesOperation testingYesServer languagesKotlin 5/8spec lines stated 6.7
09 Strawberry GraphQL Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelself-hostedSchema registrynot statedAPI explorerYesClient code generationYesOperation testingYesServer languagesPython 6/8spec lines stated 6.7
10 gqlgen Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelnot statedSchema registrynot statedAPI explorernot statedClient code generationnot statedOperation testingnot statedServer languagesGo 2/8spec lines stated 6.4
11 async-graphql Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelself-hostedSchema registrynot statedAPI explorerYesClient code generationNoOperation testingnot statedServer languagesRust 4/8spec lines stated 6.2
12 PostGraphile Free planYesPaid from$25/moDeployment modelself-hostedSchema registryNoAPI explorerYesClient code generationNoOperation testingnot statedServer languagesJavaScript, TypeScript 7/8spec lines stated 5.9
13 urql Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelself-hostedSchema registryNoAPI explorerNoClient code generationNoOperation testingNoServer languagesJavaScript; React, Preact, Vue, Solid, Svelte 7/8spec lines stated 5.9
14 GraphiQL Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelnot statedSchema registrynot statedAPI explorernot statedClient code generationnot statedOperation testingnot statedServer languagesnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 5.8
15 Amazon AppSync Free planNoPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelcloudSchema registrynot statedAPI explorerYesClient code generationYesOperation testingYesServer languagesJavaScript, VTL 6/8spec lines stated 5.7
16 Ariadne Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelself-hostedSchema registrynot statedAPI explorerYesClient code generationYesOperation testingYesServer languagesPython 5/8spec lines stated 5.7
17 GraphQL.js Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelself-hostedSchema registrynot statedAPI explorernot statedClient code generationnot statedOperation testingYesServer languagesJavaScript, TypeScript 4/8spec lines stated 5.7
18 Graphene Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelself-hostedSchema registrynot statedAPI explorernot statedClient code generationnot statedOperation testingYesServer languagesPython 4/8spec lines stated 5.6
19 GraphQL Ruby Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelself-hostedSchema registrynot statedAPI explorerYesClient code generationnot statedOperation testingYesServer languagesRuby, Ruby on Rails 5/8spec lines stated 5.6
20 Hasura Free planYesPaid from$5/moDeployment modelhybridSchema registrynot statedAPI explorernot statedClient code generationnot statedOperation testingnot statedServer languagesnot stated 3/8spec lines stated 5.6
21 Lighthouse Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelself-hostedSchema registrynot statedAPI explorerNoClient code generationnot statedOperation testingYesServer languagesPHP 5/8spec lines stated 5.6
22 Netflix DGS Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelself-hostedSchema registrynot statedAPI explorerYesClient code generationYesOperation testingYesServer languagesJava, Kotlin 5/8spec lines stated 5.6
23 Mercurius Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelself-hostedSchema registrynot statedAPI explorerYesClient code generationnot statedOperation testingnot statedServer languagesJavaScript, TypeScript 4/8spec lines stated 5.5
24 Sangria Free planYesPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelself-hostedSchema registrynot statedAPI explorernot statedClient code generationnot statedOperation testingYesServer languagesScala 4/8spec lines stated 5.5
25 GraphQL Java Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedDeployment modelself-hostedSchema registrynot statedAPI explorernot statedClient code generationnot statedOperation testingYesServer languagesJava 3/8spec lines stated 5.4
Is your tool on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which GraphQL tool is ranked first on Specifiction?
Altair GraphQL Client is ranked #1 of 25 with a score of 7.6. Apollo Studio is second and Apollo Client third.
How many of these have a free plan?
11 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Apollo Studio has the lowest first paid tier we found: $5/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, the fullest spec sheet first: how deeply the product is documented, the platforms it runs on, a free tier or trial to test it, and its standing. Paid placements never change a rank.
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