# API load test

> Load test any endpoint in seconds.

API load test runs a real Postman performance run against a URL you enter — pick the number of virtual users and how long to run, and it reports latency, throughput and error rate from Postman’s cloud, no account needed.

Also: load testing, api load test, api performance test, stress test api, virtual users load test.

## What it does

Enter a GET endpoint, choose a load profile, virtual users (up to 100) and a duration (up to 60 seconds), and the tool provisions a collection and a cloud performance run for a guest workspace. When it finishes it shows total requests, average and p95 latency, and error rate, with load, latency and throughput charts over the run. It is a hands-on preview of Postman performance testing before you sign up to automate and schedule it.

## When to use it

- You want a quick read on how an endpoint behaves under concurrent load.
- You want p95 latency and error rate for a URL without wiring up a load-testing tool.
- You are evaluating Postman performance testing against your own API.
- You want to show how response time degrades as virtual users climb.

## What you give it

| Input | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| Target URL | The GET endpoint to load test. https:// is added if you omit the scheme. |
| Load profile, virtual users and duration | A load shape (fixed, ramp up, spike or peak), up to 100 virtual users, and a duration up to 60 seconds. |

## What you get back

| Output | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| Summary metrics | Total requests, average latency, p95 latency and error rate for the run. |
| Time-series charts | Load, latency and throughput over the run, with a hover crosshair. |

## Key terms

- **Virtual users** — simulated concurrent clients — more virtual users means more requests in flight at once, which is what puts the endpoint under load.
- **p95 latency** — the response time that 95% of requests came in under; a better measure of worst-case experience than the average.

## Questions

### Do I need an account?

No. The load test provisions a temporary run for a guest workspace and shows results on the page. Sign up only to automate or schedule it.

### How many virtual users can I use?

Up to 100 virtual users, for a duration of up to 60 seconds.

### What kinds of URLs work?

Any public http or https endpoint that answers a GET request.


## Privacy

Unlike the browser-only tools here, this runs a real load test through Postman’s cloud, so the URL you enter is sent to Postman and requested repeatedly from Postman’s infrastructure. Enter a URL you are comfortable load-testing, and never one you do not own or have permission to test.

## Links

- [Use the tool](https://www.postman.com/tools/api-load-test) — the interactive version of this page.
- [Postman Tools](https://www.postman.com/tools) — every free tool in this set.
- [Performance testing docs](https://learning.postman.com/docs/collections/performance-testing/testing-api-performance/) — Postman documentation.