APIFae compared to WireMock, Prism and Mockoon
Every row below was read from the tool’s own documentation in September 2026, and the sentence it rests on is quoted underneath. Where a tool does something APIFae does, the row says so.
| Capability | APIFae | WireMock (opens in a new tab) | Prism (opens in a new tab) | Mockoon (opens in a new tab) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What you install first | Nothing. One native binary. | A JVM | Node 18.20+ | Node, or the desktop app |
| Mocks are files you can commit | YAML | JSON mappings | The OpenAPI document itself | JSON |
| Record a real API into mocks | Yes | Yes | No. The spec is the source | Yes, in proxy mode |
| Named states a scenario moves between | Yes | Yes | No | Sequential or random, not named states |
| Compares your mock against the live API | Yes, apifae diff | No. Cloud checks both against a spec | No. It checks the implementation against a spec | No. Proxy mode forwards, it does not compare |
| Works without an OpenAPI spec | Yes. A spec adds a second check | Mocks yes, drift no | No. The spec is the input | Yes |
What each row is based on
Version numbers move and documentation gets rewritten. If a quote below no longer matches the page it links to, the row is out of date and worth telling us about.
What you install first
- WireMock
A JVM
a standalone uber JAR containing WireMock plus all its dependencies
https://wiremock.org/docs/download-and-installation/ (opens in a new tab)- Prism
Node 18.20+
npm install -g @stoplight/prism-cli — Prism requires NodeJS >= 18.20.1
https://github.com/stoplightio/prism (opens in a new tab)- Mockoon
Node, or the desktop app
npm install -g @mockoon/cli
https://mockoon.com/cli/ (opens in a new tab)
Mocks are files you can commit
- WireMock
JSON mappings
they will be saved to the file system (or other back-end if you have implemented your own MappingsSource) and will survive calls to reset mappings
https://wiremock.org/docs/record-playback/ (opens in a new tab)- Prism
The OpenAPI document itself
API mocking and contract testing with OpenAPI v2 and v3
https://github.com/stoplightio/prism (opens in a new tab)- Mockoon
JSON
They are stored in a JSON format and can be easily shared with other Mockoon users, used with the CLI, or stored in a git repository
https://mockoon.com/docs/latest/mockoon-data-files/data-files-location/ (opens in a new tab)
Record a real API into mocks
- WireMock
Yes
WireMock can create stub mappings from requests it has received. Combined with its proxying feature this allows you to record stub mappings from interaction with existing APIs
https://wiremock.org/docs/record-playback/ (opens in a new tab)- Prism
No. The spec is the source
API mocking and contract testing with OpenAPI v2 and v3
https://github.com/stoplightio/prism (opens in a new tab)- Mockoon
Yes, in proxy mode
Partial mocking with proxy mode
https://mockoon.com/docs/latest/mockoon-data-files/data-files-location/ (opens in a new tab)
Named states a scenario moves between
- WireMock
Yes
Stub mappings can be configured to match on scenario state, such that stub A can be returned initially, then stub B once the next scenario state has been triggered
https://wiremock.org/docs/stateful-behaviour/ (opens in a new tab)- Prism
No
mock, proxy and validate
https://github.com/stoplightio/prism (opens in a new tab)- Mockoon
Sequential or random, not named states
Mockoon can serve the route responses sequentially (200 -> 500 -> 404). Mockoon will serve all the responses one after the other and restart at the beginning
https://mockoon.com/docs/latest/route-responses/multiple-responses/ (opens in a new tab)
Compares your mock against the live API
- WireMock
No. Cloud checks both against a spec
WireMock Cloud captures HTTP traffic to the mock API and validates it against the OpenAPI specification, reporting in detail any deviations observed
https://www.wiremock.io/post/new-module-in-wiremock-cloud-contract-testing-for-mock-apis (opens in a new tab)- Prism
No. It checks the implementation against a spec
Prism can help you check for discrepencies between your API implementation and the OpenAPI document that describes
https://github.com/stoplightio/prism (opens in a new tab)- Mockoon
No. Proxy mode forwards, it does not compare
Partial mocking with proxy mode
https://mockoon.com/docs/latest/mockoon-data-files/data-files-location/ (opens in a new tab)
Works without an OpenAPI spec
- WireMock
Mocks yes, drift no
Start from an OpenAPI spec
https://www.wiremock.io/post/new-module-in-wiremock-cloud-contract-testing-for-mock-apis (opens in a new tab)- Prism
No. The spec is the input
API mocking and contract testing with OpenAPI v2 and v3
https://github.com/stoplightio/prism (opens in a new tab)- Mockoon
Yes
Mockoon desktop stores each mock API data in a separate file. They are stored in a JSON format
https://mockoon.com/docs/latest/mockoon-data-files/data-files-location/ (opens in a new tab)
Our own column
The APIFae cells carry no quotes because you can run them. Every command and flag in the manual is checked against the binary on every change, and Keep a mock honest walks through a real apifae diff against a live API you start yourself.