What Is Webhook Testing?
Webhook testing is the process of sending sample HTTP requests to an endpoint to confirm that an integration receives and parses them correctly. A webhook tester gives you a throwaway URL that captures every request so you can verify the payload shape, headers, and signatures without running your own server.
Common Webhook Testing Use Cases
- ✓Stripe webhook testing: Test Stripe webhooks to verify payment, subscription, and invoice events fire correctly before touching production keys.
- ✓PayPal webhook testing: Test PayPal webhooks to confirm checkout, refund, and dispute notifications arrive with the expected payload shape.
- ✓Shopify webhook testing: Test Shopify webhooks for orders, products, and customer updates so your storefront integration stays in sync.
- ✓GitHub webhook testing: Test GitHub webhooks for push, pull request, and release events to validate CI pipelines and automation triggers.
- ✓Twilio webhook testing: Test Twilio webhooks for SMS, voice, and WhatsApp callbacks to make sure your messaging flows respond to every status change.
How to Test Webhooks Online
Running a webhook test online takes less than a minute with HookListener. Follow these four steps to test any webhook integration directly from your browser with no signup required:
- Create a test URL: Click "Get a test URL" to generate a unique HTTPS endpoint for your webhook test.
- Configure your provider: Paste the URL into your provider's webhook settings, delivery simulator, or test event tool.
- Trigger an event: Send a sample payload from your provider, Postman, curl, or your own application.
- Inspect and replay: Review headers, body, status code, and timing, then replay or forward the captured request to a local endpoint.
Send a test payload via curl
curl -X POST https://example-hooklistener.com/test/abcd1234 \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"event":"order.created","id":123,"total":49.99}'That is the full loop. Generate a URL, wire it up, trigger the event, and inspect what arrives. Because this webhook tester online runs in your browser, you can keep the payload open while you fix your handler, then replay it against a local server whenever you need to reproduce an issue.
Free Webhook Testing Tool
HookListener is a free webhook tester built for developers who need to validate integrations quickly. Every anonymous endpoint is permanent, works over HTTPS, and captures the complete request — method, headers, body, query string, and source IP — so you can confirm that the payload your provider sends is the payload your handler will have to parse.
Unlike heavier services, this free webhook tester does not force you into a signup flow, an install step, or a rate-limited trial. You get a unique webhook test URL on demand, you send requests into it from Stripe, GitHub, Shopify, Postman, or curl, and the dashboard updates in real time as events arrive. If an integration misbehaves, you can replay the exact request as many times as you need while you fix your code.
When your project outgrows the free tier — longer retention, shared workspaces, static tunnel URLs, or team audit logs — you can upgrade without migrating off your existing webhook test URL. Until then, the free webhook testing tool is enough to build, verify, and debug most production webhook integrations end to end.
Looking for a Webhook.site Alternative?
Webhook.site is a common starting point for payload inspection, but developers building real integrations typically outgrow it quickly. Here is what makes HookListener a popular webhook.site alternative:
- ✓Permanent endpoint URLs — HookListener endpoints never expire. Share a test URL in docs, a support thread, or a runbook — it will still work next month.
- ✓One-click replay to your local server — Forward any captured request to your local development server without re-triggering your provider or waiting for the next event.
- ✓CLI tunnel for local development — The HookListener CLI exposes your local port as a public HTTPS URL so providers can reach your machine directly while you develop.
- ✓Full request detail — method, headers, body, query string, source IP — Every field is captured and formatted automatically. JSON bodies are pretty-printed so you can read them at a glance.
See the full side-by-side breakdown on the HookListener vs Webhook.site comparison page.