No. There is no dedicated ISTQB API Testing certification in the current ISTQB portfolio. If your work centers on APIs, the closest ISTQB paths are usually ISTQB Technical Test Analyst, ISTQB Test Automation Engineer, or ISTQB Performance Testing. AT*SQA also has a separate API Testing micro-credential path that is not part of ISTQB.
That distinction matters. People search for an ISTQB API exam because API testing is now a core skill for backend QA, integration testing, and automation work. The need is real. The dedicated ISTQB exam is not.
If you want the broader API background first, start with what API testing is. If you are choosing a certification path after Foundation, the better next stop is which ISTQB certification should I take.
The right answer depends on what you mean by API testing. Some people mean API design checks, contract testing, and integration risk. Others mean building automation around service layers. Others mean response times, throughput, and performance bottlenecks.
| If your API work looks like this | Closest fit | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Technical risk, architecture, white-box thinking, non-functional concerns | Technical Test Analyst | It fits technical risk, code and architecture reviews, non-functional requirements, and technical testing tasks. |
| Automation frameworks, CI pipelines, maintainable automated checks | Test Automation Engineer | It fits people who build and improve automated solutions, including API-based suites and CI-friendly automation. |
| Load, latency, throughput, service bottlenecks | Performance Testing | That certification is built for testers working with performance risks, metrics, tooling, and performance plans. |
| You want API-specific coverage outside the ISTQB track | AT*SQA API Testing | AT*SQA has an API Testing certification path through micro-credentials, separate from ISTQB. |
If you are brand new to testing, do not skip the basics just because APIs feel more technical. The starting point is still software testing fundamentals, then how to become a software tester, then ISTQB Foundation Level.
If your day-to-day work is mostly functional test design, business rules, and user-facing coverage, an API-heavy path may not be your best next move. In that case, Test Analyst may fit better.
Foundation Level sits underneath the main ISTQB options most API-focused testers end up choosing. It is the prerequisite for Technical Test Analyst, Test Automation Engineer, and Performance Testing. Test Analyst and Test Management also sit on that same post-Foundation path for different kinds of work.
The closest ISTQB options do not all cost the same. Technical Test Analyst is $249 through AT*SQA, Test Automation Engineer is $249, and Performance Testing is $199. Prices are shown in USD. Stripe Adaptive Pricing lets you pay in your local currency at checkout, and the converted amount is shown before payment is completed. If you need the full pricing picture across the catalog, use the ISTQB exam cost page.
When you are ready to register, use the ISTQB exam registration steps. They cover scheduling, online versus test center delivery, and the rules that affect exam day.
Through AT*SQA, you can handle two useful needs in one place. You can register for the ISTQB path that best fits your API work, and you can also use AT*SQA's own API Testing micro-credentials if you want API-specific proof that is not tied to an ISTQB exam that does not exist.
For ISTQB purchases through AT*SQA, the certification is valid worldwide and can be verified through the ISTQB Successful Candidate Register. Eligible ISTQB purchases also include extra sample exams and a free micro-credential exam.
No. The current ISTQB certification portfolio does not include a dedicated API Testing certification.
Technical Test Analyst is often the closest fit for testers working with technical risk, architecture, and non-functional concerns. Test Automation Engineer is often the better fit if your API work is heavily automated.
Yes. AT*SQA has an API Testing certification path through micro-credentials. That is separate from the ISTQB catalog.
Only if your API work leans into load, throughput, latency, bottlenecks, and performance risk. If your work is more about technical test design or automation, another path may fit better.
AT*SQA can help either way. Buy the ISTQB exam that best matches your API-heavy work, or use the AT*SQA API Testing path if you want API-specific coverage outside the ISTQB track.