API clients & testing, in detail
The category the cloud-login backlash built: Postman's Scratch-Pad removal and Insomnia's forced-login 8.0 (both 2023) sent developers to offline, git-native clients. The split now is philosophical — collections as local files in your repo, versus a collaborative cloud platform with seats.
| Tool | Free tier | Entry price | Billing unit | Watch out for | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bruno | Free MIT core, offline, no account | Golden Edition one-time fee | One-time (paid features) | Young ecosystem vs Postman's | Git-native collections as plain files |
| Postman | Single user | Solo $9, Team $19/user/mo | Per seat | 2023 Scratch-Pad removal forced cloud accounts | The full API platform: docs, mocks, monitors |
| Insomnia | 3 users, unlimited Git-sync, E2EE | Pro $12/user/mo | Per seat | 2023 forced-login 8.0 release burned trust (since softened) | REST/GraphQL/gRPC client with Git collaboration |
| Hoppscotch | Free MIT web app | Enterprise self-host paid | Per seat (enterprise) | Browser-based — CORS/agent needed for some setups | Zero-install client for quick REST/WS testing |
| Yaak | Free OSS desktop app | Optional paid sync | Mostly free | One-maintainer project (Insomnia's original creator) | Offline-first client with local-file storage |
| HTTPie | Free OSS CLI + desktop core | Paid AI/cloud extras | Free core | Desktop app simpler than full API platforms | The human-friendly curl, plus a light GUI |
Pricing models and free tiers change often — check each vendor for current terms. Compiled July 2026; the most volatile figures verified on official pricing pages.
Official pages: Bruno · Postman · Insomnia · Hoppscotch · Yaak · HTTPie
Entry price at a glance
Cheapest paid plan, USD per month — per-user plans shown for a single seat. Hatched bars are usage-based or quote-only; values marked ~ are approximate.
Notes & recent changes
- Postman restructured plans (verified Jul 2026): Solo $9 and Team $19 per user/month replaced the old Basic/Professional tiers.
- Bruno stores collections as plain text files in your repo — reviewable in PRs, no sync service to trust; its paid Golden Edition is a one-time license.
- Insomnia added a local-only Scratch Pad and E2EE sync after the 2023 backlash; the free tier now covers 3-user Git-based teams.
Which one should you pick?
- Collections belong in git → Bruno (or Yaak).
- Full API lifecycle: docs, mocks, monitors → Postman.
- GraphQL/gRPC with Git sync → Insomnia.
- Terminal-first → HTTPie; zero-install browser → Hoppscotch.