Insomnia vs Bruno
Insomnia and Bruno are both popular tools in the API Development space. Both use a open-source pricing model, with Insomnia starting at Free and Bruno at Free. Both offer a free tier to get started. Below we break down features, pricing, strengths, and weaknesses to help you decide which tool fits your workflow best.
Last updated: March 2026
Quick Verdict
Choose Insomnia if you want open-source api client for rest, graphql, grpc, and websocket testing.. Insomnia's biggest strengths include clean, focused interface without postman's bloat and excellent graphql and grpc support. It's also rated higher (4.2 vs 4.0). Choose Bruno if you prefer offline-first, git-friendly api client that stores requests in files.. Key advantages include git-friendly file storage is a game-changer for teams and offline-first means no dependency on cloud services.
Open-source API client for REST, GraphQL, gRPC, and WebSocket testing.
Offline-first, git-friendly API client that stores requests in files.
| Insomnia | Bruno | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing Model | Open-source | Open-source |
| Rating | ★ 4.2 | ★ 4.0 |
| Categories | API Development | API Development |
| Key Features | 6 features | 6 features |
| Feature | Insomnia | Bruno |
|---|---|---|
| REST, GraphQL, gRPC, and WebSocket support | ✓ | — |
| Environment variables and request chaining | ✓ | — |
| Code generation in multiple languages | ✓ | — |
| Git sync for team collaboration | ✓ | — |
| Plugin system for extensibility | ✓ | — |
| OpenAPI design and linting | ✓ | — |
| File-based API collections (git-friendly) | — | ✓ |
| Offline-first — no cloud sync required | — | ✓ |
| REST and GraphQL support | — | ✓ |
| Environment variables and scripting | — | ✓ |
| CLI for CI/CD integration | — | ✓ |
| Import from Postman and Insomnia | — | ✓ |
Insomnia
Pros
- + Clean, focused interface without Postman's bloat
- + Excellent GraphQL and gRPC support
- + Open-source with self-hosted option
- + Git-based collaboration keeps data in your control
Cons
- − Smaller plugin ecosystem than Postman
- − Cloud sync features require paid plan
- − Recent licensing changes have concerned community
Bruno
Pros
- + Git-friendly file storage is a game-changer for teams
- + Offline-first means no dependency on cloud services
- + Free and open-source with no usage limits
- + Fast and lightweight compared to Postman
Cons
- − Smaller feature set than Postman
- − No built-in AI features
- − Team collaboration relies on git rather than built-in sharing
The Bottom Line
Choose Insomnia if: you want open-source api client for rest, graphql, grpc, and websocket testing.. It's completely free to use. It holds a higher user rating (4.2 vs 4.0). Keep in mind: smaller plugin ecosystem than postman.
Choose Bruno if: you prefer offline-first, git-friendly api client that stores requests in files.. It's completely free to use. Keep in mind: smaller feature set than postman.
Both tools compete in the API Development space. The right choice depends on your specific needs, team size, and budget.
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