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curl alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave curl: terminal only, and no collections, environments or test assertions. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces curl, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. HTTPie currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1HTTPie logoHTTPieFreeYesWeb, Windows, macOS +12 of 365.3
2xh logoxhOpen sourceYesLinux, macOS, Windows3 of 362.6
3Hurl logoHurlOpen sourceYesLinux, macOS, Windows4 of 459.6
4Posting logoPostingOpen sourceYesLinux, macOS, Windows4 of 457.2
  1. HTTPie logo

    1. HTTPieTop pick

    Best for: Developers who test APIs from the terminal

    FreeOpen sourceWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux

    65.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from curl

    Friendlier command syntax and coloured output, plus a desktop app.

    Pros

    • Readable command-line syntax
    • Open-source CLI
    • Desktop and web app available

    Cons

    • Desktop app less full-featured than Postman
    • Team features are limited
    Visit HTTPie Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1577
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is HTTPie a good curl alternative?

    Verified facts

    2 of 3 verified
    Open source CLI
    Yes
    Checked Oct 24, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Interfaces
    CLI, desktop and web app
    Checked Oct 24, 2026httpie.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Price
    Free
    Not checked yethttpie.io(opens source in a new tab)
  2. xh logo

    2. xh

    Best for: Terminal users who like HTTPie's syntax but want a fast single binary

    Open sourceLinux, macOS, Windows

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from curl

    A fast HTTPie-style CLI written in Rust, as a single binary.

    Pros

    • Very fast startup
    • HTTPie-compatible syntax
    • Single binary with no runtime
    • Free and MIT licensed

    Cons

    • Not every HTTPie feature is supported
    • No collections or graphical interface
    • Volunteer-maintained
    Visit xh Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is xh a good curl alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    License
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Purpose
    Sending HTTP requests
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Repository status
    Active
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Hurl logo

    3. Hurl

    Best for: Developers who want readable, plain-text API tests that run in CI

    Open sourceLinux, macOS, Windows

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from curl

    Plain-text request files with assertions, built on libcurl.

    Pros

    • Plain-text files that diff well in Git
    • Assertions, captures and chained requests
    • Fast, built on libcurl
    • Free and open source

    Cons

    • No graphical interface
    • Text format to learn for complex flows
    • Not suited to exploring APIs interactively
    Visit Hurl Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Hurl a good curl alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    Apache-2.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Format
    Plain text
    Checked Oct 25, 2026hurl.dev(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Linux, macOS, FreeBSD, Windows
    Checked Oct 25, 2026hurl.dev(opens source in a new tab)
    Maintainer
    Orange
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Posting logo

    4. Posting

    Best for: Keyboard-driven developers who want a full API client in the terminal

    Open sourceLinux, macOS, Windows

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from curl

    A terminal interface with collections and environments.

    Pros

    • Full interface in the terminal, works over SSH
    • Collections as YAML files in Git
    • HTTP, GraphQL and gRPC
    • Free, Apache 2.0 licensed

    Cons

    • Terminal interface takes getting used to
    • No built-in team sync
    • Some features still in beta
    Visit Posting Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Posting a good curl alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    Apache-2.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Protocols
    HTTP, GraphQL, gRPC
    Checked Oct 25, 2026posting.sh(opens source in a new tab)
    Git-friendly
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026posting.sh(opens source in a new tab)
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026posting.sh(opens source in a new tab)

The best curl alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

HTTPie logo

Best curl alternative for most people

HTTPie

Friendlier command syntax and coloured output, plus a desktop app.

xh logo

Best curl alternative for a free option

xh

A fast HTTPie-style CLI written in Rust, as a single binary.

Postman logo

Best curl alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Postman

A graphical client that imports curl commands into collections.

Hurl logo

Best curl alternative for open source

Hurl

Plain-text request files with assertions, built on libcurl.

Posting logo

Best curl alternative for Mac

Posting

A terminal interface with collections and environments.

HTTPie logo

Best curl alternative for Windows

HTTPie

Friendlier command syntax and coloured output, plus a desktop app.

HTTPie logo

Best curl alternative for Linux

HTTPie

Friendlier command syntax and coloured output, plus a desktop app.

HTTPie logo

Best curl alternative for working in the browser

HTTPie

Friendlier command syntax and coloured output, plus a desktop app.

curl alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to curl?

HTTPie ranks first right now. Friendlier command syntax and coloured output, plus a desktop app. xh and Hurl follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to curl?

Yes. HTTPie (free), xh (open source), Hurl (open source) and Posting (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to curl?

Yes: HTTPie, xh, Hurl and Posting.

Which curl alternatives work on Linux?

HTTPie, xh, Hurl, Posting and Postman run on Linux.

Why do people switch from curl?

The complaints we hear most: terminal only; no collections, environments or test assertions; many options to learn.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces curl, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.