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httpYac alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave httpYac: no form-based interface, and single maintainer. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces httpYac, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. REST Client for VS Code currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1REST Client for VS Code logoREST Client for VS CodeOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux3 of 366.5
2Thunder Client logoThunder ClientFree plan + paidNoWindows, macOS, Linux5 of 562.6
3Hurl logoHurlOpen sourceYesLinux, macOS, Windows4 of 459.6
4Bruno logoBrunoOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux3 of 359.4
5Slumber logoSlumberOpen sourceYesLinux, macOS, Windows3 of 355.3
  1. REST Client for VS Code logo

    1. REST Client for VS CodeTop pick

    Best for: VS Code users who want simple, versioned requests in plain text files

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from httpYac

    The simpler VS Code extension that popularised .http files.

    Pros

    • Free and MIT licensed
    • Requests are plain text files in your repo
    • Variables, environments and chaining
    • No separate app to install

    Cons

    • No assertions or collection runner
    • Development has slowed
    • Works only in VS Code
    Visit REST Client for VS Code Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    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 REST Client for VS Code a good httpYac alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    License
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Editor
    Visual Studio Code
    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)
  2. Thunder Client logo

    2. Thunder Client

    Best for: Developers who want to test APIs without leaving VS Code or a JetBrains IDE

    Free plan + paidWindows, macOS, Linux

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from httpYac

    A form-based API client inside VS Code and JetBrains.

    Pros

    • Runs inside VS Code and JetBrains IDEs
    • Requests can live in your Git repository
    • Cheap individual plan
    • WebSocket, SSE and gRPC support

    Cons

    • Free tier has usage limits
    • Some formerly free features now need a paid plan
    • Less suited to very large collections
    Visit Thunder Client 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 Thunder Client a good httpYac alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Free plan
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026thunderclient.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starter plan
    $3 per user/month, billed annually
    Checked Oct 25, 2026thunderclient.com(opens source in a new tab)
    IDEs
    VS Code, JetBrains
    Checked Oct 25, 2026thunderclient.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Founded
    2021
    Checked Oct 25, 2026thunderclient.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Downloads
    7 million+
    Checked Oct 25, 2026thunderclient.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 httpYac

    Plain-text request files with strong 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 httpYac 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. Bruno logo

    4. Bruno

    Best for: Developers who want API collections stored in Git, offline

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux

    59.4

    score / 100

    Why switch from httpYac

    A desktop app with its own plain-text collection format.

    Pros

    • Collections are plain files in Git
    • No cloud account required
    • Imports Postman collections

    Cons

    • No built-in cloud collaboration
    • Younger plugin ecosystem
    Visit Bruno Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

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

    Is Bruno a good httpYac alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Oct 24, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Offline-first
    Yes
    Checked Oct 24, 2026usebruno.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Git-friendly
    Collections stored as files
    Checked Oct 24, 2026usebruno.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Slumber logo

    5. Slumber

    Best for: Developers who want shareable YAML request collections they can use from the terminal

    Open sourceLinux, macOS, Windows

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from httpYac

    A terminal client with YAML collections and an interactive TUI.

    Pros

    • TUI and CLI share one config
    • Collections in YAML for version control
    • Profiles and chained values
    • Free, MIT licensed

    Cons

    • Collections are edited as YAML by hand
    • HTTP only, no gRPC or WebSockets
    • Small volunteer project
    Visit Slumber Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    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 Slumber a good httpYac alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    License
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Modes
    TUI and CLI
    Checked Oct 25, 2026slumber.lucaspickering.me(opens source in a new tab)
    Config format
    YAML
    Checked Oct 25, 2026slumber.lucaspickering.me(opens source in a new tab)

The best httpYac alternative for…

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

REST Client for VS Code logo

Best httpYac alternative for most people

REST Client for VS Code

The simpler VS Code extension that popularised .http files.

Hurl logo

Best httpYac alternative for a free option

Hurl

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

Thunder Client logo

Best httpYac alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Thunder Client

A form-based API client inside VS Code and JetBrains.

Bruno logo

Best httpYac alternative for open source

Bruno

A desktop app with its own plain-text collection format.

Slumber logo

Best httpYac alternative for Mac

Slumber

A terminal client with YAML collections and an interactive TUI.

REST Client for VS Code logo

Best httpYac alternative for Windows

REST Client for VS Code

The simpler VS Code extension that popularised .http files.

REST Client for VS Code logo

Best httpYac alternative for Linux

REST Client for VS Code

The simpler VS Code extension that popularised .http files.

httpYac alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to httpYac?

REST Client for VS Code ranks first right now. The simpler VS Code extension that popularised .http files. Thunder Client and Hurl follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to httpYac?

Yes. REST Client for VS Code (open source), Thunder Client (free plan + paid), Hurl (open source) and Bruno (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to httpYac?

Yes: REST Client for VS Code, Hurl, Bruno and Slumber.

Which httpYac alternatives work on Linux?

REST Client for VS Code, Thunder Client, Hurl, Bruno and Slumber run on Linux.

Why do people switch from httpYac?

The complaints we hear most: no form-based interface; single maintainer; docs assume technical comfort.

How is this list ranked?

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