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Thunder Client alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Thunder Client: free tier has usage limits, and some formerly free features now need a paid plan. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Thunder Client, 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
2httpYac logohttpYacOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux4 of 462.6
3Bruno logoBrunoOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux3 of 359.4
4Insomnia logoInsomniaOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux3 of 355.9
5Yaak logoYaakFree plan + paidYesmacOS, Windows, Linux5 of 555.3
6Postman logoPostmanFree plan + paidNoWeb, Windows, macOS +10 of 351.3
  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 Thunder Client

    A free, open-source VS Code extension that sends requests from plain .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 Thunder Client 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. httpYac logo

    2. httpYac

    Best for: Developers who keep requests as .http files and want scripting and more protocols

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Thunder Client

    Open-source .http file runner for VS Code and the command line.

    Pros

    • Plain .http files in your repo
    • Many protocols, including gRPC and MQTT
    • Same files run in VS Code and CI
    • Free, MIT licensed

    Cons

    • No form-based interface
    • Single maintainer
    • Docs assume technical comfort
    Visit httpYac 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 httpYac a good Thunder Client alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Protocols
    HTTP, gRPC, WebSocket, MQTT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    CLI
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    CI use
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026httpyac.github.io(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Bruno logo

    3. Bruno

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

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux

    59.4

    score / 100

    Why switch from Thunder Client

    Free, open-source desktop client that also keeps collections in Git.

    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 Thunder Client 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)
  4. Insomnia logo

    4. Insomnia

    Best for: Developers who want an open-source desktop API client

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux

    55.9

    score / 100

    Why switch from Thunder Client

    A standalone desktop client with REST, GraphQL and gRPC plus Git sync.

    Pros

    • Open source
    • Local, Git or cloud storage
    • Clean interface

    Cons

    • Account prompts in recent versions
    • Collaboration needs paid plans
    Visit Insomnia Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.357
    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 Insomnia a good Thunder Client alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Oct 24, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Maker
    Kong
    Checked Oct 24, 2026insomnia.rest(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan
    Yes
    Checked Oct 24, 2026insomnia.rest(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Yaak logo

    5. Yaak

    Best for: Developers who want a fast, private desktop client and dislike cloud accounts

    Free plan + paidOpen sourcemacOS, Windows, Linux

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Thunder Client

    A fast standalone desktop client that is free for personal use.

    Pros

    • REST, GraphQL, gRPC, WebSocket and SSE in one app
    • Local-first, no account, no telemetry
    • Git-friendly file sync
    • MIT-licensed source

    Cons

    • Commercial use needs a paid licence
    • Smaller plugin ecosystem than Postman
    • Limited real-time team collaboration
    Visit Yaak 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 Yaak a good Thunder Client alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Personal use
    Free
    Checked Oct 25, 2026yaak.app(opens source in a new tab)
    Individual licence
    $79 per year
    Checked Oct 25, 2026yaak.app(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Mac, Windows, Linux
    Checked Oct 25, 2026yaak.app(opens source in a new tab)
    Telemetry
    None in desktop app
    Checked Oct 25, 2026yaak.app(opens source in a new tab)
  6. Postman logo

    6. Postman

    Best for: Teams that want a full API lifecycle platform

    Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux

    51.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Thunder Client

    A full desktop platform with team workspaces, mocks and monitors.

    Pros

    • Covers design, testing, docs and monitoring
    • Supports REST, GraphQL, gRPC
    • Huge public API network

    Cons

    • Pushes cloud accounts and sync
    • Heavy for simple request testing
    Visit Postman Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1530
    Votes ×0.150

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

    Is Postman a good Thunder Client alternative?

    Verified facts

    0 of 3 verified
    Free plan
    Yes
    Not checked yetpostman.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Protocols
    REST, GraphQL, gRPC, WebSocket
    Not checked yetpostman.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
    Not checked yetpostman.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Thunder Client alternative for…

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

REST Client for VS Code logo

Best Thunder Client alternative for most people

REST Client for VS Code

A free, open-source VS Code extension that sends requests from plain .http files.

httpYac logo

Best Thunder Client alternative for a free option

httpYac

Open-source .http file runner for VS Code and the command line.

Yaak logo

Best Thunder Client alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Yaak

A fast standalone desktop client that is free for personal use.

Bruno logo

Best Thunder Client alternative for open source

Bruno

Free, open-source desktop client that also keeps collections in Git.

Insomnia logo

Best Thunder Client alternative for Mac

Insomnia

A standalone desktop client with REST, GraphQL and gRPC plus Git sync.

Postman logo

Best Thunder Client alternative for Windows

Postman

A full desktop platform with team workspaces, mocks and monitors.

REST Client for VS Code logo

Best Thunder Client alternative for Linux

REST Client for VS Code

A free, open-source VS Code extension that sends requests from plain .http files.

Postman logo

Best Thunder Client alternative for working in the browser

Postman

A full desktop platform with team workspaces, mocks and monitors.

Thunder Client alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Thunder Client?

REST Client for VS Code ranks first right now. A free, open-source VS Code extension that sends requests from plain .http files. httpYac and Bruno follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Thunder Client?

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

Is there an open-source alternative to Thunder Client?

Yes: REST Client for VS Code, httpYac, Bruno and Insomnia, plus 1 more in the list above.

Which Thunder Client alternatives work on Linux?

REST Client for VS Code, httpYac, Bruno, Insomnia and Yaak run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Thunder Client?

The complaints we hear most: free tier has usage limits; some formerly free features now need a paid plan; less suited to very large collections.

How is this list ranked?

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