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xh alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave xh: not every HTTPie feature is supported, and no collections or graphical interface. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces xh, 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
2curl logocurlOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux4 of 462.6
3Hurl logoHurlOpen sourceYesLinux, macOS, Windows4 of 459.6
4ATAC logoATACOpen sourceYesLinux, macOS, Windows3 of 357.2
5Slumber logoSlumberOpen sourceYesLinux, macOS, Windows3 of 355.3
  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 xh

    The original syntax, with plugins and 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 xh 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. curl logo

    2. curl

    Best for: Anyone comfortable in a terminal who needs quick, scriptable HTTP requests

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from xh

    Preinstalled almost everywhere and supports far more protocols.

    Pros

    • Preinstalled on most systems
    • Supports a huge range of protocols
    • Free with a permissive licence
    • Universal format for sharing requests

    Cons

    • Terminal only
    • No collections, environments or test assertions
    • Many options to learn
    Visit curl 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 curl a good xh alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026curl.se(opens source in a new tab)
    License
    curl licence (MIT-like)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026curl.se(opens source in a new tab)
    Commercial use
    Allowed
    Checked Oct 25, 2026curl.se(opens source in a new tab)
    In development since
    1996
    Checked Oct 25, 2026curl.se(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 xh

    Plain-text request files with assertions for testing.

    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 xh 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. ATAC logo

    4. ATAC

    Best for: Terminal users who want a Postman-style layout without a GUI app

    Open sourceLinux, macOS, Windows

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from xh

    A terminal interface with saved collections, also written in Rust.

    Pros

    • Postman-like layout in the terminal
    • Single Rust binary, works offline
    • Imports Postman, OpenAPI and curl
    • Free, MIT licensed

    Cons

    • Fewer features than desktop clients
    • Young, volunteer-maintained project
    • Terminal interface has a learning curve
    Visit ATAC 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 ATAC a good xh alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    License
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Interface
    Terminal
    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)
  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 xh

    A Rust terminal client with YAML collections and a 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 xh 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 xh alternative for…

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

HTTPie logo

Best xh alternative for most people

HTTPie

The original syntax, with plugins and a desktop app.

curl logo

Best xh alternative for a free option

curl

Preinstalled almost everywhere and supports far more protocols.

Hurl logo

Best xh alternative for open source

Hurl

Plain-text request files with assertions for testing.

ATAC logo

Best xh alternative for Mac

ATAC

A terminal interface with saved collections, also written in Rust.

Slumber logo

Best xh alternative for Windows

Slumber

A Rust terminal client with YAML collections and a TUI.

HTTPie logo

Best xh alternative for Linux

HTTPie

The original syntax, with plugins and a desktop app.

HTTPie logo

Best xh alternative for working in the browser

HTTPie

The original syntax, with plugins and a desktop app.

xh alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to xh?

HTTPie ranks first right now. The original syntax, with plugins and a desktop app. curl and Hurl follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to xh?

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

Is there an open-source alternative to xh?

Yes: HTTPie, curl, Hurl and ATAC, plus 1 more in the list above.

Which xh alternatives work on Linux?

HTTPie, curl, Hurl, ATAC and Slumber run on Linux.

Why do people switch from xh?

The complaints we hear most: not every HTTPie feature is supported; no collections or graphical interface; volunteer-maintained.

How is this list ranked?

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