curl

The ubiquitous open-source command-line tool and library for transferring data with URLs.

Verified facts: 4 of 4
Alternatives ranked: 5
Approved reviews: 0
Visits sent from here: 0

About curl

curl is the command-line tool, and libcurl the library underneath it, that sends requests over HTTP and dozens of other protocols such as HTTPS, FTP, SMTP, MQTT and WebSocket. It has been developed since the late 1990s by Daniel Stenberg and thousands of contributors, and it ships with Windows, macOS and most Linux distributions, so it is often the first tool people reach for to call an API, debug headers or script a request. Many API clients, including Postman and Insomnia, can import or export requests as curl commands, and Hurl builds on libcurl. curl is free and open source under its own permissive licence, which is similar to MIT, and can be used in commercial products. The trade-offs are that it has no interface beyond the terminal, no built-in collections, environments or test assertions, and its hundreds of options take time to learn. It suits anyone comfortable in a terminal who wants a quick, scriptable way to make requests.

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

What works

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

Why people leave

Terminal only
No collections, environments or test assertions
Many options to learn

Top curl alternatives

See all 5

1
HTTPie
Friendlier command syntax and coloured output, plus a desktop app.
65.3
2
xh
A fast HTTPie-style CLI written in Rust, as a single binary.
62.6
3
Hurl
Plain-text request files with assertions, built on libcurl.
59.6
4
Posting
A terminal interface with collections and environments.
57.2
5
Postman
A graphical client that imports curl commands into collections.
47.0

Why people left curl

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curl: common questions

Is curl free?

Yes. curl is free, open-source software.

Is curl open source?

Yes.

What platforms does curl run on?

curl is available for Windows, macOS and Linux.

What are the best alternatives to curl?

The highest-ranked curl alternatives right now are HTTPie, xh and Hurl. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 5 curl alternatives

curl facts

4 of 4 verified

Open source: Yes; Checked Oct 25, 2026curl.se(opens source in a new tab); “curl and libcurl are true Open Source/Free Software and meet all definitions as such.”
License: curl licence (MIT-like); Checked Oct 25, 2026curl.se(opens source in a new tab); “curl and libcurl are licensed under the license below, which is inspired by MIT/X, but not identical.”
Commercial use: Allowed; Checked Oct 25, 2026curl.se(opens source in a new tab); “You may also freely use curl and libcurl in your commercial projects.”
In development since: 1996; Checked Oct 25, 2026curl.se(opens source in a new tab); “The curl license COPYRIGHT AND PERMISSION NOTICE Copyright (c) 1996 - 2026, Daniel Stenberg, [email protected] , and many contributors, see the THANKS file.”