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Thunder Client

A lightweight REST API client that runs inside VS Code and JetBrains IDEs.

Free plan + paidAPI clients
Visit Thunder ClientSee 6 alternatives
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About Thunder Client

Thunder Client is an API client that lives inside your editor instead of a separate app. It started in 2021 as a Visual Studio Code extension built by a developer frustrated with heavier tools, and it now also works in JetBrains IDEs. You get a familiar request panel with collections, environments, scriptless tests, code snippets and imports from Postman and cURL, plus WebSocket, Server-Sent Events and gRPC support, and requests can be saved as files in your project so teams share them through Git. A free tier covers basic use with limits, while paid Starter, Business and Enterprise plans, billed per user, add team features, a CLI for CI pipelines, encrypted environments and enterprise options such as offline activation and SSO. The trade-offs are that several features once free moved behind paid plans, and the extension cannot match a full desktop app for very large collections. It suits developers who want to test APIs without leaving their IDE.

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

Pros and cons

What works

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

Why people leave

  • Free tier has usage limits
  • Some formerly free features now need a paid plan
  • Less suited to very large collections

Top Thunder Client alternatives

See all 6
  1. 1REST Client for VS Code logo
    REST Client for VS Code

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

    66.5
  2. 2httpYac logo
    httpYac

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

    62.6
  3. 3Bruno logo
    Bruno

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

    59.4
  4. 4Insomnia logo
    Insomnia

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

    55.9
  5. 5Yaak logo
    Yaak

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

    55.3

Why people left Thunder Client

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Thunder Client: common questions

Is Thunder Client free?

Thunder Client has a free plan and paid plans. Free plan: Yes (checked on Thunder Client's own site).

Is Thunder Client open source?

No, Thunder Client is not open source. Open-source alternatives include REST Client for VS Code, httpYac and Bruno.

What platforms does Thunder Client run on?

Thunder Client is available for Windows, macOS and Linux.

What are the best alternatives to Thunder Client?

The highest-ranked Thunder Client alternatives right now are REST Client for VS Code, httpYac and Bruno. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 6 Thunder Client alternatives