Google API Linter vs Karate
Google API Linter
linter.aip.dev
Karate
karatelabs.ioSide by side
| Figure | Google API Linter | Karate |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $8.33/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 5 |
| Spec score · API Governance Software | 7.5 (#18) | 9.1 (#3) |
| License | The software and its documentation are licensed under Apache 2.0. | The core Karate framework is MIT licensed and free forever; enterprise components use a commercial license. |
| Purpose | The linter checks protocol buffer API surfaces for compliance with Google API standards documented in API Improvement Proposals. | Karate combines API, UI, mock, and performance testing in one framework with readable syntax. |
| Support | The project documentation links to GitHub to file an issue and view the source repository. | The free tier includes community support, Pro includes priority email support, and Enterprise includes commercial support with an SLA and dedicated Slack channel. |
Plans
Karate
- FreeFree
- IDE Plus$100 a year
- Xplorer Premium$200 a year
- Pro$640 a year
- Karate EnterprisePriced on request
In their own words
Google API Linter
Google API Linter has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
Karate
Karate is a testing framework for API, UI, mock, and performance work. Its MIT-licensed core is free for commercial projects and supports REST, GraphQL, and SOAP testing, with JSON and XML assertions and schema validation. It can automate browsers and desktop apps, and combine UI and API steps in one test. Built-in Gatling integration lets teams reuse API tests for performance testing. The Free plan costs nothing and includes community support. Paid plans include IDE Plus at $100 a year, Xplorer Premium at $200 a year, and Pro at $640 a year; Pro adds IDE plugins, debugging, enhanced autocomplete, development async protocol testing, and priority email support. The platform lists integrations including AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, Jenkins, GitHub Actions, Maven, Gradle, Docker, IntelliJ, VS Code, and Gatling. Enterprise async protocol testing covers Kafka, gRPC, and WebSocket, but production CI/CD execution requires an Enterprise runtime license. Platforms include API, extension, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, and Windows.