gRPC CLI vs Kreya
gRPC CLI
grpc.github.ioKreya
kreya.appSide by side
| Figure | gRPC CLI | Kreya |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $5/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 4 |
| Spec score · gRPC Tools | 8.1 (#5) | 8.2 (#4) |
| Authentication | The documented core functionality includes handling common authentication to a server. | The reusable auth vault supports OAuth 2.0, OIDC, Basic, API keys, mTLS, AWS SigV4, Kerberos, NTLM, and JWT Profile. |
| Purpose | gRPC CLI is a command-line tool included in the gRPC repository for interacting with gRPC servers. | Kreya is a desktop API client for exploring, testing, and automating API workflows. |
Plans
In their own words
gRPC CLI
gRPC CLI is a free, open-source command-line tool in the gRPC repository for inspecting services and calling remote methods. It can send unary RPCs, attach metadata to requests, display metadata received from a server, and handle common server authentication. With server reflection, it can list services and methods; when reflection is unavailable, local proto files can supply service definitions and request or response types. Requests can be read in proto text or wire form. Responses can be displayed as text or written to a file in wire form. Streaming RPC support is described as a desired capability, not part of the documented core functionality. The tool runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, but must be built from repository source. The documented process uses CMake and the `make grpc_cli` build target. Its documentation describes the tool as not yet up to par in user-friendliness and says grpcurl is better maintained in its current state. The gRPC repository identifies its license as Apache-2.0.
Kreya
Kreya is a desktop API client for exploring, testing, and automating API workflows on Linux, macOS, and Windows. It works with gRPC, REST, GraphQL, WebSockets, and Server-Sent Events, and can watch or import OpenAPI specifications, GraphQL schemas, and protobufs. Testing options include scripted checks and snapshot tests; its headless CLI can run in CI/CD and generate JUnit reports. Projects are kept in structured JSON intended to support Git diffs, reviews, and versioning. Kreya can import Postman and Insomnia collections, plus HAR, cURL, gRPCurl, and grpc web curl data. A reusable authentication vault covers OAuth 2.0, OIDC, Basic, API keys, mTLS, AWS SigV4, Kerberos, NTLM, and JWT Profile. The maker says app data stays on the device, while its privacy policy says the app and CLI collect anonymized telemetry. There is a free plan; Pro is $5 a month. Secret manager integration is marked as coming soon.