HTTPie vs Thunder Client

HTTPie is an API testing client with a command-line tool and a graphical app for desktop and web. HTTPie for Terminal helps test and debug APIs, HTTP servers, and web services. Its features include expressive syntax, JSON, formatted and colorized output, persistent sessions, forms, file uploads and downloads, HTTPS, proxies, authentication, and custom request data and headers. GraphQL is supported. The Desktop and Web app includes AI-assisted work, spaces, collections, tabs, variables, environments, request previews, and autosave with realtime sync across devices. It can be used offline without an account, so requests can be prepared and previewed without sending them. Dedicated desktop versions are available for Mac, Windows, and Linux; Mac downloads cover Intel and Apple Silicon. The maker lists CLI installation options for any operating system. HTTPie for Web & Desktop is in public beta, and HTTPie for Terminal is an open-source CLI client. Both plans are listed at free.

Thunder Client is a REST API client that runs inside VS Code and JetBrains IDEs. It lets users build, test and share API collections with a team, and validate responses through a graphical interface without scripts. Requests and client data are stored locally, with no cloud sync; collections can also be saved to a Git repository for collaboration. Paid plans add WebSocket, SSE and gRPC support, as well as the CLI and CI/CD integration, where CI/CD collection runs are unlimited. Starter includes 250 local collection runs per user monthly, Business 500, and Enterprise unlimited. Enterprise also connects to Azure Key Vault and AWS Secrets Manager and can store environment values encrypted; Free, Starter and Business store those values in plain text. The extension collects basic anonymized telemetry, which can be disabled in VS Code settings. The maker says it does not collect personal or request data. A 14-day trial is available by request to business email addresses. Paid plans are billed annually per user: Starter is $3/user/mo, Business $7/user/mo and Enterprise $16/user/mo.