Insomnia vs OpenReq

Insomnia is an API collaboration platform for designing, testing, debugging, mocking, and governing APIs. Its client supports HTTP, REST, gRPC, GraphQL, WebSockets, SOAP, and SSE. Design workflows include OpenAPI spec-first work, live previews, and generation of collections, tests, and mocks. Mocks can be generated from collections, OpenAPI specifications, API responses, or natural-language descriptions, locally or in the cloud. The collection runner supports unlimited runs, JavaScript before-request and after-response scripts, chained requests, and CI/CD execution through Inso CLI. Insomnia also connects to HTTP and STDIO MCP servers, supports custom tool parameters, and provides MCP authentication event logs. API data can stay local, reside in a Git repository, or be stored in Insomnia Cloud with optional end-to-end encryption. Teams can share projects, collections, mocks, and design specifications with organization controls and real-time collaboration indicators. Essentials is free; Pro is $12 a month per user, and Enterprise is $45 a month per user. It supports Linux, macOS, Windows, and self-hosted use.

OpenReq is a free, community-driven API testing application released under the MIT License. It runs as a self-hosted web application, a standalone desktop application, and a Windows client. HTTP, WebSocket, and GraphQL requests are supported as first-class request types, with visual test flows, collection runs, assertions, scripts, delays, conditions, loops, and reports. Automated test runs and API documentation are included, and API testing has no stated usage limits. Collections can become read-only public documentation links, optionally protected by passwords; viewers do not need accounts. OpenReq generates request code for cURL, Python, JavaScript, Go, Java, C#, and PHP. Integrations include Ollama, Postman, OpenAPI, raw cURL, Chrome, and Electron. Ollama can provide local AI features without a cloud API key or sending data away from the machine. The Windows desktop client is frontend-only and needs a separately hosted backend. Most endpoints use JWT bearer authentication, while local proxy setup uses HMAC-signed tokens.