Postman vs Insomnia vs Bruno: Best API Client in 2025
Comparing the top API testing tools—covering features, pricing, privacy, and which client works best for your workflow.
API clients are essential for backend development. But Postman’s pricing changes have pushed many developers to explore alternatives.
This guide compares three leading options: Postman (feature-rich industry standard), Insomnia (simpler alternative), and Bruno (Git-native newcomer).
Quick Verdict
Choose Postman if you need advanced team collaboration and can justify the cost.
Choose Insomnia if you want Postman-like features with simpler pricing.
Choose Bruno if you want offline-first, Git-friendly, open source tooling.
Why Look Beyond Postman?
Postman’s 2023 pricing changes limited free users to 3 collaborators and restricted API calls. For solo developers, it’s still functional. For small teams, costs add up quickly.
This isn’t about Postman being bad—it’s excellent software. But many developers prefer tools without accounts or usage limits for core functionality.
Comparison at a Glance
| Feature | Postman | Insomnia | Bruno |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (limited) / $14+/mo | Free / $5+/mo | Free forever |
| Account Required | Yes | Optional | No |
| Offline Mode | Limited | Full | Full |
| Git Integration | Export only | Plugin | Native |
| Open Source | No | Core only | Yes (MIT) |
| Collection Format | Proprietary JSON | Open | Plain text (.bru) |
Postman
Postman defined the API client category. Its feature depth is unmatched.
Strengths
Feature set is comprehensive. Environments, pre-request scripts, test assertions, mock servers, monitors, documentation generation—Postman does it all.
Team collaboration is mature. Workspaces, commenting, version history, and role-based access make it enterprise-ready.
Learning resources are excellent. Postman Academy, extensive docs, and a large community mean help is always available.
Newman CLI enables running collections in CI/CD pipelines.
The Tradeoffs
Cloud-first by default. Your API requests are stored on Postman’s servers. Scratch Pad mode exists for offline use but feels secondary.
Pricing escalates quickly. What starts free becomes hundreds monthly as teams grow.
The app has become bloated. Features like Flows and Postman AI add capabilities many users don’t need.
Best For
Teams that need enterprise features and have budget for proper tooling. Organizations already invested in the Postman ecosystem.
Insomnia
Insomnia (by Kong) positions itself as simpler and more focused. It’s particularly strong for GraphQL.
Strengths
The UI is cleaner. Less feature bloat means the core workflow is faster.
GraphQL support is first-class. Schema introspection, query autocompletion, and documentation viewer work well.
Pricing is accessible. Free tier is generous; paid plans start at $5/month.
Local storage is default. Your data stays on your machine unless you enable cloud sync.
The Tradeoffs
Ownership changes have caused instability. Feature direction has shifted multiple times since Kong acquired it.
Team features are less developed. Advanced collaboration has gaps compared to Postman.
Recent versions push cloud features. This frustrates users who preferred the original offline-first approach.
Best For
Developers who find Postman overwhelming. Teams with simpler needs. GraphQL-heavy workflows.
Bruno
Bruno takes a radically different approach: collections are plain text files in your filesystem, designed for Git.
Strengths
Collections live in your repo. No syncing, no cloud accounts, no export/import. Just files alongside your code.
The .bru format is human-readable. Review API changes in pull requests. Search with grep. Edit with any text editor.
Completely offline and open source. No telemetry, no accounts, no usage limits. MIT licensed.
Scripting uses standard JavaScript. No proprietary API to learn.
The Tradeoffs
Feature set is smaller. Advanced testing, mocking, and documentation features are limited.
No cloud sync. You need Git for team collaboration. This is a feature for some, a dealbreaker for others.
Some rough edges. The UI occasionally lags behind competitors in polish.
Best For
Developers who treat infrastructure as code. Teams using Git-based workflows. Privacy-conscious users who want fully local tools.
Privacy Considerations
If your API requests contain sensitive data, where that data is stored matters.
| Tool | Data Storage |
|---|---|
| Postman | Cloud by default |
| Insomnia | Local by default, cloud optional |
| Bruno | Local only (your filesystem) |
For regulated industries or security-conscious teams, Bruno’s architecture is compelling. Your collections are just files—audit, encrypt, and back them up however you handle code.
Migration Path
From Postman to Bruno
Bruno includes a Postman import feature. Basic collections migrate well. Complex scripts may need adjustment.
Gradual Transition
You don’t need to migrate everything at once. Use Bruno for new projects while keeping existing workflows in Postman. Evaluate over weeks, not hours.
How to Choose
Choose Postman if…
- You need enterprise collaboration features
- Your team already uses it
- Budget isn’t a constraint
Choose Insomnia if…
- You want simplicity without sacrificing essentials
- GraphQL is your primary use case
- You prefer cleaner UI over feature depth
Choose Bruno if…
- You believe API collections belong in Git
- Privacy and offline access are priorities
- You want truly free, open source tooling
Final Thoughts
The alternatives have matured. You’re no longer sacrificing functionality by switching.
For new projects, try Bruno. Its Git-native approach fits modern development. You can always migrate to something more feature-rich later.
| Your Priority | Our Pick |
|---|---|
| Enterprise features | Postman |
| Balance of features/simplicity | Insomnia |
| Git-native + privacy | Bruno |