Choosing the Best Value API Tool: EchoAPI, Postman, Thunder Client, or Bruno?

When selecting an API testing tool, price and features are two critical factors. EchoAPI, Postman, Thunder Client, and Bruno are all popular API testing tools on the market, each with its strengths and weaknesses in terms of cost and functionality. Below is a detailed comparison of these four tools to help you make the best choice based on value for money.

1. EchoAPI for VSCode

Price
EchoAPI for VSCode is a completely free API testing tool that does not require registration or login to use.

Features

• Offline Usage: Fully supports offline work without requiring an internet connection.
• Postman Script Compatibility: 100% compatible with Postman script syntax, allowing for seamless transition.
• Lightweight Design: Does not consume system resources, suitable for quick testing.
• Sticky Notes Functionality: Supports quick temporary notes, ideal for fast testing and documentation.
• Environment Management: Supports environment variable management, ideal for multi-environment testing.

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2. Postman

Price
Postman offers several paid plans:

• Free Version: Suitable for individuals or small teams up to 3 members.
• Basic Plan: $14/user/month (billed annually), suitable for basic team collaboration.
• Professional Plan: $29/user/month (billed annually), designed for larger teams.
• Enterprise Plan: $49/user/month (billed annually), meant for enterprise-level needs.

Features

• Multi-Protocol Support: Supports HTTP, GraphQL, gRPC, and more.
• Powerful Automation Testing: Supports complex test script writing and automated tests.
• Collaboration Features: Provides team collaboration, version control, and API documentation generation.
• Cloud Integration: Supports integration with cloud services like Slack and Teams.
• Mock Servers: Offers mock server functionality, with the free version allowing 1,000 requests.

3. Thunder Client

Price

• Free Version: Limited to non-commercial use, supporting 3 collections with up to 15 requests each.
• Community Plan: Suitable for students, educational institutions, and startups with less than 5 people.
• Starter Plan: $9/user/month (billed annually), supports team collaboration, CLI integration, and 250 collection runs.
• Business Plan: $19/user/month (billed annually), supports 500 collection runs.
• Enterprise Plan: Supports unlimited collection runs with advanced features.

Features

• Lightweight Design: Simple and easy to use, ideal for quick API request creation and management.
• Local Storage: All data is stored locally, supporting data privacy.
• Git Sync: Allows saving request data through Git repositories, facilitating team collaboration.
• Scriptless Testing: Easily test API responses through a GUI.
• Advanced CLI: Supports running requests, collections, and cURL commands from the terminal.

4. Bruno

Price
Bruno offers various paid plans:

• Free Version: Supports basic functions but with limitations.
• Pro Plan: $12/user/month (billed annually), includes advanced features.
• Enterprise Plan: Offers enterprise-grade functionalities with custom pricing based on needs.

Features

• Offline First: All data is stored locally, requiring no internet connection.
• Git Integration: Supports version control through Git, enhancing team collaboration.
• Environment Variable Management: Offers support for environment variables and configuration management.
• Response Data Visualization: Visualizes response data processing.
• GraphQL Support: Offers support for the GraphQL protocol.

Value for Money Summary

Individual Developers

• EchoAPI for VSCode: Fully free and feature-rich, suitable for individual developers.
• Bruno Free Version: Ideal for those needing basic functionalities.

Small Teams

• EchoAPI for VSCode: Free and comprehensive, perfect for small teams.
• Thunder Client Community Plan: Suitable for teams with fewer than 5 members, supporting team collaboration.

Large Teams or Enterprises

• Postman Professional Plan: Most feature-rich, appropriate for teams requiring advanced collaboration and automated testing.
• Bruno Enterprise Plan: Ideal for enterprises needing Git integration and data privacy.

Recommendations

• If you are looking for a completely free and comprehensive tool, EchoAPI for VSCode is the best choice. It suits individual developers and small teams with its powerful features and lightweight design.
• If you need Git integration, Bruno Pro Plan is a worthy option. Its features are moderate in quantity and depth, fitting users with high data privacy requirements.
• If you need advanced collaboration features and multi-protocol support, Postman Professional or EchoAPI client version is preferred. They offer the highest feature count and depth, perfect for large teams and enterprises, but require a higher subscription fee.

In summary, for both price and functionality, I believe EchoAPI stands out as my top choice of tool.