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Apollo GraphQL vs Bruno

Apollo GraphQL logo

Apollo GraphQL

Software

GraphQL platform and API orchestration layer for building unified graphs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Bruno logo

Bruno

Software

Open-source IDE for API exploration with git-friendly collections

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Apollo GraphQL pricing beyond the Developer tier requires contacting sales, making cost comparison harder for mid-size teams.; Bruno native Git integration, the feature that distinguishes it from cloud API clients, is Pro only at $6 per user per month
  • They diverge on capability: Apollo GraphQL covers Apollo Connectors, Bruno covers API Testing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apollo GraphQL and Bruno actually diverge.

Attributes where Apollo GraphQL and Bruno differ
AttributeApollo GraphQLBruno
Pricing modelfreemiumopen-source
Platformsweb, apiWindows, MacOS, Linux
FoundedUnknown2022

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Apollo GraphQL

  • Apollo Connectors
  • GraphOS Router
  • Schema registry
  • Schema checks
  • Response caching
  • Audit logging

Only in Bruno

  • API Testing
  • Environment management
  • Git-friendly storage
  • GitHub
  • Git repositories
  • Local file system
  • Windows support
  • MacOS support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Apollo GraphQL

  • Federating multiple backend services into one GraphQL APInot Bruno
  • Wrapping legacy REST APIs for frontend consumptionnot Bruno
  • Enterprise API governance with schema checks and audit logsnot Bruno
  • Reducing frontend over-fetching and under-fetching of datanot Bruno

Bruno

  • Sending and testing HTTP requests from a local clientnot Apollo GraphQL
  • Keeping API collections in Git rather than a vendor cloudnot Apollo GraphQL
  • Offline API development without an accountnot Apollo GraphQL
  • Importing and syncing OpenAPI specificationsnot Apollo GraphQL

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Apollo GraphQL

  • Pricing beyond the Developer tier requires contacting sales, making cost comparison harder for mid-size teams.
  • Adopting GraphOS effectively requires buy-in to the GraphQL paradigm, which is a larger architectural shift than adding a REST gateway.
  • The free plan's 1-day data retention and 60 req/min self-hosted router limit make it unsuitable for production use.
  • Volume-based per-request pricing can become expensive at very high request volumes compared to flat-rate API gateways.

Bruno

  • Native Git integration, the feature that distinguishes it from cloud API clients, is Pro only at $6 per user per month
  • OpenAPI syncs are capped at 5 a month on the free tier
  • SSO, SCIM and user management require Ultimate at $11 per user per month
  • Private workspaces are a paid feature
  • Advertised prices are annual rates

Pricing, plan by plan

Apollo GraphQL

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 3 developers
    • 1-day data retention
    • Community support
  • Developer$5/month
    • $5 per million requests with volume discounts
    • $50 usage credit for new signups
    • Up to 10 developers
  • Standard$undefined/month
    • Up to 30 developers
    • 90-day data retention
    • Standard support with SLA
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited developers
    • 18-month data retention
    • 24x7x365 support with SLA

Bruno

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full IDE features
    • Git integration
    • Local storage

Which should you pick?

Choose Apollo GraphQL if

  • You need apollo connectors.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want graphos router.
Apollo GraphQL review

Choose Bruno if

  • You need api testing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want environment management.
Bruno review

Questions people ask

Is Apollo GraphQL or Bruno better?
Neither clearly leads. Apollo GraphQL starts at Free and Bruno at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apollo GraphQL or Bruno?
Apollo GraphQL starts at Free and Bruno at Free.
Does Apollo GraphQL or Bruno run on more platforms?
Apollo GraphQL runs on web, api. Bruno runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
Can I use Apollo GraphQL for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Apollo GraphQL best used for?
Apollo GraphQL is most often used for federating multiple backend services into one graphql api, wrapping legacy rest apis for frontend consumption, enterprise api governance with schema checks and audit logs, reducing frontend over-fetching and under-fetching of data. Of those, federating multiple backend services into one graphql api and wrapping legacy rest apis for frontend consumption are not what Bruno is typically brought in for.
What can Apollo GraphQL do that Bruno cannot?
Apollo GraphQL covers Apollo Connectors, GraphOS Router, Schema registry, Schema checks. Bruno covers API Testing, Environment management, Git-friendly storage, GitHub.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apollo GraphQL: What does Apollo GraphQL cost?

The Free plan supports up to 3 developers at no cost. Developer plan starts at $5 per million requests with a $50 signup credit, while Standard and Enterprise require contacting sales for custom pricing.

Source
Apollo GraphQL: Is there a free plan and what are its limits?

Yes, the Free 'Forever Free' plan supports up to 3 developers, 1-day data retention for checks and insights, and a self-hosted router capped at 60 requests per minute.

Source
Apollo GraphQL: How is usage metered on paid plans?

Standard requests are billed per million operations with tiered volume discounts, starting at $5.00/million for the first 250M and dropping to $3.00/million beyond 5B, with similar tiered pricing for subscription update events.

Source
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