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CircleCI vs REST Client VSCode

CircleCI logo

CircleCI

Software

The leading CI/CD platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
REST Client VSCode logo

REST Client VSCode

Software

VSCode extension for making HTTP requests and testing REST APIs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CircleCI the free plan covers 6,000 build minutes and 5 active users a month; REST Client VSCode limited to Visual Studio Code; not available as a standalone application

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CircleCI and REST Client VSCode actually diverge.

Attributes where CircleCI and REST Client VSCode differ
AttributeCircleCIREST Client VSCode
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsWebWindows, macOS, Linux
Founded20112016

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 CircleCI

Nothing recorded that REST Client VSCode does not also cover.

Only in REST Client VSCode

  • REST Client
  • HTTP requests
  • Response viewing
  • VSCode
  • Environment variables
  • Custom headers
  • VSCode extension support

What people use each for

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

CircleCI

  • Continuous integration pipelines for application codenot REST Client VSCode
  • Parallel test execution across containersnot REST Client VSCode
  • Docker-based builds with layer cachingnot REST Client VSCode
  • Deployment pipelines with approval gatesnot REST Client VSCode
  • Self-hosted runners for private infrastructurenot REST Client VSCode

REST Client VSCode

  • API Developmentnot CircleCI
  • API Gatewaynot CircleCI
  • API Testingnot CircleCI
  • API Documentationnot CircleCI
  • Microservicesnot CircleCI

Where each one falls short

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

CircleCI

  • The free plan covers 6,000 build minutes and 5 active users a month
  • Active users are billed at $15 each beyond the included five, and an active user is anyone who commits to a project
  • Everything runs on credits, so compute, Docker layer caching at 200 credits a job and IP ranges at 450 credits per GB all draw from the same pool
  • Network and storage overage costs 420 credits per GB
  • Free credits expire monthly with no rollover, and paid credits expire after a year
  • Scale is annual billing only

REST Client VSCode

  • Limited to Visual Studio Code; not available as a standalone application
  • No support for WebSocket, gRPC, or other advanced protocols
  • No cloud sync or team server features; requires Git-based workflow

Pricing, plan by plan

CircleCI

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the CircleCI review.

REST Client VSCode

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the REST Client VSCode review.

Which should you pick?

Choose CircleCI if

  • You want to start without paying.
CircleCI review

Choose REST Client VSCode if

  • You need rest client.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want http requests.
REST Client VSCode review

Questions people ask

Is CircleCI or REST Client VSCode better?
Neither clearly leads. CircleCI starts at Free and REST Client VSCode at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CircleCI or REST Client VSCode?
CircleCI starts at Free and REST Client VSCode at Free.
Does CircleCI or REST Client VSCode run on more platforms?
CircleCI runs on Web. REST Client VSCode runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use CircleCI for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is CircleCI best used for?
CircleCI is most often used for continuous integration pipelines for application code, parallel test execution across containers, docker-based builds with layer caching, deployment pipelines with approval gates. Of those, continuous integration pipelines for application code and parallel test execution across containers are not what REST Client VSCode is typically brought in for.
What can CircleCI do that REST Client VSCode cannot?
REST Client VSCode covers REST Client, HTTP requests, Response viewing, VSCode.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

REST Client VSCode: How much does REST Client VSCode cost?

REST Client VSCode is completely free and open source. It is available on the Visual Studio Code Marketplace with no subscription or licensing fees.

Source
REST Client VSCode: What authentication methods does REST Client support?

REST Client supports Basic Auth, Digest Auth, SSL certificates, Azure AD, and AWS Signature v4 authentication for API requests.

Source
REST Client VSCode: Can I save and manage multiple requests?

Yes. REST Client supports multiple requests per file using ### delimiters, request history with auto-save, environment variables for different configurations, and code snippet generation for multiple programming languages.

Source
REST Client VSCode: How do teams collaborate with REST Client?

REST Client requests are stored as text files that can be version-controlled in Git repositories. Teams collaborate by sharing requests through Git, making the API specs part of the codebase.

Source
REST Client VSCode: What protocols does REST Client support?

REST Client primarily supports HTTP/HTTPS and GraphQL. It does not support WebSocket, gRPC, or other advanced protocols available in desktop clients like Insomnia.

Source
REST Client VSCode: Is there cloud sync for REST Client requests?

No. REST Client has no built-in cloud sync or team server features. All collaboration and sharing relies on Git repository management.

Source
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Related pages

More on CircleCI

More on REST Client VSCode

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