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CircleCI vs Thunder Client

CircleCI logo

CircleCI

Software

The leading CI/CD platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Thunder Client logo

Thunder Client

Software

Lightweight REST API client built as VSCode extension

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; Thunder Client paid plans are billed annually only: Starter is $3 per user per month and capped at a maximum of 10 seats, Business is $7 per user per month with 500 monthly collection runs per user, and Enterprise is $16 per user per month for unlimited runs

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CircleCI and Thunder Client actually diverge.

Attributes where CircleCI and Thunder Client differ
AttributeCircleCIThunder Client
PlatformsWebVSCode extension, Web
Founded20112021

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), 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 Thunder Client does not also cover.

Only in Thunder Client

  • REST Client
  • Environment variables
  • Response testing
  • VSCode
  • GitHub
  • Webhook support
  • VSCode extension support
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

CircleCI

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

Thunder Client

  • 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

Thunder Client

  • Paid plans are billed annually only: Starter is $3 per user per month and capped at a maximum of 10 seats, Business is $7 per user per month with 500 monthly collection runs per user, and Enterprise is $16 per user per month for unlimited runs

Pricing, plan by plan

CircleCI

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the CircleCI review.

Thunder Client

Free
  • FreeFree
    • REST client
    • Collection management
    • Local testing
  • Pro$8/monthly
    • Cloud sync
    • Team collaboration
    • Advanced features

Which should you pick?

Choose CircleCI if

  • You want to start without paying.
CircleCI review

Choose Thunder Client if

  • You need rest client.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on VSCode extension, Web.
  • You also want environment variables.
Thunder Client review

Questions people ask

Is CircleCI or Thunder Client better?
Neither clearly leads. CircleCI starts at Free and Thunder Client at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CircleCI or Thunder Client?
CircleCI starts at Free and Thunder Client at Free.
Does CircleCI or Thunder Client run on more platforms?
CircleCI runs on Web. Thunder Client runs on VSCode extension, Web.
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 Thunder Client is typically brought in for.
What can CircleCI do that Thunder Client cannot?
Thunder Client covers REST Client, Environment variables, Response testing, VSCode.
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