Softwr

APIs · head to head

Hoppscotch vs Lago

Hoppscotch logo

Hoppscotch

APIs

Open-source API development ecosystem with web-based REST client

From
Free
Rated
-
Lago logo

Lago

Accounting

Open-source billing infrastructure for usage-based models

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Hoppscotch open-source project with no published commercial support plans or pricing; Lago free tier limited to 10,000 entities per month with 5M event cap
  • They diverge on capability: Hoppscotch covers REST Client, Lago covers Real-time usage metering.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hoppscotch and Lago actually diverge.

Attributes where Hoppscotch and Lago differ
AttributeHoppscotchLago
Pricing modelfreemiumFreemium with optional paid tiers
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, Self-hostedWeb, Cloud, Self-hosted, On-premise, VPC
CategoryAPIsAccounting
Founded2019Unknown

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

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 Hoppscotch

  • REST Client
  • WebSocket
  • gRPC Client
  • GitHub
  • Documentation tools
  • CI/CD
  • Web support
  • Desktop support

Only in Lago

  • Real-time usage metering
  • Multiple pricing models
  • Automated invoicing
  • Prepaid credits
  • Entitlements
  • Multi-currency support
  • Payment orchestration
  • Revenue analytics

What people use each for

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

Hoppscotch

  • API Developmentnot Lago
  • API Gatewaynot Lago
  • API Testingnot Lago
  • API Documentationnot Lago
  • Microservicesnot Lago

Lago

  • Building usage-based billing for high-volume APIs and infrastructurenot Hoppscotch
  • Implementing metered billing for AI and tokenized servicesnot Hoppscotch
  • Creating subscription and hybrid pricing modelsnot Hoppscotch
  • Managing multi-currency billing for global companiesnot Hoppscotch
  • Maintaining billing infrastructure without vendor lock-innot Hoppscotch

Where each one falls short

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

Hoppscotch

  • Open-source project with no published commercial support plans or pricing
  • No official enterprise tier or SLA information disclosed

Lago

  • Free tier limited to 10,000 entities per month with 5M event cap
  • No specific pricing published for Pro annual plan or Scale plan
  • Self-hosted and on-premise deployments require engineering resources
  • Community support only on free tier
  • Scale plan requires annual contracts and sales engagement

Pricing, plan by plan

Hoppscotch

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full REST client
    • WebSocket support
    • Community
  • Teams$8/monthly
    • Team collaboration
    • Cloud sync
    • Priority support

Lago

Free
  • Build (Free)Free
    • 10,000 managed entities per month
    • 5M usage events per month
    • 1K events per second rate limit
  • Pro$399/month
    • 10,000 entities included (graduated pricing to 100K)
    • 25M usage events included (to 500M with graduated rates)
    • 10K events per second (upgradeable to 100K)
  • Scale$null/custom
    • Custom entity and event volumes
    • 50K events per second (upgradeable to 100K)
    • RBAC and SSO (SAML)

Which should you pick?

Choose Hoppscotch if

  • You need rest client.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Self-hosted.
  • You also want websocket.

Choose Lago if

  • You need real-time usage metering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Cloud, Self-hosted, On-premise, VPC.
  • You also want multiple pricing models.

Questions people ask

Is Hoppscotch or Lago better?
Neither clearly leads. Hoppscotch starts at Free and Lago at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hoppscotch or Lago?
Hoppscotch starts at Free and Lago at Free.
Does Hoppscotch or Lago run on more platforms?
Hoppscotch runs on Web, Desktop, Self-hosted. Lago runs on Web, Cloud, Self-hosted, On-premise, VPC.
Can I use Hoppscotch for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Hoppscotch best used for?
Hoppscotch is most often used for api development, api gateway, api testing, api documentation. Of those, api development and api gateway are not what Lago is typically brought in for.
What can Hoppscotch do that Lago cannot?
Hoppscotch covers REST Client, WebSocket, gRPC Client, GitHub. Lago covers Real-time usage metering, Multiple pricing models, Automated invoicing, Prepaid credits.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Hoppscotch: Is Hoppscotch free to use for API development?

Yes, Hoppscotch is a completely free, open-source API development ecosystem. There are no subscription fees, license costs, or registration requirements to access the core platform.

Source
Lago: Can I use Lago open-source for free?

Yes, Lago is open-source under the AGPLv3 license and can be self-hosted. The cloud-based Build plan is also free with limits of 10,000 entities and 5M events per month.

Source
Hoppscotch: Can I deploy Hoppscotch on my own infrastructure?

As an open-source project, Hoppscotch can be self-hosted and deployed on your own infrastructure. The source code is available for customization and deployment in private environments.

Source
Lago: What payment providers does Lago integrate with?

Lago integrates with Stripe and Adyen for payment processing. It is not a payment processor itself but orchestrates payments through these providers.

Source
Lago: Does Lago support multiple currencies?

Yes, Lago supports multi-currency billing with automatic currency conversion for global businesses.

Source
Share

Related pages

Other head to heads