Softwr

APIs · head to head

Hoppscotch vs Rowy

Hoppscotch logo

Hoppscotch

APIs

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Rowy logo

Rowy

Spreadsheets

Spreadsheet interface for Google Cloud Firestore with cloud functions written in the browser

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Hoppscotch open-source project with no published commercial support plans or pricing; Rowy every Firestore limit is inherited, including the one megabyte per document ceiling and roughly one sustained write per second per document, which surprises users who expect spreadsheet behaviour.
  • They diverge on capability: Hoppscotch covers REST Client, Rowy covers Firestore backed grid.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hoppscotch and Rowy actually diverge.

Attributes where Hoppscotch and Rowy differ
AttributeHoppscotchRowy
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, Self-hostedWeb
CategoryAPIsSpreadsheets
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 Rowy

  • Firestore backed grid
  • Browser authored cloud functions
  • Typed columns
  • Runs in your Google Cloud project
  • Role based access
  • Form view
  • Open source

What people use each for

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

Hoppscotch

  • API Developmentnot Rowy
  • API Gatewaynot Rowy
  • API Testingnot Rowy
  • API Documentationnot Rowy
  • Microservicesnot Rowy

Rowy

  • A Firebase application that needs an internal admin interface without building onenot Hoppscotch
  • Operations staff correcting production records in Firestore without developer involvementnot Hoppscotch
  • Attaching a small transformation or notification function to a field change without a full deployment pipelinenot Hoppscotch
  • A content team populating documents that a mobile application reads directly from Firestorenot 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

Rowy

  • Every Firestore limit is inherited, including the one megabyte per document ceiling and roughly one sustained write per second per document, which surprises users who expect spreadsheet behaviour.
  • Firestore has no joins, so linking tables in the grid is a convenience layer rather than a relational feature and reports across collections still need a separate query.
  • It is useful only to teams already on Firebase, so choosing it effectively locks the operational tooling to one cloud vendor.
  • Query costs are billed by document read, and an unfiltered grid on a large collection can generate a bill that a spreadsheet user has no intuition for.
  • Development activity has slowed relative to the broader category, so evaluate current maintenance before making it load bearing for internal operations.

Pricing, plan by plan

Hoppscotch

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

Rowy

Free
  • Open source self hostedFree
    • No licence fee
    • Deploys into your own Google Cloud project
    • You pay Google Cloud for Firestore reads, writes and storage

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.
Hoppscotch review

Choose Rowy if

  • You need firestore backed grid.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want browser authored cloud functions.
Rowy review

Questions people ask

Is Hoppscotch or Rowy better?
Neither clearly leads. Hoppscotch starts at Free and Rowy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hoppscotch or Rowy?
Hoppscotch starts at Free and Rowy at Free.
Does Hoppscotch or Rowy run on more platforms?
Hoppscotch runs on Web, Desktop, Self-hosted. Rowy runs on Web.
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 Rowy is typically brought in for.
What can Hoppscotch do that Rowy cannot?
Hoppscotch covers REST Client, WebSocket, gRPC Client, GitHub. Rowy covers Firestore backed grid, Browser authored cloud functions, Typed columns, Runs in your Google Cloud project.

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
Rowy: Where is my data stored?

In your own Firestore instance inside your own Google Cloud project. Rowy does not hold a copy.

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
Rowy: What does it cost to run?

No licence fee. You pay Google Cloud for Firestore reads, writes, storage and function invocations, and an open grid on a big collection reads a lot.

Rowy: Can it do joins across collections?

Not really. Firestore does not support joins, and no interface layer can add them.

Rowy: Is there a row limit?

Not from Rowy. The limits that bite are Firestore document size and per document write throughput.

Rowy: Is it suitable if I am not on Firebase?

No. It is specifically a Firestore interface.

Share

Related pages

More on Hoppscotch

More on Rowy

Keep looking

Other head to heads