Softwr

APIs · head to head

HTTPie vs Windmill

HTTPie logo

HTTPie

APIs

Command-line HTTP client with intuitive interface and syntax

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Windmill logo

Windmill

Automation Integration

Open-source developer platform for building scripts, workflows, and internal apps

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: HTTPie the desktop application is in public beta rather than a finished release; Windmill free self-hosted tier caps SSO users at 10 and workspaces at 3, requiring Enterprise for larger teams.
  • They diverge on capability: HTTPie covers REST Client, Windmill covers Script-to-workflow engine.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HTTPie and Windmill actually diverge.

Attributes where HTTPie and Windmill differ
AttributeHTTPieWindmill
PlatformsLinux, MacOS, Windows, Webweb, api, linux, windows, mac
CategoryAPIsAutomation Integration
Founded2012Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (open-source), 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 HTTPie

  • REST Client
  • JSON support
  • Colored output
  • CI/CD
  • Shell scripting
  • Automation
  • Linux support
  • MacOS support

Only in Windmill

  • Script-to-workflow engine
  • Auto-generated UIs
  • Self-hosted deployment
  • Git sync
  • SSO support
  • Audit logs

What people use each for

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

HTTPie

  • Sending and inspecting HTTP requests from the terminalnot Windmill
  • A readable alternative to curl for API debuggingnot Windmill
  • Testing APIs through a graphical clientnot Windmill
  • Installing through apt, brew or pip in a development environmentnot Windmill

Windmill

  • Turning ad-hoc scripts into scheduled jobs and APIsnot HTTPie
  • Building internal tools from existing Python/TypeScript codenot HTTPie
  • Self-hosted automation for engineering teamsnot HTTPie
  • Orchestrating multi-language workflowsnot HTTPie

Where each one falls short

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

HTTPie

  • The desktop application is in public beta rather than a finished release
  • Pricing for the desktop and web products is not published, while the terminal client is free and open source
  • The graphical versions are newer than the CLI, so parity between them is not guaranteed

Windmill

  • Free self-hosted tier caps SSO users at 10 and workspaces at 3, requiring Enterprise for larger teams.
  • Compute unit and seat-based pricing (developer vs. operator seats, worker compute units) adds pricing complexity beyond a flat monthly fee.
  • Email triggers are capped at 100/day on the free tier, limiting event-driven use cases without upgrading.
  • Smaller ecosystem of pre-built integrations compared to more established automation tools like n8n.

Pricing, plan by plan

HTTPie

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full HTTPie CLI
    • Community support
  • HTTPie for Web$10/monthly
    • Web interface
    • Cloud storage
    • Team collaboration

Windmill

Free
  • Free / Open-sourceFree
    • Unlimited executions
    • Self-hosted deployment
    • Max 10 users with SSO
  • Enterprise$120/month
    • Unlimited executions and workspaces
    • Uncapped SSO seats
    • 24/7 priority support (3-hour response)

Which should you pick?

Choose HTTPie if

  • You need rest client.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, MacOS, Windows, Web.
  • You also want json support.
HTTPie review

Choose Windmill if

  • You need script-to-workflow engine.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api, linux, windows, mac.
  • You also want auto-generated uis.
Windmill review

Questions people ask

Is HTTPie or Windmill better?
Neither clearly leads. HTTPie starts at Free and Windmill at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HTTPie or Windmill?
HTTPie starts at Free and Windmill at Free.
Does HTTPie or Windmill run on more platforms?
HTTPie runs on Linux, MacOS, Windows, Web. Windmill runs on web, api, linux, windows, mac.
Can I use HTTPie for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is HTTPie best used for?
HTTPie is most often used for sending and inspecting http requests from the terminal, a readable alternative to curl for api debugging, testing apis through a graphical client, installing through apt, brew or pip in a development environment. Of those, sending and inspecting http requests from the terminal and a readable alternative to curl for api debugging are not what Windmill is typically brought in for.
What can HTTPie do that Windmill cannot?
HTTPie covers REST Client, JSON support, Colored output, CI/CD. Windmill covers Script-to-workflow engine, Auto-generated UIs, Self-hosted deployment, Git sync.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

HTTPie: Is HTTPie free?

HTTPie for Terminal is open source and free. The Desktop and Web versions are in public beta, and their pricing model is not disclosed.

Source
Windmill: What does Windmill cost?

Windmill's Free and Open-source edition is $0/month for self-hosted use with unlimited executions, while Enterprise starts at $120/month with unlimited workspaces and uncapped SSO seats, priced further by developer/operator seats and compute units.

Source
HTTPie: Can I use HTTPie for commercial purposes?

HTTPie Terminal is open source, but check the specific license (likely MIT, Apache, or GPL) to confirm commercial use is permitted in your jurisdiction.

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

The free self-hosted plan supports unlimited executions but caps SSO at 10 users, workspaces at 3, groups/permissions at 4, and email triggers at 100 per day.

Source
HTTPie: What is HTTPie Desktop and how much does it cost?

HTTPie Desktop is an API testing client in public beta. Pricing is not disclosed on the website.

Source
Windmill: How is usage metered on Windmill Enterprise?

Enterprise usage is metered through seats (developer seats at $20/month, operator seats at $10/month) and compute units, e.g. $100/month for 2 standard-worker compute units.

Source
HTTPie: Is there an HTTPie AI version?

Yes, HTTPie AI is mentioned as a product, but details about functionality and pricing are not provided on the main page.

Source
Windmill: What happens to a self-hosted Windmill deployment if the company shuts down?

The pricing page addresses this directly as an FAQ topic, noting that self-hosted applications built on the open-source edition can continue running independently of Windmill the company.

Source
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