Testing & QA · head to head
Insomnia vs GitHub Actions
Insomnia
Testing & QA
REST and GraphQL API client for development and testing
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Insomnia git Sync on the free tier covers up to 3 users only; GitHub Actions private repository usage is capped at 2,000 minutes per month on GitHub Free and 3,000 on Pro and Team, with anything beyond billed
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Insomnia and GitHub Actions actually diverge.
| Attribute | Insomnia | GitHub Actions |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Web | Web |
| Founded | 2010 | 2008 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Testing & QA).
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 Insomnia
- REST API Client
- GraphQL Support
- gRPC Support
- GitHub
- GitLab
- Slack
- Windows support
- MacOS support
Only in GitHub Actions
Nothing recorded that Insomnia does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Insomnia
- Sending and debugging HTTP, GraphQL and gRPC requestsnot GitHub Actions
- Storing collections in Git rather than a vendor cloudnot GitHub Actions
- Mocking an API endpoint before it existsnot GitHub Actions
- Running collections in CI with the Inso CLInot GitHub Actions
- Environment management across staging and productionnot GitHub Actions
GitHub Actions
- Running CI builds and tests on pushes and pull requestsnot Insomnia
- Automating releases, container image builds and deployments from a repositorynot Insomnia
- Scheduled maintenance jobs and repository automationnot Insomnia
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Insomnia
- Git Sync on the free tier covers up to 3 users only
- Mock servers are capped at 1,000 requests a month on free, then $10 per 25,000
- Role-based access control requires Pro at $12 per user per month
- SSO, SCIM and vault integrations are Enterprise only at $45 per user per month
- Working without an account is limited to the local-only Scratch Pad
GitHub Actions
- Private repository usage is capped at 2,000 minutes per month on GitHub Free and 3,000 on Pro and Team, with anything beyond billed
- Artifact storage is only 500 MB on GitHub Free and 2 GB on Team, and it is shared with GitHub Packages storage
- Larger runners are always charged for, even on public repositories and even when plan quota remains
- Windows runners cost $0.010 per minute against $0.006 for a 2-core Linux runner, so the same workflow costs more per platform
- macOS runners are charged at a higher per-minute rate than Linux runners
- Failed runs consume minutes, so a job that fails after 5 minutes and is re-run for 10 uses 15 minutes of quota
- Storage is billed on hourly accrual in GB-Hours, so deleting artifacts stops future charges but does not remove charges already accrued in the cycle
- Cache storage is a separate 10 GB per repository allowance and peak hourly usage above it is charged
- Minutes are charged to the repository owner, not the person who triggered the run, and anyone with write access can trigger runs
- Without a valid payment method on file, workflows are blocked as soon as the quota is exhausted
Pricing, plan by plan
Insomnia
Free- FreeFree
- REST, GraphQL, gRPC support
- Local data
- Pro$5/monthly
- Cloud sync
- Team collaboration
- Advanced features
- Team$30/monthly
- Team management
- Advanced analytics
- Priority support
GitHub Actions
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the GitHub Actions review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Insomnia if
- You need rest api client.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux, Web.
- You also want graphql support.
Questions people ask
- Is Insomnia or GitHub Actions better?
- Neither clearly leads. Insomnia starts at Free and GitHub Actions at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Insomnia or GitHub Actions?
- Insomnia starts at Free and GitHub Actions at Free.
- Does Insomnia or GitHub Actions run on more platforms?
- Insomnia runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux, Web. GitHub Actions runs on Web.
- Can I use Insomnia for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Insomnia best used for?
- Insomnia is most often used for sending and debugging http, graphql and grpc requests, storing collections in git rather than a vendor cloud, mocking an api endpoint before it exists, running collections in ci with the inso cli. Of those, sending and debugging http, graphql and grpc requests and storing collections in git rather than a vendor cloud are not what GitHub Actions is typically brought in for.
- What can Insomnia do that GitHub Actions cannot?
- Insomnia covers REST API Client, GraphQL Support, gRPC Support, GitHub.