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Testing · head to head

Insomnia vs Spring Cloud Gateway

Insomnia logo

Insomnia

Testing

REST and GraphQL API client for development and testing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Spring Cloud Gateway logo

Spring Cloud Gateway

APIs

API gateway built on Project Reactor for building microservices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Insomnia git Sync on the free tier covers up to 3 users only; Spring Cloud Gateway released under the Apache 2.0 license, free and open source with no commercial tier
  • They diverge on capability: Insomnia covers REST API Client, Spring Cloud Gateway covers Routing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Insomnia and Spring Cloud Gateway actually diverge.

Attributes where Insomnia and Spring Cloud Gateway differ
AttributeInsomniaSpring Cloud Gateway
Pricing modelfreemiumopen-source
PlatformsWindows, MacOS, Linux, WebJava, Spring Boot
CategoryTestingAPIs
Founded20101998

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 Insomnia

  • REST API Client
  • GraphQL Support
  • gRPC Support
  • GitHub
  • GitLab
  • Slack
  • Windows support
  • MacOS support

Only in Spring Cloud Gateway

  • Routing
  • Path Rewriting
  • Circuit Breaker
  • Spring Boot
  • Spring Security
  • Spring Cloud
  • Java support
  • Spring Boot support

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 Spring Cloud Gateway
  • Storing collections in Git rather than a vendor cloudnot Spring Cloud Gateway
  • Mocking an API endpoint before it existsnot Spring Cloud Gateway
  • Running collections in CI with the Inso CLInot Spring Cloud Gateway
  • Environment management across staging and productionnot Spring Cloud Gateway

Spring Cloud Gateway

  • API Developmentnot Insomnia
  • API Gatewaynot Insomnia
  • API Testingnot Insomnia
  • API Documentationnot Insomnia
  • Microservicesnot 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

Spring Cloud Gateway

  • Released under the Apache 2.0 license, free and open source with no commercial tier

Pricing, plan by plan

Insomnia

Free
  • EssentialsFree
    • unlimited Cloud/Local projects
    • up to 3 users with Git Sync
    • 1,000 mock server requests/month
  • Pro$12/user/month
    • unlimited users with Git Sync access
    • unlimited organizations
    • role-based access control
  • Enterprise$45/user/month
    • Kong Konnect integration
    • SSO (SAML/OIDC)
    • SCIM provisioning

Spring Cloud Gateway

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Core Spring Cloud Gateway
    • Community support

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.
Insomnia review

Choose Spring Cloud Gateway if

  • You need routing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Java, Spring Boot.
  • You also want path rewriting.
Spring Cloud Gateway review

Questions people ask

Is Insomnia or Spring Cloud Gateway better?
Neither clearly leads. Insomnia starts at Free and Spring Cloud Gateway at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Insomnia or Spring Cloud Gateway?
Insomnia starts at Free and Spring Cloud Gateway at Free.
Does Insomnia or Spring Cloud Gateway run on more platforms?
Insomnia runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux, Web. Spring Cloud Gateway runs on Java, Spring Boot.
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 Spring Cloud Gateway is typically brought in for.
What can Insomnia do that Spring Cloud Gateway cannot?
Insomnia covers REST API Client, GraphQL Support, gRPC Support, GitHub. Spring Cloud Gateway covers Routing, Path Rewriting, Circuit Breaker, Spring Boot.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Insomnia: How much does Insomnia cost?

Insomnia offers a free Essentials plan. Pro plans cost $12 per user per month with annual billing offering 17% savings. Enterprise plans cost $45 per user per month with support for up to 50 users self-serve; contact sales for larger teams.

Source
Spring Cloud Gateway: Is Spring Cloud Gateway free?

Yes, Spring Cloud Gateway is free and open-source software. It is part of the Spring ecosystem and available through GitHub repositories with open-source dependencies like spring-cloud-starter-gateway-server-webflux and spring-cloud-starter-gateway-server-webmvc.

Source
Insomnia: Is there a free version of Insomnia?

Yes, the Essentials plan is free and includes unlimited Cloud and Local projects, Git Sync for up to 3 users, 1,000 mock server requests per month, Inso CLI, E2EE, custom linting, plugins, and AI features.

Source
Spring Cloud Gateway: What enterprise support is available for Spring Cloud Gateway?

Tanzu Spring provides optional enterprise support including Day 0 access to security patches for organizations requiring guaranteed support, but specific pricing is not published on the Spring Cloud Gateway project page.

Source
Insomnia: What mock server request limits apply to Insomnia plans?

Essentials includes 1,000 mock server requests per month. Pro includes 10,000 requests per month. Enterprise includes unlimited mock server requests. Additional mock server requests beyond plan allowances cost $10 per 25,000 requests.

Source
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