API Management · head to head
Paw vs HTTPie
Paw
API Management
Full-featured REST client for macOS with powerful scripting and testing
- From
- $99/one-time
- Rated
- -
HTTPie
API Management
Command-line HTTP client with intuitive interface and syntax
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only HTTPie has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Paw now distributed as RapidAPI for Mac; the vendor's own page states it is "exclusively built for macOS" and requires macOS 10.15+, with no Windows or Linux client; HTTPie the desktop application is in public beta rather than a finished release
- They diverge on capability: Paw covers Scripting, HTTPie covers JSON support.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Paw and HTTPie actually diverge.
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (API Management).
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 Paw
- Scripting
- Dynamic Values
- Slack
- GitHub
- Custom extensions
Only in HTTPie
- JSON support
- Colored output
- CI/CD
- Shell scripting
- Automation
- Linux support
- Windows support
- Web support
Both cover
- REST Client
- MacOS support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Paw
- API Developmentnot HTTPie
- API Gatewaynot HTTPie
- API Testingnot HTTPie
- API Documentationnot HTTPie
- Microservicesnot HTTPie
HTTPie
- Sending and inspecting HTTP requests from the terminalnot Paw
- A readable alternative to curl for API debuggingnot Paw
- Testing APIs through a graphical clientnot Paw
- Installing through apt, brew or pip in a development environmentnot Paw
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Paw
- Now distributed as RapidAPI for Mac; the vendor's own page states it is "exclusively built for macOS" and requires macOS 10.15+, with no Windows or Linux client
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
Pricing, plan by plan
Paw
$99/one-time- Standard$99/one-time
- Full REST client
- Advanced scripting
- Extensions
- Annual License$49/yearly
- All features
- Updates
- Priority support
HTTPie
Free- Open SourceFree
- Full HTTPie CLI
- Community support
- HTTPie for Web$10/monthly
- Web interface
- Cloud storage
- Team collaboration
Which should you pick?
Choose HTTPie if
- You need json support.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, MacOS, Windows, Web.
- You also want colored output.
Questions people ask
- Is Paw or HTTPie better?
- Neither clearly leads. Paw starts at $99/one-time and HTTPie at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Paw or HTTPie?
- HTTPie has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $99/one-time for Paw and Free for HTTPie.
- Does Paw or HTTPie run on more platforms?
- Paw runs on MacOS. HTTPie runs on Linux, MacOS, Windows, Web.
- Can I use HTTPie for free?
- Yes. HTTPie has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Paw starts at $99/one-time.
- What is Paw best used for?
- Paw is most often used for api development, api gateway, api testing, api documentation. Of those, api development and api gateway are not what HTTPie is typically brought in for.
- What can Paw do that HTTPie cannot?
- Paw covers Scripting, Dynamic Values, Slack, GitHub. HTTPie covers JSON support, Colored output, CI/CD, Shell scripting. Both handle REST Client, MacOS support.