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Software · head to head

REST Client VSCode vs Bruno

REST Client VSCode logo

REST Client VSCode

Software

VSCode extension for making HTTP requests and testing REST APIs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Bruno logo

Bruno

Software

Open-source IDE for API exploration with git-friendly collections

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: REST Client VSCode limited to Visual Studio Code; not available as a standalone application; Bruno native Git integration, the feature that distinguishes it from cloud API clients, is Pro only at $6 per user per month
  • They diverge on capability: REST Client VSCode covers REST Client, Bruno covers API Testing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which REST Client VSCode and Bruno actually diverge.

Attributes where REST Client VSCode and Bruno differ
AttributeREST Client VSCodeBruno
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
Founded20162022

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 REST Client VSCode

  • REST Client
  • HTTP requests
  • Response viewing
  • VSCode
  • Environment variables
  • Custom headers
  • VSCode extension support

Only in Bruno

  • API Testing
  • Environment management
  • Git-friendly storage
  • GitHub
  • Git repositories
  • Local file system
  • Windows support
  • MacOS support

What people use each for

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

REST Client VSCode

  • API Developmentnot Bruno
  • API Gatewaynot Bruno
  • API Testingnot Bruno
  • API Documentationnot Bruno
  • Microservicesnot Bruno

Bruno

  • Sending and testing HTTP requests from a local clientnot REST Client VSCode
  • Keeping API collections in Git rather than a vendor cloudnot REST Client VSCode
  • Offline API development without an accountnot REST Client VSCode
  • Importing and syncing OpenAPI specificationsnot REST Client VSCode

Where each one falls short

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

REST Client VSCode

  • Limited to Visual Studio Code; not available as a standalone application
  • No support for WebSocket, gRPC, or other advanced protocols
  • No cloud sync or team server features; requires Git-based workflow

Bruno

  • Native Git integration, the feature that distinguishes it from cloud API clients, is Pro only at $6 per user per month
  • OpenAPI syncs are capped at 5 a month on the free tier
  • SSO, SCIM and user management require Ultimate at $11 per user per month
  • Private workspaces are a paid feature
  • Advertised prices are annual rates

Pricing, plan by plan

REST Client VSCode

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the REST Client VSCode review.

Bruno

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full IDE features
    • Git integration
    • Local storage

Which should you pick?

Choose REST Client VSCode if

  • You need rest client.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want http requests.
REST Client VSCode review

Choose Bruno if

  • You need api testing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want environment management.
Bruno review

Questions people ask

Is REST Client VSCode or Bruno better?
Neither clearly leads. REST Client VSCode starts at Free and Bruno at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, REST Client VSCode or Bruno?
REST Client VSCode starts at Free and Bruno at Free.
Does REST Client VSCode or Bruno run on more platforms?
REST Client VSCode runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Bruno runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
Can I use REST Client VSCode for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is REST Client VSCode best used for?
REST Client VSCode is most often used for api development, api gateway, api testing, api documentation. Of those, api development and api gateway are not what Bruno is typically brought in for.
What can REST Client VSCode do that Bruno cannot?
REST Client VSCode covers REST Client, HTTP requests, Response viewing, VSCode. Bruno covers API Testing, Environment management, Git-friendly storage, GitHub.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

REST Client VSCode: How much does REST Client VSCode cost?

REST Client VSCode is completely free and open source. It is available on the Visual Studio Code Marketplace with no subscription or licensing fees.

Source
REST Client VSCode: What authentication methods does REST Client support?

REST Client supports Basic Auth, Digest Auth, SSL certificates, Azure AD, and AWS Signature v4 authentication for API requests.

Source
REST Client VSCode: Can I save and manage multiple requests?

Yes. REST Client supports multiple requests per file using ### delimiters, request history with auto-save, environment variables for different configurations, and code snippet generation for multiple programming languages.

Source
REST Client VSCode: How do teams collaborate with REST Client?

REST Client requests are stored as text files that can be version-controlled in Git repositories. Teams collaborate by sharing requests through Git, making the API specs part of the codebase.

Source
REST Client VSCode: What protocols does REST Client support?

REST Client primarily supports HTTP/HTTPS and GraphQL. It does not support WebSocket, gRPC, or other advanced protocols available in desktop clients like Insomnia.

Source
REST Client VSCode: Is there cloud sync for REST Client requests?

No. REST Client has no built-in cloud sync or team server features. All collaboration and sharing relies on Git repository management.

Source

Related pages

More on REST Client VSCode

More on Bruno

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