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APIs · head to head

Thunder Client vs Token.io

Thunder Client logo

Thunder Client

APIs

Lightweight REST API client built as VSCode extension

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Token.io logo

Token.io

APIs

Account to account pay by bank infrastructure across the UK and Europe

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Thunder Client has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Thunder Client paid plans are billed annually only: Starter is $3 per user per month and capped at a maximum of 10 seats, Business is $7 per user per month with 500 monthly collection runs per user, and Enterprise is $16 per user per month for unlimited runs; Token.io account to account payments carry no chargeback scheme, so merchants gain cost savings but consumers lose the dispute protection cards provide, which limits adoption in general retail.
  • They diverge on capability: Thunder Client covers REST Client, Token.io covers Payment initiation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Thunder Client and Token.io actually diverge.

Attributes where Thunder Client and Token.io differ
AttributeThunder ClientToken.io
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsVSCode extension, WebWeb, API
Founded2021Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (APIs).

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 Thunder Client

  • REST Client
  • Environment variables
  • Response testing
  • VSCode
  • GitHub
  • Webhook support
  • VSCode extension support
  • Web support

Only in Token.io

  • Payment initiation
  • Variable recurring payments
  • Bank network coverage
  • giroAPI membership
  • Payouts and refunds
  • Data and account information
  • Hosted payment pages
  • Reconciliation reporting

What people use each for

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

Thunder Client

  • API Developmentnot Token.io
  • API Gatewaynot Token.io
  • API Testingnot Token.io
  • API Documentationnot Token.io
  • Microservicesnot Token.io

Token.io

  • A utility or telecom collecting high value bills where card interchange makes acceptance expensivenot Thunder Client
  • An investment or trading platform funding customer accounts without card chargeback exposurenot Thunder Client
  • A payment service provider adding pay by bank to its merchant proposition without building bank connectivitynot Thunder Client
  • A German merchant using giroAPI scheme access for recurring and future dated bank paymentsnot Thunder Client

Where each one falls short

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

Thunder Client

  • Paid plans are billed annually only: Starter is $3 per user per month and capped at a maximum of 10 seats, Business is $7 per user per month with 500 monthly collection runs per user, and Enterprise is $16 per user per month for unlimited runs

Token.io

  • Account to account payments carry no chargeback scheme, so merchants gain cost savings but consumers lose the dispute protection cards provide, which limits adoption in general retail.
  • Conversion depends on each bank's own authentication journey, and slow or broken bank redirects cost sales in ways the merchant cannot fix or even always diagnose.
  • Variable recurring payments beyond sweeping are still being rolled out unevenly across banks and markets, so a subscription use case may be supported at one bank and not another.
  • Token.io initiates payments rather than acting as acquirer of record, so merchants still need settlement, safeguarding and reconciliation arrangements elsewhere.
  • Coverage and feature parity vary by country, so a pan European rollout means different capabilities and different bank behaviour in each market rather than one uniform product.

Pricing, plan by plan

Thunder Client

Free
  • FreeFree
    • REST client
    • Collection management
    • Local testing
  • Pro$8/monthly
    • Cloud sync
    • Team collaboration
    • Advanced features

Token.io

On request
  • Token.io platform$undefined/year
    • Quoted per customer, typically per initiated payment
    • Volume tiers and monthly minimums are common
    • No interchange, so unit cost is usually well below card acceptance

Which should you pick?

Choose Thunder Client if

  • You need rest client.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on VSCode extension, Web.
  • You also want environment variables.
Thunder Client review

Choose Token.io if

  • You need payment initiation.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want variable recurring payments.
Token.io review

Questions people ask

Is Thunder Client or Token.io better?
Neither clearly leads. Thunder Client starts at Free and Token.io at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Thunder Client or Token.io?
Thunder Client has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Thunder Client and On request for Token.io.
Does Thunder Client or Token.io run on more platforms?
Thunder Client runs on VSCode extension, Web. Token.io runs on Web, API.
Can I use Thunder Client for free?
Yes. Thunder Client has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Token.io starts at On request.
What is Thunder Client best used for?
Thunder Client is most often used for api development, api gateway, api testing, api documentation. Of those, api development and api gateway are not what Token.io is typically brought in for.
What can Thunder Client do that Token.io cannot?
Thunder Client covers REST Client, Environment variables, Response testing, VSCode. Token.io covers Payment initiation, Variable recurring payments, Bank network coverage, giroAPI membership.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Thunder Client: How much does Thunder Client cost?

Thunder Client publishes a free plan at no cost, then Starter at $3, Business at $7 and Enterprise at $16, all priced annually.

Source
Token.io: Does pay by bank remove card fees?

It removes interchange and scheme fees, so unit cost is normally far below card acceptance, particularly on high value payments.

Thunder Client: Is Thunder Client free?

Yes, there is a free plan. It is used through the Thunder Client extension for VS Code, available from the marketplace, with limits applied compared with the paid tiers.

Source
Token.io: What about chargebacks?

There are none. That is the cost saving and the consumer protection gap, which is why it suits bills, top ups and account funding more than retail.

Token.io: Is Token.io regulated?

Yes, it is an authorised third party provider under UK and European open banking rules, but it initiates payments rather than holding merchant funds as an acquirer.

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