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APIs · head to head

Thunder Client vs Vodeno

Thunder Client logo

Thunder Client

APIs

Lightweight REST API client built as VSCode extension

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Vodeno logo

Vodeno

APIs

Banking-as-a-service platform running on a partner bank licence, backing NatWest's UK BaaS venture

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; Vodeno its actual regulatory backing differs by geography, Aion Bank in continental Europe versus NatWest in the UK, so a customer must understand which entity and licence they are actually contracting under rather than assuming one uniform Vodeno product.
  • They diverge on capability: Thunder Client covers REST Client, Vodeno covers Core banking infrastructure.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Thunder Client and Vodeno actually diverge.

Attributes where Thunder Client and Vodeno differ
AttributeThunder ClientVodeno
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 Vodeno

  • Core banking infrastructure
  • Card issuance via Mastercard
  • Lending and BNPL modules
  • White-label mobile apps
  • Digital onboarding and compliance
  • UK entity backed by NatWest

What people use each for

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

Thunder Client

  • API Developmentnot Vodeno
  • API Gatewaynot Vodeno
  • API Testingnot Vodeno
  • API Documentationnot Vodeno
  • Microservicesnot Vodeno

Vodeno

  • A European retailer or e-commerce business wanting to embed savings, lending or BNPL products under its own brandnot Thunder Client
  • A UK business wanting banking-as-a-service backed specifically by NatWest's banking technology and licencenot Thunder Client
  • A fintech wanting white-label mobile banking app infrastructure rather than building its own from scratchnot Thunder Client
  • A company comparing banking-as-a-service providers that want to understand which underlying bank licence actually backs the product in their marketnot 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

Vodeno

  • Its actual regulatory backing differs by geography, Aion Bank in continental Europe versus NatWest in the UK, so a customer must understand which entity and licence they are actually contracting under rather than assuming one uniform Vodeno product.
  • Pricing is entirely unpublished across both the European and UK businesses.
  • The scale of NatWest's investment (up to roughly £120 million) signals a business still working toward profitability, with NatWest itself targeting breakeven within five years of the venture launching, which is a meaningful timeline risk for a customer building long-term infrastructure dependency on it.
  • As banking-as-a-service infrastructure, any customer remains dependent on Vodeno's underlying bank partner maintaining its own licence and risk appetite, which is a layer of dependency beyond Vodeno's own commercial terms.
  • Product scope, such as lending and BNPL availability, may differ between the UK and European entities, so a company operating in both markets should not assume identical capability across the two.

Pricing, plan by plan

Thunder Client

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

Vodeno

On request
  • Vodeno$undefined/year
    • Platform licensing fee, not published
    • Terms differ between the European (Aion Bank) and UK (NatWest) entities

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 Vodeno if

  • You need core banking infrastructure.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want card issuance via mastercard.
Vodeno review

Questions people ask

Is Thunder Client or Vodeno better?
Neither clearly leads. Thunder Client starts at Free and Vodeno at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Thunder Client or Vodeno?
Thunder Client has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Thunder Client and On request for Vodeno.
Does Thunder Client or Vodeno run on more platforms?
Thunder Client runs on VSCode extension, Web. Vodeno 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. Vodeno 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 Vodeno is typically brought in for.
What can Thunder Client do that Vodeno cannot?
Thunder Client covers REST Client, Environment variables, Response testing, VSCode. Vodeno covers Core banking infrastructure, Card issuance via Mastercard, Lending and BNPL modules, White-label mobile apps.

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
Vodeno: Does Vodeno hold its own banking licence?

No, it operates through partner banks, Aion Bank in continental Europe and NatWest in the UK.

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
Vodeno: Is the UK business the same as the European business?

They are related but distinct entities backed by different bank partners, with different investment structures.

Vodeno: How much has NatWest invested?

A capped commitment of up to roughly £120 million into the UK entity, plus a separate roughly €58 million investment in Vodeno Group for an 18% stake.

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