Is Insomnia better than HTTPie?

Insomnia ranks higher in our list of API testing tools (#3 against #9, score 88.0 against 79.5). HTTPie is best for: terminal-first HTTP testing. Insomnia is best for: commercial client with Git Sync.

Which is cheaper, HTTPie or Insomnia?

HTTPie: Terminal client free under BSD-3-Clause; desktop app in public beta. Insomnia: Free Scratch Pad and Essentials; Pro $12 and Enterprise $45 per user a month.

Do HTTPie and Insomnia run on the same platforms?

HTTPie supports Command line, Web, Windows, macOS, Linux. Insomnia supports macOS, Windows, Linux.

HTTPie vs Insomnia: Which Is Better? (2026)

79.5
Editorial score
88.0
5
Platforms
3
Yes
Free to use
Yes
Yes
Open source
Yes

Which should you choose?

Choose HTTPie if you want

Terminal-first HTTP testing.

An open-source BSD-3-Clause terminal client with readable output, plus a desktop app that is still in public beta. It suits people who work mainly in the terminal.

Choose Insomnia if you want

Commercial client with Git Sync.

A Kong-maintained client with a free local Scratch Pad, Git Sync for small teams and Apache-2.0 source. Team pricing is per user, with Pro at $12 and Enterprise at $45 per user a month.

The main differences

Only HTTPie runs on Web.
HTTPie is free and open source; Insomnia is free plan, paid upgrades.

Side by side

	HTTPie	Insomnia
Score	79.5	88.0
Rank in list	#9 of 10	#3 of 10
Price	Free and open sourceTerminal client free under BSD-3-Clause; desktop app in public beta	Free plan, paid upgradesFree Scratch Pad and Essentials; Pro $12 and Enterprise $45 per user a month
Free to use	Yes	Yes
Open source	Yes	Yes
Platforms	Command lineWebWindowsmacOSLinuxCommand line, Web, Windows, macOS, Linux	macOSWindowsLinuxmacOS, Windows, Linux
Made by	Not stated	Kong
Collections stored	Local terminal or desktop app	Local, with optional Git Sync or cloud
Best for	Terminal-first HTTP testing	Commercial client with Git Sync
Strengths	Terminal client is free under BSD-3-Clause Readable request and response output	Local Scratch Pad with no account Supports many protocols beyond REST
Limits	Desktop app is still in public beta Product is split between terminal and desktop versions	Cloud collaboration requires a paid plan for larger teams Team pricing is per user
Links	Visit site	Visit site

Questions about HTTPie vs Insomnia

Is Insomnia better than HTTPie?: Insomnia ranks higher in our list of API testing tools (#3 against #9, score 88.0 against 79.5). HTTPie is best for: terminal-first HTTP testing. Insomnia is best for: commercial client with Git Sync.
Which is cheaper, HTTPie or Insomnia?: HTTPie: Terminal client free under BSD-3-Clause; desktop app in public beta. Insomnia: Free Scratch Pad and Essentials; Pro $12 and Enterprise $45 per user a month.
Do HTTPie and Insomnia run on the same platforms?: HTTPie supports Command line, Web, Windows, macOS, Linux. Insomnia supports macOS, Windows, Linux.