# Hurl review, pricing and alternatives

Source: https://listme.name/software/hurl
Website: https://hurl.dev/

Command-line tool that runs and tests HTTP requests written as plain text

Hurl is an Apache-2.0 command-line tool from Orange that runs HTTP requests written in plain text files and checks responses with assertions. It installs with Homebrew, Chocolatey, Scoop, winget or Cargo, and its source is on GitHub.

Hurl reads a file that lists HTTP requests, and each entry can assert status codes, headers and JSON values. The README shows examples for REST and JSON APIs, and the --test option produces a test-style report. Hurl can also capture a value from one response and use it in the next request.

The documentation lists Homebrew for macOS, Chocolatey, Scoop and winget for Windows, and Cargo for Rust users. The Windows section says the Visual C++ Redistributable must be installed by hand. The GitHub repository is Apache-2.0 licensed and had about 19,000 stars when checked. Teams that prefer a graphical client may compare Bruno or Insomnia, which are also in this ranking.

- Free and open source | Windows, macOS, Linux, Command line | open source (Apache-2.0)
- Price: Apache-2.0 command-line tool; free to install and use
- Checked: 2026-10-10

## Strengths

- Requests and tests are plain text files
- Apache-2.0 license
- Installs on macOS, Windows and Linux

## Limits

- No graphical interface
- Windows needs the Visual C++ Redistributable installed by hand

## Rankings

- #8 of 10 in [best API testing tools](https://listme.name/best/api-testing-tools), score 81.5: Apache-2.0 command-line tool that runs HTTP requests and assertions written as plain text, with installs for macOS, Windows and Linux. It has no graphical interface, so it suits scripted and CI tests more than interactive use.

## Alternatives

- [Postman](https://listme.name/software/postman), score 91.5
- [Bruno](https://listme.name/software/bruno), score 90.0
- [Insomnia](https://listme.name/software/insomnia), score 88.0
- [Hoppscotch](https://listme.name/software/hoppscotch), score 87.0
- [Yaak](https://listme.name/software/yaak), score 85.0
- [Kreya](https://listme.name/software/kreya), score 84.5
- [Thunder Client](https://listme.name/software/thunder-client), score 82.0
- [HTTPie](https://listme.name/software/httpie), score 79.5