Bruno is an open-source, offline-first API client for designing, testing and documenting APIs, which stores collections as plain-text files that live in your Git repository.
Unlike cloud-synced API tools, Bruno keeps everything on your machine and in version control, so API requests are reviewed and shared through normal pull requests. That privacy-friendly, Git-native approach has made it one of the most popular Postman alternatives.
Key features
- Collections saved as plain-text files you can commit to Git
- No mandatory account or cloud sync, and it works offline
- HTTP, REST, GraphQL and gRPC requests
- Scripting and assertions for API testing
- Secret management and environment variables
- Bruno CLI for running collections in CI pipelines
- Import from Postman and Insomnia
Who it's for
Bruno fits developers and QA engineers who want API collections alongside their code, and security-conscious teams that cannot store API data in a third-party cloud.
Common use cases
- Exploring and debugging REST or GraphQL APIs
- Running API tests in CI with the CLI
- Sharing collections through Git pull requests
- Migrating away from Postman workspaces
Pricing
According to Bruno's pricing page:
- Open Source: $0.
- Pro: $6 per user per month, billed annually.
- Ultimate: $11 per user per month, billed annually, with enterprise-grade integrations and features. A free 14-day trial is available with no credit card.
- Enterprise: contact sales.
Alternatives
- Postman: widely used cloud-based API platform
- Insomnia: open-source API client from Kong
- Hoppscotch: open-source web-based API client
FAQ
Is Bruno free?
Yes. Bruno's core app is free and open source; Pro ($6 per user per month) and Ultimate ($11 per user per month) add paid features.
What is Bruno used for?
Bruno is used to send, test and organize API requests, with collections stored as files in Git.
Is Bruno a good Postman alternative?
Yes. Bruno is a popular Postman alternative because it is offline-first, needs no account and stores collections in Git.
Can Bruno import Postman collections?
Yes. Bruno can import collections from Postman and Insomnia.
Does Bruno support GraphQL and gRPC?
Yes. Bruno supports HTTP/REST, GraphQL and gRPC requests.
Can I run Bruno tests in CI?
Yes. The Bruno CLI runs collections and assertions in CI pipelines.