Bruno is a free, open-source API client that stores collections as local files for Git version control. See features, pricing, and how it compares to Postman.
Bruno is an open-source API client created by developer Anoop M. D. and launched around 2021-2022 as a lightweight, privacy-focused alternative to Postman and Insomnia.
Its core differentiator is storing API collections as plain-text files on the local filesystem, so developers can manage and version them with ordinary Git workflows instead of syncing to a proprietary cloud.
Key Features
Bruno supports REST, GraphQL (with schema introspection), gRPC (including streaming calls), WebSockets, Server-Sent Events, Socket.IO, and MQTT, all through a native desktop app for macOS, Windows, and Linux.
Collections are stored in a plain-text Bru format that plays well with Git-based code review and CI pipelines, and the project has grown to over 40,000 GitHub stars since launch.
Pricing
The core Bruno application and the majority of its protocol support and scripting features are free and open source. Paid team-collaboration features exist as a separate commercial offering for organizations that want managed collection sharing beyond plain Git access.
There is no cloud-sync add-on for the free product, since the Bruno team has stated it intentionally avoids building cloud storage for user API data.
Key Features
Git-native collection storage — API collections are saved as plain-text files, enabling version control with standard Git workflows.
Multi-protocol support — Test REST, GraphQL, gRPC, WebSocket, Server-Sent Events, Socket.IO, and MQTT from one client.
Offline, local-first design — No mandatory cloud account; API data stays on the developer's machine by default.
Scripting and environments — Pre-request/post-response scripting and environment variables for dynamic API testing.
Cross-platform desktop app — Native builds for macOS, Windows, and Linux, plus a VS Code/Open VSX extension.
Open-source core — The majority of Bruno's features are free and open source, inspectable on GitHub.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Free and open source with a fast-growing GitHub community (40,000+ stars)
Git-native storage keeps API collections versioned alongside application code
Strong privacy stance: no forced cloud account or data upload for core features
Broad protocol support including gRPC and WebSockets, not just REST
Cons
No built-in cloud sync, which can add friction for distributed teams without shared Git access
Team collaboration features beyond Git are a separate paid offering with less publicized pricing
Smaller plugin/integration ecosystem compared to long-established tools like Postman
UI and feature set still maturing relative to more established commercial API clients
Pricing
Open Source $0
Pro $6/user/month annual
Ultimate $11/user/month annual
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bruno free to use?
Yes, the core Bruno application and most of its protocol support (REST, GraphQL, gRPC, WebSocket) are free and open source.
What makes Bruno different from Postman?
Bruno stores API collections as local plain-text files that work naturally with Git, rather than syncing them to a proprietary cloud account, giving developers more control over their data.
Does Bruno support gRPC and WebSockets?
Yes, Bruno supports gRPC (including streaming calls), WebSockets, Server-Sent Events, and additional protocols like Socket.IO and MQTT.
Is Bruno open source?
Yes, Bruno is open source, with its source code available on GitHub under the usebruno/bruno repository.
Does Bruno offer cloud sync?
No, Bruno intentionally does not offer cloud sync for the core product, prioritizing local, offline-first data storage.