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Insomnia vs Xplorer
Insomnia offers a GUI and supports GraphQL/gRPC, but Xplorer emphasizes zero-code local runs and tabular output.
InsomniaOpen-source API client for REST, GraphQL and gRPC
XplorerThe API client you always wanted - from Karate Labs.Which to pick
Pick Insomnia if you want…
- Collaborative AI-native API testing
- Feature-rich desktop API client
Pick Xplorer if you want…
- Local-first API testing
- A free, open-source tool
Side by side
- What it is
- Insomnia:Insomnia is an open-source API client for designing, testing, debugging and mocking REST, GraphQL, gRPC, SOAP and WebSocket APIs.
- Xplorer:Xplorer is a local API client that lets you call, view, edit, and chain HTTP requests without writing code.
- Best for
- Insomnia:Collaborative AI-native API testing
- Xplorer:Local-first API testing
- Who it’s for
- Insomnia:API developers, security-focused teams, and organizations needing collaborative API workflows.
- Xplorer:Developers needing a quick, code-free way to test and explore APIs, especially on local or internal networks.
- Pricing
- Insomnia:Freemium
- Xplorer:Open source
- Open source
- Insomnia:Yes, 40,038 GitHub stars
- Xplorer:Yes
- Works with
- Insomnia:Kong Konnect, OIDC, SAML, SCIM, Inso CLI
- Xplorer:—
Insomnia features
- Design-first API editor. Create and preview OpenAPI specs in real time with live linting.
- Native API mocking. Generate dynamic mock responses from collections, specs or plain language.
- Automated testing at scale. Run unlimited collection tests with pre/post scripts and CI/CD integration via Inso CLI.
- Kong Konnect integration. Sync API catalog directly with Kong Konnect for up-to-date endpoint discovery.
- Collaboration & RBAC. Real-time project sharing, role-based access controls and unlimited collaborators per project.
- Flexible storage options. Store data locally, in Git, in the cloud, or hybrid with end-to-end encryption.
- Enterprise identity & security. SSO via OIDC/SAML, SCIM provisioning, SOC 2 compliance and enterprise SLAs.
- MCP client support. Test and debug MCP servers with AI-powered workflows.
Xplorer features
- Code-free HTTP calls. Execute API requests without writing any code.
- Tabular response view. Responses are displayed in an easy-to-read table format.
- Edit and re-try. Modify request parameters and instantly re-run calls.
- Dynamic chaining. Link multiple API calls together to build request flows.
- Environment switching. Toggle between different API environments effortlessly.
- Local execution. Run calls against localhost or services behind firewalls without CORS issues.
Insomnia vs Xplorer FAQ
Is Insomnia or Xplorer free?+
Insomnia has a free plan and paid plans. Xplorer is free and open source.
Is Insomnia or Xplorer open source?+
Yes, both are open source: Insomnia (Kong/insomnia on GitHub, Apache-2.0 license) and Xplorer.
On DevHunt
Based on each tool's website and DevHunt data. Details may change; check the official sites.