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Insomnia vs OpenAPI DevTools
Insomnia provides a desktop client for API testing and documentation, whereas OpenAPI DevTools works inside the browser.
InsomniaOpen-source API client for REST, GraphQL and gRPC
OpenAPI DevToolsBrowser extension that generates API specs for any app or website Which to pick
Pick Insomnia if you want…
- Collaborative AI-native API testing
- Desktop API client
- Integrations with Kong Konnect, OIDC or SAML (on Insomnia's list, not OpenAPI DevTools')
Pick OpenAPI DevTools if you want…
- Live OpenAPI generation in the browser
- A free, open-source tool
- Integrations with Chrome DevTools (on OpenAPI DevTools' list, not Insomnia's)
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.
- OpenAPI DevTools:OpenAPI DevTools is a Chrome extension that generates OpenAPI 3.1 specs in real time from network requests.
- Best for
- Insomnia:Collaborative AI-native API testing
- OpenAPI DevTools:Live OpenAPI generation in the browser
- Who it’s for
- Insomnia:API developers, security-focused teams, and organizations needing collaborative API workflows.
- OpenAPI DevTools:Web developers who need to document APIs of any site or app quickly.
- Pricing
- Insomnia:Freemium
- OpenAPI DevTools:Free
- Open source
- Insomnia:Yes, 40,038 GitHub stars
- OpenAPI DevTools:Yes
- Works with
- Insomnia:Kong Konnect, OIDC, SAML, SCIM, Inso CLI
- OpenAPI DevTools:Chrome DevTools
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.
OpenAPI DevTools features
- Real-time spec generation. Creates an OpenAPI 3.1 specification instantly as network requests occur.
- Automatic merging. Merges new request/response headers, bodies and query parameters per endpoint automatically.
- Path-parameter assistance. Click a path parameter to merge existing and future matching requests.
- In-tool view & download. Shows the spec inside the extension and lets you download it with one click.
- Session export & sharing. Export a recording session at any time and share it with others.
Insomnia vs OpenAPI DevTools FAQ
Is Insomnia or OpenAPI DevTools free?+
Insomnia has a free plan and paid plans. OpenAPI DevTools is free.
Is Insomnia or OpenAPI DevTools open source?+
Yes, both are open source: Insomnia (Kong/insomnia on GitHub, Apache-2.0 license) and OpenAPI DevTools (AndrewWalsh/openapi-devtools on GitHub).
Do Insomnia and OpenAPI DevTools integrate with the same tools?+
Their integration lists don't overlap: Insomnia lists Kong Konnect, OIDC, SAML, SCIM and 1 more; OpenAPI DevTools lists Chrome DevTools.
On DevHunt
Based on each tool's website and DevHunt data. Details may change; check the official sites.