Side by side
API Dash vs Thunder Client
Both stand on api clients. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan iPhoneLinuxMac+1
API Dash provides broad protocol coverage, request organization, response inspection, imports, and code generation at no stated cost. Buyers needing a named security certification should note that none is listed.
Visit API Dash
Free plan ExtensionLinuxMac+1
Choose Thunder Client if you want an API client inside your IDE, with local data storage and graphical response validation. Teams needing encrypted environment values or secret manager connections need Enterprise. Starter and Business have monthly local collection-run limits per user.
Visit Thunder ClientThe facts
| API Dash | Thunder Client | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | iPhone, Linux, Mac, Windows | Extension, Linux, Mac, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Starter: $3 per user a month |
| Plans published | 1 | 4 |
| Maker | Not published | Thunder Client |
| Website | apidash.dev | thunderclient.com |
| On api clients | #18 of 38 | #14 of 38 |
API Dash: what it does well
- Supports HTTP, GraphQL, WebSocket, MQTT, and gRPC
- Generates code for ten listed languages
- Imports Postman, cURL, Insomnia, OpenAPI, and HAR
- Runs on macOS, Windows, Linux, and iOS
- Free and Apache-2.0 licensed
What to know first
- No gRPC support is marked in the product comparison
- No security certification or compliance standard is stated
- App data is persisted locally on disk
Thunder Client: what it does well
- Works inside VS Code and JetBrains IDEs.
- Validates responses through a GUI without scripts.
- Stores requests and client data locally, with no cloud sync.
- Collections can be shared through a Git repository.
- Enterprise connects to Azure Key Vault and AWS Secrets Manager.
What to know first
- The free plan is for VS Code.
- Free, Starter, and Business store environment values in plain text.
- A 14-day trial is available only with a business email address.
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