Side by side
BBC Consumer Contracts vs Pact Broker
Both stand on contract testing tools. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Choose BBC Consumer Contracts if you need a free, self-hosted way to express consumer expectations as executable JavaScript API checks. Its request and Joi integrations cover response codes, headers, and JSON bodies, with both command-line and programmatic execution. Consider another option if your runtime does not meet the Node.js and pnpm requirements or you need a non-JavaScript contract format.
Visit BBC Consumer ContractsPact Broker supports contract sharing and verification within CI workflows, with a compatibility check before deployment. The free self-hosted option puts hosting and ongoing operations on the user; PactFlow plans are also listed.
Visit Pact BrokerThe facts
| BBC Consumer Contracts | Pact Broker | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Self-hosted | API, Linux, Self-hosted, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Team (yearly, PactFlow): $115.42 a month |
| Plans published | 1 | 5 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | github.com | github.com |
| On contract testing tools | #6 of 22 | #10 of 22 |
BBC Consumer Contracts: what it does well
- Checks response status codes, headers, and JSON bodies.
- Joi schemas validate API response content.
- Optional functions support contract setup and cleanup.
- CLI can run a directory or one contract file.
- Programmatic validation processes every contract in an array.
What to know first
- Requires Node.js 18 or later and pnpm 10 or later.
- Contracts use JavaScript format.
- Default maximum retries is zero.
Pact Broker: what it does well
- Compatibility matrix checks deployable consumer-provider versions.
- REST API supports publishing and retrieving pacts.
- Webhooks can trigger actions when pacts change.
- Self-hosted broker is open-source and free.
- Docker images support linux/amd64 and linux/arm64.
What to know first
- Self-hosted users handle security, maintenance and upgrades.
- SQLite is not supported for long-term broker operation.
- Team plans cost $115.42 a month billed yearly or $127 a month billed monthly.
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