Side by side
gRPC CLI vs grpcui
Both stand on grpc tools. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan LinuxMacWindows
Choose gRPC CLI if you need a free command-line tool for inspecting gRPC services and making unary calls, and can build it from source. Its documented core does not include streaming RPC calls, and the documentation describes grpcurl as better maintained.
Visit gRPC CLI Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted+2
grpcui offers a browser-based way to build and inspect gRPC requests, including support for several schema sources and transport options. Its all-at-once streaming constraint matters for developers working with bidirectional streams.
Visit grpcuiThe facts
| gRPC CLI | grpcui | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac, Windows | Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | grpc.github.io | github.com |
| On grpc tools | #5 of 24 | #9 of 24 |
gRPC CLI: what it does well
- Makes unary RPC calls to gRPC servers.
- Attaches request metadata and displays returned metadata.
- Handles common server authentication.
- Lists services and methods using server reflection.
- Uses local proto files when reflection is unavailable.
What to know first
- Must be built from the gRPC source repository.
- Documentation says it is not yet user-friendly.
- Streaming RPC support is listed as desired, not core functionality.
- Documentation says grpcurl is better maintained.
grpcui: what it does well
- Free and released under the MIT license
- Discovers schemas through reflection or proto files
- Supports mutual TLS with client certificates
- Displays response headers, messages, errors, and trailers
- Provides Go packages for embedding its UI
What to know first
- Bidirectional streams cannot be handled interactively
- Streaming requests must be constructed all at once
- Designed for gRPC APIs, not REST APIs
Alternatives to gRPC CLI Alternatives to grpcui The whole list