API Spector vs Bruno
Short version: Bruno and API Spector share a philosophy: local-first, offline, Git-friendly, no mandatory account. Bruno is a focused, lightweight API client. API Spector covers the same ground and adds mock servers, contract testing, and export to real test code.
What Bruno is
Bruno is an open-source, offline-first API client that stores each request as a
plain-text file (its .bru markup) in a folder you keep in Git. It rejected the
cloud-account model on principle and is popular with developers who want a fast,
simple client whose collections live in the repo. Its scope is intentionally
narrow: it is a very good request client.
Side by side
| API Spector | Bruno | |
|---|---|---|
| Local-first / offline | Yes | Yes |
| Account required | No | No |
| Storage | Files (Git-friendly) | Files, .bru markup (Git-friendly) |
| Secret managers | Vault, AWS, Azure, GCP, 1Password (+ AES-256-GCM local) | Env files, .env, secret vars |
| GraphQL query builder | Yes, introspection-driven | Yes |
| SOAP + WSDL loader | Yes, load a WSDL and generate the envelope | No |
| Export to test code | Robot Framework, Playwright, Karate, REST Assured, supertest | Not a focus |
| Mock servers | Yes (local and cloud) | No |
| Contract testing | Built in, Pact-compatible | No |
| OpenAPI test coverage | Yes, with a CI gate | No |
| Protocols | HTTP/REST, GraphQL (+ subscriptions), SOAP/WSDL, WebSocket, Socket.IO, MQTT, SSE, gRPC (unary + server streaming) | HTTP/REST, GraphQL, gRPC |
| Visual flows | Yes, chain requests on a canvas | No |
| Fuzz testing | Yes, spec-driven, built in | No |
| Scope | Client + mocks + contracts + code export | Focused request client |
Where API Spector fits
Bruno and API Spector agree on the fundamentals, so the choice is about scope.
- Author faster. An introspection-driven GraphQL query builder, a SOAP WSDL loader that fills in the envelope, nested environments that inherit with
Extends, and Vault / AWS / Azure / GCP / 1Password secret references, all built in - no plugins. - More of the workflow in one place. If you also need mock servers, visual flows, fuzz testing, contract testing, or to generate runnable tests, API Spector covers those without adding another tool.
- Export to standard frameworks. Turn a collection into Robot Framework, Playwright, Karate, REST Assured, or supertest.
- Optional cloud when you want it. Hosted mocks, monitors, and a contract broker are available but never required.
API Spector is a European alternative that never gates structure: unlimited workspaces, collections and environments, where Bruno's paid tiers gate things like the number of workspaces. Built in Europe, local-first (your data stays on your machine), with the optional cloud hosted in the EU.
Pricing
Both have a free client. API Spector Cloud adds the hosted side (mocks, monitors, contracts) at Pro €12/user/mo or Team €19/user/mo with SSO in Team; Bruno's paid tiers are client features only. Compare total cost.
Choose Bruno if
- You want the leanest possible local client and nothing more.
- You specifically prefer its
.brutext format, or you already use gRPC in it.
Choose API Spector if
- You want the same local-first, Git-friendly approach but also need mocking, contract testing, or test-code generation.
- You want a single tool for the request-to-contract-to-CI workflow.