Bruno vs Hoppscotch
Hoppscotch is a fellow open-source API client, so this is a close comparison. The core difference: Bruno is local-first and Git-native - your collections are plain-text files on your own machine - while Hoppscotch organizes collections in workspaces that sync through Hoppscotch Cloud or a self-hosted instance, and cross-device sync and collaboration require an account.
The storage difference
Bruno stores collections as plain-text files on your filesystem and uses Git directly - no account, no server. Hoppscotch syncs collections through Hoppscotch Cloud or a self-hosted instance, and signing in is required to sync across devices. Hoppscotch on GitHub.
BrunoHow Collections Are Stored
Syncs collections through your cloud or local session storage; there is no native Git version control storing collections as plain-text files. See Hoppscotch on GitHub.
Stores your collections directly in a folder on your filesystem using a plain-text markup language, so you can use Git or any version control of your choice just as you would with code.
Accounts & Offline Use
You can make one-off requests without an account, but syncing collections across devices and team collaboration require signing in (GitHub, Google, Microsoft, email, or SSO).
Runs as a 100% local desktop application with no account or login, and works fully offline by design.
Open Source & Licensing
Hoppscotch is open source under the MIT license.
Bruno is open source on GitHub and free to use, with collections stored as plain-text files you fully own.
BrunoHow You Deploy & Collaborate
Offers web, PWA, desktop, and CLI, with collaboration through Hoppscotch Cloud or a self-hosted Community/Enterprise instance you run and maintain.
Is a desktop app that collaborates through Git - the same version control your team already uses for code - with no server to host or maintain.
Team Pricing
Cloud is free for individuals; team workspaces (Cloud for Organizations) cost $8/user/month ($6/user/month billed annually), and the self-hosted Enterprise edition (SSO, audit logs) starts at $19/user. See Hoppscotch pricing.
Is free and open source. Collaborating over Git costs nothing per seat, and commercial plans are optional.
BrunoProtocol Support
Supports REST, GraphQL, WebSocket, SSE, Socket.IO, and MQTT.
Supports HTTP, REST, GraphQL, gRPC, WebSocket, and more - all from a local desktop app.
BrunoSupport & SLAs
Community support on the free and Cloud tiers; dedicated support on the Organization plan and self-hosted Enterprise edition. See Hoppscotch pricing.
Free support for every user, typically with a response in under 4 hours - no paid tier required. Enterprise customers also get a dedicated Customer Success Engineer and SLAs.
When Bruno is the better choice
- ✓You want collections stored as plain-text files on your own machine, versioned with Git, rather than synced through a cloud or self-hosted server.
- ✓You want to work with no account or login at all.
- ✓You want zero infrastructure - no cloud service or self-hosted instance to run and maintain for collaboration.
- ✓You want team collaboration over Git with no per-seat fee.
When Hoppscotch may be the better choice
- •You want a browser-based, zero-install API client you can open from any device.
- •You want built-in real-time collaboration and cloud sync managed for you, rather than self-managing via Git.
- •You rely on protocols such as MQTT or Socket.IO that Hoppscotch supports out of the box.
Migrating from Hoppscotch to Bruno
Bruno doesn't import Hoppscotch's native format directly (its importers are Postman, Insomnia, OpenAPI, WSDL, and Git). If your API has an OpenAPI specification, importing that is the reliable path into Bruno.
- Obtain your API as an OpenAPI specification (JSON or YAML).
- In Bruno, click the + button and choose Import Collection.
- Select OpenAPI Specification and pick your file or URL.
- Save the imported collection to a folder in your repository, then commit and push so it's versioned with your code.
Ready to make the switch?
Download BrunoWe're Here for You
Whether you're a solo dev or a massive organization - Bruno is here for you. If you run into an issue, email us at support@usebruno.com and we'll get back in less than 4 hours. If you're interested in account management and customer success, contact our sales team.