Alternatives to grpcurl

Call gRPC services from the terminal using JSON input. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as grpcurl.

  • Kreya

    Desktop client for gRPC, REST, GraphQL, WebSocket and SSE APIs.

    FreemiumProprietaryWindowsmacOSLinux

    Kreya is a desktop client with gRPC and server reflection support plus a graphical interface, but it is not open source and some features are paid.

  • Insomnia

    An API client for REST, GraphQL and gRPC that can keep everything local or sync through Git instead of a cloud.

    FreemiumOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    Insomnia is a desktop GUI supporting gRPC alongside REST and GraphQL, open source under Apache-2.0, though most features expect an account.

  • Yaak

    An offline-first API client for REST, GraphQL, gRPC, WebSockets and SSE, with requests stored as files you can commit to git.

    FreemiumOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    Yaak is an MIT licensed desktop client with gRPC support and requests stored as git-committable files, replacing terminal use with a GUI.

  • Bruno

    An API client that saves collections as plain files in a folder, so Git handles the sharing instead of a cloud account.

    FreemiumOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    Bruno is an MIT licensed desktop client with gRPC support and file-based collections, plus a command line runner for continuous integration.

  • Postman

    The most widely used API client, for sending HTTP requests, organising them into collections and sharing them with a team.

    FreemiumProprietaryWindowsmacOSLinuxWeb

    Postman is a closed source graphical API client with team collections, built around a cloud workspace that effectively requires an account.

  • Evans

    An interactive command-line gRPC client with a REPL mode for exploring and calling services.

    FreeOpen sourceCommand line

    Evans adds an interactive REPL with guided request field input for gRPC, while keeping a command-line mode for scripting like grpcurl.

  • grpcui

    A command-line tool that opens an interactive browser interface for sending requests to gRPC servers.

    FreeOpen sourceWebCommand line

    grpcui, from the same kind of command-line launch, opens browser forms for calling gRPC methods instead of passing JSON in the terminal.

  • httpYac

    A command-line and VS Code client for sending HTTP, GraphQL, SOAP and gRPC requests from files.

    FreeOpen sourceCommand line

    httpYac sends gRPC as well as REST, SOAP and GraphQL requests from text files via CLI or VS Code, with the same files usable in CI.

Also worth comparing

These listings name grpcurl as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.

  • Warthog

    A cross-platform desktop GUI client for calling and testing gRPC services.

    FreeProprietaryWindowsmacOSLinux

    grpcurl calls gRPC services from the terminal using JSON input, is open source under MIT, but needs proto or protoset files for servers without reflection.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.