Alternatives to websocat

A command-line WebSocket client and server, like netcat or curl for ws:// with socat-style features. 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 websocat.

  • WebSocket King

    A web-based client for connecting to, testing and debugging WebSocket servers.

    FreeProprietaryWeb

    WebSocket King tests WebSocket servers in the browser with nothing to install, but is not open source and cannot be used in pipes or shell scripts.

  • Hoppscotch

    A fast API client that runs in a browser tab, with a self-hostable workspace if you want one.

    FreemiumOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxWebSelf-hosted

    Hoppscotch tests WebSocket endpoints from a browser tab or desktop app under MIT, but offers no piping into shell scripts or socat-style stream bridging.

  • Firecamp

    An open-source API client for testing REST, GraphQL, WebSocket and Socket.IO requests in the browser.

    FreeOpen sourceWeb

    Firecamp is an open-source browser client covering WebSocket and Socket.IO with a guest mode, trading scripting in pipes for a graphical interface.

  • 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 graphical Apache-2.0 client supporting WebSockets alongside REST, GraphQL and gRPC, though it cannot act as a WebSocket server or work in pipes.

  • 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 WebSocket support plus REST, GraphQL and gRPC, trading command-line scripting for a graphical interface.

  • kulala.nvim

    A Neovim plugin for sending HTTP, GraphQL, gRPC and WebSocket requests from .http files.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxCommand line

    kulala.nvim sends WebSocket requests from .http files inside Neovim under MIT, keeping work in the editor but losing server mode and shell pipelines.

  • Kreya

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

    FreemiumProprietaryWindowsmacOSLinux

    Kreya is a closed-source freemium desktop client supporting WebSocket along with gRPC, REST and SSE, using a graphical interface instead of the terminal.

Also worth comparing

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

  • netcat

    The original TCP and UDP swiss army knife.

    FreeOpen sourcemacOSLinuxCommand line

    websocat applies the netcat model to WebSocket connections, with socat-style bridging between WebSockets and other streams from the command line.

  • Packet Sender

    A utility for sending and receiving TCP, UDP, SSL and DTLS packets to test network services.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxCommand line

    websocat covers WebSocket connections specifically from the command line, working in pipes and scripts, rather than plain TCP, UDP, SSL and DTLS packets.

  • socat

    Multipurpose relay that connects almost any two data channels.

    FreeOpen sourcemacOSLinuxCommand line

    websocat offers socat-style bridging focused on WebSockets, useful for ws:// endpoints in scripts, rather than connecting arbitrary channel types.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.