Compare software

Postman vs REST Client for VS Code: catalog facts
Postman	REST Client for VS Code
Freemium A free tier covers individual use with limits on collaborators, collection runs and…	Free Free and open source under the MIT licence.
Windows, macOS, Linux, Web, Browser extension	Windows, macOS, Linux
The most widely used API client, so collections and tutorials for it are everywhere Collections with environments, pre-request and test scripts, and a built-in runner	Requests stored as plain text .http files Responses shown directly in the editor
Built around a cloud workspace, and an account is effectively required Offline and local-only use has become harder over successive versions	Requires Visual Studio Code Focused on HTTP requests rather than full API test suites
Downloadable app, Web application, Browser extension	Downloadable app
Closed source	Open source
License not stated	License: MIT
Account needed	No account needed
Needs internet	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 21, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.