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Lightweight REST client for VS Code API testing

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Reviews onG2
15 reviews tracked

The Bottom Line

Entry price

Free plan available, paid tiers above

Biggest pro

VS Code REST client

Biggest con

VS Code only

TL;DR - Thunder Client

  • Thunder Client is a lightweight REST API client for VS Code
  • It provides request testing with collections and environments inline
  • Free for basic use, paid for team features
Pricing: Free plan available
Best for: Growing teams
4.3/5 across review platforms

What is Thunder Client?

Editorial review
Thunder Client brings REST client simplicity to VS Code. API testing without leaving your editor-lightweight alternative to Postman. The VS Code integration is seamless. The interface is clean. The features cover most needs. Developers wanting quick API testing in VS Code use Thunder Client for lightweight requests.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • VS Code REST client
  • Lightweight
  • Free tier good
  • Active development
  • Good UI

Cons

  • VS Code only
  • Limited features
  • Team features paid
  • Better alternatives exist
  • Feature gaps

Ratings Across the Web

4.3(15 reviews)

Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more

Key Features

API clientVS Code extensionLightweightCollectionsEnvironmentFree

Pricing Plans

Free Trial

Pricing checked May 29, 2026

Free

Free

Non-commercial use

  • 30 collection runs/user
  • Basic extension features
  • Community support
Most Popular

Starter

$3/month per user

Billed annually, up to 10 seats

  • 250 collection runs/user
  • CLI & CI/CD
  • WebSocket/SSE/gRPC
  • Team features

Business

$7/month per user

Billed annually

  • 500 collection runs/user
  • All Starter features
  • Invoice payment option
  • Larger team scaling

Enterprise

$16/month per user

Billed annually

  • Unlimited collection runs
  • Priority support
  • Offline activation
  • Enterprise SSO
  • Secrets manager integration

How Thunder Client's pricing compares

At $3/mo, Thunder Client is the most affordable of its 2 direct competitors.

Thunder Client
$3

Entry paid plan, monthly. Pricing checked May 29, 2026.

Reviews

4.3/5

Across 15 verified user reviews on G2

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Thunder Client FAQ

Is Thunder Client free?

Yes, there's a free version with core features. The Pro tier costs just $3/month and adds team features like collections sync and environment sharing.

What is Thunder Client?

Thunder Client is a lightweight REST API testing extension for VS Code. It's essentially a Postman alternative that runs right inside your code editor, which many developers find more convenient.

Thunder Client vs Postman?

Thunder Client integrates directly into VS Code, while Postman is a standalone app. If you live in VS Code, Thunder Client is more streamlined. Postman has more advanced features but requires context switching.

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