# Postman vs Thunder Client (2026): which to pick

> Postman vs Thunder Client: Pick Postman for a standalone app with a full free plan for one user. Pick Thunder Client if you want to test APIs without…

Canonical: https://porticol.app/compare/postman-vs-thunder-client
Last updated: 2026-10-20

Pick Postman for a standalone app with a full free plan for one user. Pick Thunder Client if you want to test APIs without leaving VS Code or a JetBrains editor, with paid plans from $3 and MCP on the free plan.

## Choose Postman if

- You want a standalone app, not an editor panel.
- You need more than three collections without paying.
- You want hosted mocks and monitoring.

## Choose Thunder Client if

- You live in VS Code or a JetBrains editor.
- You want the cheapest paid plan, from $3 a user.
- You want MCP on the free plan.

- Postman Team, 10 people **$2,280** a year
- Thunder Client Business, 10 people **$840** a year

## Where they differ

## Price

For a team of 10, a year of Postman Team costs $2,280 and Thunder Client Business $840, so Thunder Client Business saves $1,440.

- **Postman**: Free for one user [1]; Solo $9 a month, Team $19 a user a month, billed annually [1]
- **Thunder Client**: Free for three collections of up to 30 requests [2]; Starter $3, Business $7, Enterprise $16 a user a month, billed annually [2]

## Where your work lives

Postman keeps work on your computer only in some setups, while Thunder Client keeps your work on your computer.

- **Postman**: Workspaces live in Postman Cloud; the lightweight client keeps its own work locally [3]; Partly: the lightweight API Client sends requests signed out; collections and environments need an account [3]
- **Thunder Client**: Yes, on your device [4]; Not stated [2]

## Collections in Git

Postman keeps collections in Git, while Thunder Client syncs with Git only on some plans or setups.

- **Postman**: Yes, with Native Git in the desktop app, synced to Postman Cloud [5]
- **Thunder Client**: On paid plans, with Git Sync [6]

## CI and the command line

Postman has a CLI for CI, while Thunder Client has a CLI only on some plans or setups.

- **Postman**: Yes, the Postman CLI [1]
- **Thunder Client**: On paid plans [2]

## Side by side

|  | Postman | Thunder Client |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free plan | Free for one user [1] | Free for three collections of up to 30 requests [2] |
| Paid plans | Solo $9 a month, Team $19 a user a month, billed annually [1] | Starter $3, Business $7, Enterprise $16 a user a month, billed annually [2] |
| Use it without an account | Partly: the lightweight API Client sends requests signed out; collections and environments need an account [3] | Not stated [2] |
| Collections kept on your computer | Workspaces live in Postman Cloud; the lightweight client keeps its own work locally [3] | Yes, on your device [4] |
| Collections as files in Git | Yes, with Native Git in the desktop app, synced to Postman Cloud [5] | On paid plans, with Git Sync [6] |
| MCP server for coding agents | Yes, the Postman MCP Server [1] | Yes, on the free plan too [2] |
| CLI for CI | Yes, the Postman CLI [1] | On paid plans [2] |

Every fact comes from each app's own pages, checked on 20 Oct 2026. The numbers link to the sources at the end.

## What each does better

### Where Postman is stronger

- Postman's plans include AI credits and an Agent Mode that automates API workflows inside the app. [1]
- Its free plan includes mock servers and 1,000 monitoring requests a month. [1]

### Where Thunder Client is stronger

- Its free plan includes the Thunder Client MCP server. [2]
- Its paid plans start at $3 a user a month. [2]

## Or skip both: Porticol

Porticol keeps your work on your computer and keeps collections in Git, and opened its first window in 0.24 s in our benchmark. Free for one seat.

## Questions

**Do Postman and Thunder Client keep collections on your computer?**

Postman: Workspaces live in Postman Cloud; the lightweight client keeps its own work locally. Thunder Client: Yes, on your device.

**Do Postman and Thunder Client work with Git?**

Postman: Yes, with Native Git in the desktop app, synced to Postman Cloud. Thunder Client: On paid plans, with Git Sync.

**Do Postman and Thunder Client have a CLI for CI?**

Postman: Yes, the Postman CLI. Thunder Client: On paid plans.

**How much do Postman and Thunder Client cost?**

Postman: Free for one user; Solo $9 a month, Team $19 a user a month, billed annually. Thunder Client: Free for three collections of up to 30 requests; Starter $3, Business $7, Enterprise $16 a user a month, billed annually. For a team of 10, a year of Postman Team costs $2,280 and Thunder Client Business $840, so Thunder Client Business saves $1,440.

**Is there an alternative to both Postman and Thunder Client?**

Yes, Porticol. Porticol keeps your work on your computer and keeps collections in Git, and opened its first window in 0.24 s in our benchmark. Free for one seat.

## Sources

1. [www.postman.com/pricing/](https://www.postman.com/pricing/)
2. [www.thunderclient.com/pricing](https://www.thunderclient.com/pricing)
3. [learning.postman.com/docs/getting-started/basics/using-api-client/](https://learning.postman.com/docs/getting-started/basics/using-api-client/)
4. [docs.thunderclient.com/get-started](https://docs.thunderclient.com/get-started)
5. [learning.postman.com/docs/use/native-git/overview](https://learning.postman.com/docs/use/native-git/overview)
6. [docs.thunderclient.com/team](https://docs.thunderclient.com/team)

## Related comparisons

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- [Porticol vs Postman](https://porticol.app/compare/postman)
- [Porticol vs Thunder Client](https://porticol.app/compare/thunder-client)
- [The best Postman alternative](https://porticol.app/postman-alternative)