Bruno

What Bruno does

Bruno is an open-source, Git-native API client built for individual developers and engineering teams who need to test, document, and automate HTTP, REST, GraphQL, gRPC, and WebSocket APIs without surrendering their data to a cloud platform. The product is a local-first desktop application (Electron-based, cross-platform for macOS, Windows, and Linux) that stores API collections as plain-text files using a proprietary Bru Markup Language (.bru) or the co-developed OpenCollection YAML specification, enabling native version control via Git and co-location of API tests within source repositories. Architectural differentiators include no mandatory account or login, no cloud sync, zero data egress, and a built-in Git UI with commit history, diff viewing, branch management, and merge conflict resolution; the product also extends to a VS Code extension, a CLI runner, official Docker images, and an official GitHub Action for CI/CD pipelines.

Bruno monetizes through a freemium model: a free, MIT-licensed open-source tier with unlimited local collection runs; a Pro subscription at $6/user/month (billed annually) adding private Git providers, unlimited workspaces, secret manager integrations, and a 24-hour support SLA; and an Ultimate enterprise tier at $11/user/month adding SSO/SCIM, audit logs, license management, a dedicated account manager, and PO/invoicing. Distribution is overwhelmingly self-serve through direct downloads, Homebrew, the VS Code Marketplace, and GitHub, with no disclosed external funding; the company (Bruno Software, Inc., Delaware-incorporated, Austin-based) reports 11–50 employees, ~20 of whom are publicly identified, including founder/CEO Anoop M D and COO Ryan Reynolds. Notable enterprise users cited on the company's logo wall include Microsoft, GitHub, Cisco, Capital One, Nike, FedEx, Oracle, Mercedes-Benz, and 7-Eleven, with SOC 2 Type I certification obtained to support enterprise procurement.

Name

Bruno

Legal name

Bruno Software, Inc.

Website

https://usebruno.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bruno provides an open-source, Git-native desktop API client that lets developers and engineering teams test, version-control, and automate API collections locally as plain-text files, with paid Pro and Ultimate subscription tiers for advanced Git and enterprise features.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

API Client Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (51321)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

B2B/EDI & Partner Integration (BPAMAOAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

GitOps & Continuous Delivery Operations (BPAEAKAN), Developer & Open-Source Communities (MPACAJAK)

Keywords

• API client software
• API testing tools
• Developer tools
• Open source software
• API development

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Pro Subscription: Priced at $6/user/month billed annually. Includes deeper Git integration (private repos, branch creation), automation features (collection runner), support SLA (24-hour response), and additional capabilities like unlimited workspaces and OpenAPI syncs.
2. Ultimate Subscription: Priced at $11/user/month billed annually. Includes all Pro features plus enterprise-grade integrations, license management with user management, audit logs, SSO/SCIM support, dedicated account manager, and custom DPA/Security Review options.
3. Open Source (Free Tier): Free and open-source under MIT license. Includes core API client functionality (HTTP, REST, GraphQL, gRPC), public Git repos, 2 workspaces, community support, and basic features like scripting, secret management, and OpenAPI import.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Bruno is a free, open-source desktop API client that lets developers run, test, manage, and version API collections locally, with collections stored as plain-text files (Bru Markup or OpenCollection YAML) that integrate natively with Git. The product supports HTTP, REST, GraphQL, gRPC, WebSocket, and SSE protocols without requiring any cloud sync or account, and ships a companion CLI, VS Code extension, GitHub Action, and Docker image for CI/CD workflows. Optional paid Pro ($6/user/month) and Ultimate ($11/user/month) subscriptions add deeper Git integration, license management with SSO/SCIM, audit logs, and enterprise support.

Product overview

Bruno is a Git-native, open-source API client application for developers to test and explore APIs. The core product is the Bruno desktop application, available as a free open-source version or paid Pro ($6/user/month) and Ultimate ($11/user/month) subscription tiers. The product portfolio includes the main desktop client, a VS Code extension, Bruno CLI for CI/CD integration, and official GitHub Action and Docker images for pipeline execution. Key features include local-first storage (no cloud sync, no account required), native Git integration for version-controlling collections as plain text files, workspace organization, and comprehensive protocol support (HTTP, REST, GraphQL, gRPC, WebSocket, SSE). Bruno competes with Postman and Insomnia, positioning itself as a lightweight, developer-first alternative focused on simplicity and data ownership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bruno Desktop Application (Open Source) Free, open-source cross-platform desktop API client (macOS, Windows, Linux) that stores collections as plain-text files for native Git version control, with support for HTTP, REST, GraphQL, gRPC, and WebSocket protocols and no mandatory cloud sync or account.
• Bruno VS Code Extension Official Visual Studio Code extension that integrates Bruno's API client functionality directly into the VS Code IDE for developers who work in Microsoft-based editor environments.
• Bruno CLI Command-line interface for running Bruno API collections in CI/CD pipelines, with collection runners, multiple reporters, environment files, and OAuth2 configuration support.
• Bruno GitHub Action Official GitHub Action for running Bruno collections directly within GitHub Actions workflows, enabling continuous API testing in CI/CD.
• Bruno CLI Docker Images Official Docker images for running Bruno API collections in container-based CI/CD pipelines for automated API testing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Bruno imposes no limit on local collection runs, compared to competitors limiting to 25 runs/month on free tiers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• GitHubcoreTechnology or IntegrationBruno has an official GitHub Action for running collections in GitHub Actions workflows. Collections can be imported from and synced with GitHub repositories. This integration is fundamental to Bruno's Git-native positioning.
• Microsoft (VS Code)coreTechnology or IntegrationBruno is available as an official VS Code extension on the Visual Studio Code Marketplace, enabling developers to access Bruno capabilities directly within the VS Code IDE environment.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Postman: The dominant API client platform and Bruno's primary competitor. Postman offers a cloud-synced, feature-rich API client with workspace collaboration, mock servers, and monitoring. Bruno positions itself as the local-first, Git-native, no-account-required alternative to Postman.
• Insomnia: A popular open-source API client (now under Kong) that, like Bruno, supports REST, GraphQL, and gRPC. Insomnia is a direct competitor in the developer API client space with both free and team/enterprise paid tiers.
• Hoppscotch: An open-source API development ecosystem (formerly Postwoman) that is a direct free-tier competitor to Bruno. Hoppscotch provides web, desktop, and CLI API clients and is widely used in the same developer community that Bruno targets.
• HTTPie: A command-line and desktop API client favored by developers for its simplicity. HTTPie competes with Bruno in the same 'lightweight, developer-friendly' API client category, particularly for CLI-first users.
• Apidog: An all-in-one API design, debugging, mocking, and testing platform that competes with Bruno and Postman. Apidog has gained traction with its integrated workflow and aggressive free tier, putting it in direct competition with Bruno's team and enterprise plans.
• Thunder Client: A lightweight REST API client built as a VS Code extension. Thunder Client overlaps directly with Bruno's VS Code extension and competes for the same IDE-resident API testing workflow.

Broad incumbents

• SoapUI: A long-standing, enterprise-focused API testing tool owned by SmartBear. SoapUI competes with Bruno in the API testing and validation space, particularly for SOAP/REST enterprise integration scenarios, but lacks Bruno's developer-first, Git-native positioning.
• ReadyAPI: SmartBear's commercial API testing suite, competing with Bruno in enterprise API testing and CI/CD integration. ReadyAPI is a broad incumbent with deeper enterprise feature sets but a heavier footprint and less developer community appeal.
• Katalon: A broader test automation platform that includes API testing capabilities. Katalon competes indirectly with Bruno's Ultimate tier in enterprise QA workflows but is positioned as a wider testing suite rather than a developer API client.

Regional players

• Paw: A macOS-native API client popular among Apple-platform developers. Paw is comparable to Bruno's desktop API client category but primarily serves the macOS segment and is not a direct cross-platform competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/use_bruno
• GitHubgithub.com/usebruno/bruno
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@brunoapi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/usebruno

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bruno