Comparison · as of October 2026
Swastik Codes vs Bruno
Bruno keeps collections as files in your Git repo; Swastik Codes runs in the browser with hosted services. Here is how they compare as of October 2026.
Bruno and Swastik Codes come from opposite philosophies. Bruno is a desktop API client that describes itself as Git-friendly and offline-first: collections are plain-text files that live next to your code, and its README states that it is offline-only with no plans to add cloud sync. Swastik Codes is a browser-based platform: you open a URL, and hosted services such as mock servers, monitors, published docs and team reviews are part of the product. Both are good tools. Which one suits you depends mostly on where you want your collections to live. Everything below is accurate as of October 2026, based on Bruno's documentation, repository and pricing page.
Short verdict. Choose Bruno if you want collections stored as files in your own Git repository, reviewed in your usual pull requests, with no account and no cloud, and if you need to call localhost. Choose Swastik Codes if you want to work from any browser without installing anything, need hosted mock servers, scheduled monitors or published docs, or want Socket.IO, SSE, MQTT and MCP clients in the same tool.
At a glance
| Swastik Codes | Bruno (as of October 2026) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Web app at swastik.codes, plus a desktop app for Windows and Linux (macOS coming) | Desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux |
| Size and memory | 11 MB Windows installer; 434 MB of memory a minute after launch in our test | 117 MB Windows installer; 615 MB of memory in the same test |
| Storage and sync | Local workspaces in your browser; cloud workspaces sync with your account | Plain-text collection files on your file system; offline-only, no cloud sync |
| Protocols | HTTP/REST, GraphQL, WebSocket, Socket.IO, SSE, gRPC, MQTT, MCP | HTTP/REST, GraphQL, gRPC, WebSocket (WebSocket since version 2.13.0) |
| Scripting | Pre-request and test scripts with the swc.* API; Postman's pm.* runs as is | Pre-request, post-response and test scripts with Bruno's own JavaScript API |
| Test runner | Collection runner with iterations and CSV/JSON data; load tests | Collection Runner |
| Mock servers | Hosted mock servers from saved examples | Not covered in the documentation we checked |
| Monitors | Scheduled runs with email and webhook alerts | Not covered in the documentation we checked |
| API design | OpenAPI 3, Swagger 2, AsyncAPI editor with linting and versions | OpenAPI sync (limited per month on the free edition) |
| Docs publishing | Published documentation per collection | Documentation feature listed on the pricing page |
| Collaboration | Teams, roles, comments, forks, pull requests, reviews in the app | Through Git: collections are files you commit and review |
| Import / export | Postman, Insomnia, OpenAPI, Swagger, cURL, HAR, RAML, WSDL; exports Postman and OpenAPI | Imports Postman v2.0/v2.1 collections, translating common pm.* calls |
| CLI | swc CLI for CI runs and code scanning (Linux, Windows) | bru CLI (@usebruno/cli on npm) |
| Licence / pricing | Proprietary; free to use today, no paid plans | MIT-licensed open-source edition; paid Pro and Ultimate plans (checked 22 October 2026) |
Where Bruno is the better fit
- Collections in your repository. Bruno stores each request as a readable text file. You review API changes in the same pull request as the code that changed the API, and nothing is stored on a vendor's servers. If that is your main requirement, Bruno is designed for it.
- No account at all. Bruno does not need an account to use. The Swastik Codes web app needs a free account; its desktop app and CLI do not.
- Local and private targets. A desktop app can call
localhostand hosts inside your VPN. The Swastik Codes web app sends requests through its server, which refuses loopback and private addresses; the Swastik Codes desktop app for Windows and Linux reaches them from your machine. - CLI for CI. The
bruCLI runs collections in pipelines. Swastik Codes has no published CLI today. - Open source. Bruno's core is MIT licensed, so you can read and change the code.
Where Swastik Codes fits
- Zero install. Open swastik.codes/app from any machine. That helps when you cannot install desktop software, or when you want to show a teammate a request without asking them to clone a repository.
- Hosted services. Create a mock server from saved examples and get a public URL your front-end team can call. Schedule monitors that run a collection on a cron schedule and alert by email or signed webhook. Publish API documentation for a collection.
- Review inside the tool. People who do not use Git every day, such as QA engineers or product managers, can still propose changes: fork a collection, edit it and open a pull request that others approve. See collaboration.
- More protocols. In addition to HTTP, GraphQL, gRPC and WebSocket, Swastik Codes has Socket.IO, Server-Sent Events, MQTT and MCP clients.
- Postman scripts stay as they are. Swastik Codes runs the
pm.*API directly (it is the same object as its ownswc.*), so imported Postman tests keep their original form. Converting them toswc.*is optional and reversible: exporting to Postman writespm.*back. See API testing. - Load testing. Load tests run a collection with virtual users and fixed, ramp-up, spike or peak profiles, and report latency percentiles.
Git workflows in Swastik Codes
Swastik Codes is not file-based in the way Bruno is, but you are not locked in. You can download a workspace as a ZIP with one JSON file per collection and environment, commit it to a repository, and import it back later with a preview of what changes. Collections export as Postman Collection v2.1 or OpenAPI 3 as well. Inside the app, every collection keeps a version history you can restore from.
Moving between the two
Bruno and Swastik Codes both read Postman Collection v2.1, which makes it a convenient exchange format:
- From Postman to Swastik Codes: export from Postman and import into Swastik Codes. See importing a Postman collection.
- From Swastik Codes to Bruno: export a collection as Postman v2.1 from Swastik Codes and import it into Bruno.
- From Bruno to Swastik Codes: export the collection from Bruno in Postman format if your Bruno version offers that, then import it into Swastik Codes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Swastik Codes offline-first like Bruno?
Not in the browser: the web app needs an internet connection and a free account, because the swastik.codes server sends requests for you. The desktop app works without an account and keeps local workspaces on your computer. If offline work is essential, Bruno is the better fit.
Can Swastik Codes store collections in Git?
Indirectly. You can export a workspace as a ZIP of JSON files, commit it, and import it back with a change preview. Bruno's native file-based storage is more direct for Git-centric teams.
Does Swastik Codes have mock servers and monitors that Bruno lacks?
Swastik Codes includes hosted mock servers and scheduled monitors. We did not find either feature in Bruno's documentation as of October 2026, but check Bruno's current docs if you depend on them.
Which tool is free?
Both have free options. Bruno has an MIT-licensed open-source edition and paid Pro and Ultimate plans. Swastik Codes is free to use today with no paid plans; create a free account to start.
Spotted something out of date? Email support@swastik.codes and we will correct it.