Kreya

Kreya is a desktop API client for developers working across gRPC, REST, GraphQL, WebSockets, and Server-Sent Events. It suits people who want to explore APIs and carry testing into CI/CD; the main trade-off is a free plan with only the latest request in its history and a paid tier for expanded testing and CLI features.

Overview

Kreya combines request exploration with testing and workflow automation in one desktop app. Its broad protocol coverage is useful when a project spans API styles, and support for watching and importing OpenAPI specs, GraphQL schemas, and protobufs ties requests to API definitions.

Projects are stored as structured JSON intended for Git diffs, reviews, and versioning. That makes Kreya a better fit for teams that want API work managed alongside code than for those seeking a standalone mock server: Kreya does not include one.

Key features

Beyond sending requests, Kreya supports scripted tests, snapshot tests, and a headless CLI for CI/CD that can produce JUnit reports. This gives developers a route from interactive work to automated checks, although scripting, snapshot testing, and the full-featured CLI are Pro features.

Imports from Postman and Insomnia collections, HAR, cURL, gRPCurl, and grpc web curl data can help move existing work into Kreya. Its reusable authentication vault covers OAuth 2.0, OIDC, Basic, API keys, mTLS, AWS SigV4, Kerberos, NTLM, and JWT Profile, a useful range for varied authentication setups.

Kreya says app data stays on the device and describes the product as privacy-first. Its privacy policy also says the app and CLI collect anonymized telemetry, so privacy-conscious users should weigh both claims. The product is not open source, and secret manager integration is marked as coming soon.

Pricing

The free tier costs free and is intended for individuals. Its key restriction is request history limited to the latest request, so it is best for occasional use rather than work that depends on reviewing past requests.

Pro costs $5 a month, billed monthly. It adds scripting and testing, collections and scripts, snapshot testing, a full-featured CLI, and email support. This is the relevant plan for developers who need those testing and automation features; the free tier gives them up.

Enterprise has custom pricing. It targets organizations with license administration, priority support, offline licensing, and unlimited-user flat-rate pricing. Pro support has a maximum reaction time of 48 business hours; Enterprise support has a maximum of 24 business hours. Free support through GitHub and email is best effort. Kreya offers a 10-day trial.

Platforms

Kreya runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows. Its headless CLI and CI/CD integration make it relevant to teams automating checks as well as developers using the desktop app.

Who it's for

Kreya is a strong fit for developers who need one client for several API protocols, import existing collections, and keep project work reviewable in Git. It is less suitable for users who need a mock server, secret manager integration now, or a longer request history without paying for Pro.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Supports five API protocols, giving mixed-protocol projects one place to work.
• Pro: Scripted and snapshot tests can run through a headless CLI in CI/CD with JUnit reports.
• Pro: Structured JSON projects are designed for Git diffs and reviews.
• Con: The free plan retains only the latest request, limiting its usefulness for reviewing request history.
• Con: Secret manager integration is not yet available, and Kreya has no mock server.
• Con: The app and CLI collect anonymized telemetry, despite the maker's on-device-data and privacy-first claims.

Alternatives

For a broader set of options, browse gRPC Tools, API Testing Tools, or API clients.

• grpcui is a free option for readers who want an open-source gRPC client instead of Kreya's multi-protocol desktop workflow.
• Bandura offers a free tier without paid seats or feature tiers, with a commercial licence available as a one-time purchase.
• FintX is worth considering for an open-source option with a free plan that includes unlimited gRPC clients and request auto-save.
• grpcmd is a free alternative for readers who prefer a command-line gRPC tool with request sending, server startup, reflection, and JavaScript scripting.
• ProtoCall offers a free app for GitHub imports and manually created workspaces.
• Evans is a free, open-source gRPC client for readers focused on that protocol.
• ghz is a free open-source gRPC load-testing CLI and Go package, a more focused choice for load testing.
• Mediator is a free, Apache-2.0-licensed cross-platform GUI gRPC debugging proxy.

Verdict

Choose Kreya if you need a cross-platform desktop client that spans API protocols and can take scripted or snapshot testing into CI/CD. Its Git-friendly projects and import options strengthen that case. Look elsewhere if a no-cost long request history, an available secret manager integration, or a mock server is essential; the free tier's history cap and Pro's monthly cost are the clearest reasons to hesitate.