Hoppscotch vs Insomnia: Which Should You Self-Host?

Quick Verdict

Hoppscotch is the better self-hosted option. It’s fully open-source (MIT), runs as a web application accessible from any browser, and includes team collaboration features in the free version. Insomnia is a desktop application that went through a controversial cloud-sync controversy in 2023 — while it’s still open-source (Apache 2.0), its self-hosted story is weaker since it’s primarily designed as a desktop app with optional cloud sync.

Updated February 2026: Verified with latest Docker images and configurations.

Overview

Hoppscotch is a web-based API development platform that runs in your browser. The self-hosted Community Edition gives you REST, GraphQL, WebSocket, MQTT, and SSE testing with shared collections and team workspaces. Everything runs on your server — no desktop app needed.

Insomnia is a desktop API client (Electron-based) that supports REST, GraphQL, gRPC, and WebSocket testing. In 2023, Kong (Insomnia’s owner) forced cloud sync, causing a community revolt. They reversed course, but the incident pushed many users toward alternatives. Self-hosting Insomnia means running the sync server — users still need the desktop app.

Feature Comparison

Feature	Hoppscotch	Insomnia
Platform	Web-based (browser)	Desktop app (Electron)
Self-hosted server	Yes (all-in-one Docker)	Partial (Inso CLI, no full server)
REST API testing	Yes	Yes
GraphQL	Yes (schema introspection)	Yes
WebSocket	Yes	Yes
gRPC	No	Yes
MQTT	Yes	No
SSE	Yes	No
Team workspaces	Yes (built-in)	Yes (requires cloud or Enterprise)
Collection sharing	Yes (server-side)	Via files or cloud sync
Environment variables	Yes	Yes
Pre-request scripts	Yes	Yes (Inso scripting)
Code generation	Yes	Yes
Design-first (OpenAPI)	No	Yes (built-in design editor)
Plugin system	No	Yes
Offline support	No (web app)	Yes (desktop app)
Mobile access	Yes (responsive web)	No
Docker deployment	Single all-in-one image	No official server image
License	MIT	Apache 2.0

Installation Complexity

Hoppscotch has a straightforward Docker deployment:

services:
  hoppscotch:
    image: hoppscotch/hoppscotch:2026.2.1
    container_name: hoppscotch
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "3000:80"
    environment:
      - DATABASE_URL=postgresql://hoppscotch:pass@db:5432/hoppscotch
      - DATA_ENCRYPTION_KEY=your-32-char-key-here
      - ENABLE_SUBPATH_BASED_ACCESS=true
    depends_on:
      - db

  db:
    image: postgres:16-alpine
    environment:
      - POSTGRES_USER=hoppscotch
      - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=pass
      - POSTGRES_DB=hoppscotch
    volumes:
      - hoppscotch_db:/var/lib/postgresql/data

Insomnia doesn’t have a self-hosted server equivalent. The desktop app can be used without an account (local-only mode), but team collaboration requires either Kong’s cloud or file-based sharing. There’s no Docker image for an Insomnia server.

Hoppscotch wins definitively on self-hosting capability.

Performance and Resource Usage

Metric	Hoppscotch (server)	Insomnia (desktop)
Server RAM	500 MB–2 GB	N/A (desktop app)
Client RAM	Browser tab (~100 MB)	200–500 MB (Electron)
Startup time	Instant (browser tab)	3–5 seconds
Disk usage	1 GB (server)	500 MB (desktop install)
Works without install	Yes (any browser)	No (requires install)

Community and Support

Metric	Hoppscotch	Insomnia
GitHub stars	68,000+	35,000+
License concerns	None (MIT)	Cloud-sync controversy (2023)
Update frequency	Monthly	Monthly
Community trust	High	Damaged (recovered partially)

Use Cases

Choose Hoppscotch If…

• You want a fully self-hosted API testing platform
• Team collaboration without cloud dependencies matters
• You prefer web-based tools accessible from any device
• MQTT or SSE testing is needed
• You want MIT licensing with no strings attached

Choose Insomnia If…

• You need gRPC testing (Hoppscotch doesn’t support it)
• You prefer a desktop application with offline support
• OpenAPI design-first workflow is important
• You need the plugin ecosystem
• Local-only mode (no server needed) is sufficient

Final Verdict

For self-hosting, Hoppscotch is the clear winner — it’s the only one that actually has a self-hosted server with team features. Insomnia is a fine desktop API client for individual use, but its self-hosting story is essentially non-existent. If gRPC support is critical, Insomnia is your only option among these two. For everything else, Hoppscotch provides a more modern, team-friendly, and truly self-hosted experience.

Related

• How to Self-Host Hoppscotch
• Best Self-Hosted Development Tools
• Self-Hosted Alternatives to Postman
• Self-Hosted Alternatives to GitHub Codespaces
• How to Self-Host Code Server
• Code Server vs OpenVSCode Server