Clobbr

// Clobbr vs k6

The best k6 alternative for developers who want a GUI

k6 is great if you like writing JavaScript for every test. Clobbr is a desktop app plus CLI for everyone else. Load test REST, GraphQL, or any HTTP endpoint with a few clicks, get real result history, and keep every byte on your machine.

Download the Clobbr api speed test app on the App StoreDownload the Clobbr api speed test app on the Microsoft StoreGet Clobbr api speed test CLI from npmView or download Clobbr api speed test on Github

Why developers look for a k6 alternative

k6 is a capable OSS load tester and a good fit for scripted scenarios. But a lot of teams evaluating it walk away looking for something else for three recurring reasons:

  • No GUI. Every test is a JavaScript file you write, run, and re-read the logs for. Quick exploratory load testing becomes a context switch.
  • Dashboards live behind k6 Cloud. Result history, run comparison, and shareable reports push you toward a paid subscription and sending runs to Grafana Cloud.
  • GraphQL is a manual chore. k6 treats GraphQL as a plain POST, so you format the body, parse responses, and slice stats per operation yourself.

Clobbr goes the other direction: the GUI is the point, history is built in, GraphQL is auto-detected, and nothing leaves your machine.

Feature-by-feature: Clobbr vs k6

Here's how the two tools compare on the things developers actually hit during day-to-day load testing.

Clobbr vs k6 feature comparison
FeatureClobbrk6
Graphical UI for running & inspecting testsFull desktop app (macOS & Windows)CLI only; dashboards require k6 Cloud
Scripting required to run a testNo. Fill in URL, verb, headers, payload, run.Yes. JavaScript test scripts.
Native GraphQL supportYes. Auto-detects GraphQL and splits stats per operation.No. Write your own POST + JSON payload
Result history & comparison across runsBuilt in, browsable, tabular + chartsCLI stdout; history requires k6 Cloud or custom storage
CLI optionYes (@clobbr/cli on npm, CSV/JSON/YAML export)Yes, it's the primary interface
Where data livesOn your machine. Nothing is sent to a server.CLI local; k6 Cloud sends runs to Grafana Cloud
Pricing modelLifetime license (free CLI, Included on Setapp)OSS CLI free; k6 Cloud is subscription-based
Account requiredNoNo for OSS CLI; yes for k6 Cloud dashboards
CI/CD integrationYes (CLI with threshold-based exit codes)Yes, it's the primary use case
Learning curveMinutes. No scripting.Hours. JavaScript API + checks + thresholds to learn.

When k6 is still the right choice

We're not going to pretend k6 doesn't have a place. Reach for k6 if:

  • Your tests need scripted logic beyond "call this endpoint with these headers": stateful user journeys, think-time distributions, custom checks.
  • You've already standardized on k6 Cloud and Grafana dashboards and don't want to change tooling.
  • You need virtual-user models with ramping stages, or you want to drive load from k6's cloud regions.

For everything else, and especially if your main goal is "I want to know if this endpoint holds up under N requests", a GUI-first tool like Clobbr gets you there faster.

Migrating from k6 in five minutes

Most k6 tests map directly onto a Clobbr configuration. For each script you currently maintain, set up a Clobbr run with:

  • URL and verb. Copy from the http.get/post call in your script.
  • Headers. Paste from the headers object in your script. Dynamic values like bearer tokens can be pulled from a small inline script in Clobbr.
  • Payload. Drop the JSON body into Clobbr's built-in editor (autocomplete, validation, syntax highlighting).
  • Iterations. What would be --vus and --duration becomes number of iterations and a sequential-vs-parallel toggle.
  • Thresholds. Run in CI with the Clobbr CLI and gate on success rate or response time using standard exit codes.

The clobbr-ci-examples repo has ready-to-copy GitHub Actions and GitLab CI workflows.

// FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is Clobbr a drop-in replacement for k6?
For most load testing jobs, yes. If your tests are simple HTTP calls (REST, GraphQL, auth headers, payloads), Clobbr covers them without a script. If you rely on k6's scenario DSL, virtual users, or custom JavaScript logic inside test scripts, k6 stays the better fit.
Can I use Clobbr from the command line like k6?
Yes. The Clobbr CLI is on npm as @clobbr/cli. It supports the same request config as the GUI and exports results as CSV, JSON, or YAML, which makes it easy to wire into CI pipelines.
Does Clobbr support GraphQL load testing out of the box?
Yes. Clobbr auto-detects GraphQL based on the payload shape and splits stats per operation (query vs mutation) in the UI, so you don't have to script it yourself.
Where does Clobbr store test results?
Locally on your machine only. No data leaves the app. k6 OSS is the same, but if you use k6 Cloud, your runs and results are sent to Grafana Cloud.
How does Clobbr's pricing compare to k6?
Clobbr ships as a lifetime license, with no subscription. You buy the desktop app once and own it. The CLI is free on npm, and the app is also available Included on Setapp. k6 OSS is free, but k6 Cloud (the dashboard/history service) is a monthly subscription.
Can Clobbr run in CI/CD like k6?
Yes. The Clobbr CLI runs in any Node-capable CI and exits non-zero on threshold breach, the same shape as k6. Reference setups for GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, and CircleCI live at parsecph/clobbr-ci-examples.
When is k6 still the right choice?
Pick k6 if you're writing complex scenarios that need scripting (stepped ramp-up, think-time distributions, stateful user journeys), or if your team has already standardized on k6 Cloud. Clobbr wins when you want the fastest path to a first test, a GUI to inspect results, or local-only data handling.

// Related

Related pages

// Ship it

Try Clobbr

Free CLI, lifetime license for the desktop app. No subscription, no account, no cloud. Test an endpoint in under a minute.

Download the Clobbr api speed test app on the App StoreDownload the Clobbr api speed test app on the Microsoft StoreGet Clobbr api speed test CLI from npmView or download Clobbr api speed test on Github

Lifetime license · macOS, Windows, CLI · no subscription · available Included on Setapp