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oha vs Vegeta

Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.

oha

Open source · MIT

A command-line tool that sends many HTTP requests to a web server and shows live results.

Full review Website
Vegeta

Open source · MIT

Command-line and Go library for sending steady HTTP request loads to test how servers hold up.

Full review Website

The short answer

Choose oha if you need…

  • Developers checking how an API or website handles many simultaneous requests
  • Backend engineers comparing performance before and after a change
  • People who prefer a terminal tool with a live view over reading raw output
  • Users who want to set a request rate limit or test over HTTP/2

Choose Vegeta if you need…

  • Backend developers checking how an HTTP API behaves under a fixed request rate
  • Teams that want a scriptable, UNIX-style load testing command
  • Go developers who want to embed load tests in their own programs
  • Engineers running distributed load tests across several machines

Side-by-side

ohaVegeta
TypeCLICLI
PriceFree and open sourceFree and open source
LicenceMITMIT
GitHub stars10.7k25.2k
Setup difficultyBeginnerIntermediate
How you get itInstall with a package managerInstall with a package manager
Main languageRustGo
Last code update4 days ago43 days ago

What each one is

oha

oha is a command-line program that sends a large number of HTTP requests to a web address to see how it performs under load. While it runs, it shows a live terminal display with progress and results. It is written in Rust and is inspired by the older hey tool.

Vegeta

Vegeta is a tool for load testing HTTP services. You tell it a target URL and a request rate, and it sends requests at that steady pace, then reports on response times and success rates. It works as a command-line program that pipes results into reports and plots, and as a Go library you can call from your own code.

Best for

oha

  • Developers checking how an API or website handles many simultaneous requests
  • Backend engineers comparing performance before and after a change
  • People who prefer a terminal tool with a live view over reading raw output
  • Users who want to set a request rate limit or test over HTTP/2

Vegeta

  • Backend developers checking how an HTTP API behaves under a fixed request rate
  • Teams that want a scriptable, UNIX-style load testing command
  • Go developers who want to embed load tests in their own programs
  • Engineers running distributed load tests across several machines

Strengths

oha

  • Live terminal display shows progress while the test runs
  • Many options cover headers, bodies, authentication, TLS certificates and HTTP versions
  • Available through several package managers and as pre-built binaries for major operating systems

Vegeta

  • Sends requests at a constant rate, and the README says it avoids Coordinated Omission, a common measurement error
  • Works both as a command-line tool and as a Go library
  • Simple to install on macOS, Arch Linux, FreeBSD, or via pre-compiled binaries

Not ideal for

oha

  • Testing a whole user journey across many steps, since the README describes sending requests to a URL rather than scripted scenarios
  • Anyone needing a graphical interface, since the tool is terminal-based
  • Testing live production systems without permission, because heavy load can cause outages

Vegeta

  • People who need to test non-HTTP protocols, since the README only describes HTTP services
  • Users who want a graphical interface, since the README describes only command-line and library usage
  • Anyone unfamiliar with basic command-line use, as the workflow relies on piping commands together

Trade-offs

oha

  • The README describes some features as experimental, such as HTTP/3 support
  • Behavior differs from the similar hey tool in places, such as how -q is applied, so existing scripts may need changes
  • Large numbers of connections may require raising the system's open-file limit, as the README notes

Vegeta

  • Scope is HTTP only, according to the README
  • The README is truncated, so details on distributed setup and some advanced options are unclear from this text

Getting started

oha

Install via Cargo

cargo install oha

Install on macOS with Homebrew

brew install oha
Step-by-step guide: how to use oha

Vegeta

macOS (Homebrew)

brew update && brew install vegeta

Arch Linux

pacman -S vegeta
Step-by-step guide: how to use Vegeta

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between oha and Vegeta?

oha: A command-line tool that sends many HTTP requests to a web server and shows live results. Vegeta: Command-line and Go library for sending steady HTTP request loads to test how servers hold up. oha suits developers checking how an api or website handles many simultaneous requests, while Vegeta suits backend developers checking how an http api behaves under a fixed request rate.

Are oha and Vegeta free?

oha: Free and open source. Vegeta: Free and open source.

Which is easier to set up, oha or Vegeta?

oha is easier to get started with (rated beginner); Vegeta is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.

Is oha or Vegeta more popular?

Vegeta has more GitHub stars (25.2k) than oha (10.7k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.

What are other alternatives to oha and Vegeta?

Other options people compare them with include fx, http-server.

Keep comparing

oha alternativesfx vs ohahttp-server vs oha

Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.