Software · head to head
3scale vs Appwrite
3scale
Software
API management platform for designing, securing, and monetizing APIs
- From
- $300/monthly
- Rated
- -
Appwrite
Software
Open-source Backend as a Service with REST API and SDKs
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Appwrite has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: 3scale red Hat's managed 3scale services end on 30 June 2027, so anyone adopting the hosted option now is choosing a product with a published end date; Appwrite smaller ecosystem compared to Firebase; fewer third-party integrations and extensions
- They diverge on capability: 3scale covers API Gateway, Appwrite covers REST API.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which 3scale and Appwrite actually diverge.
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in 3scale
- API Gateway
- Developer Portal
- API Monetization
- Red Hat OpenShift
- AWS
- Azure
- Kubernetes
- On-premises support
Only in Appwrite
- REST API
- Authentication
- Database
- Multiple SDKs
- Cloud functions
- File storage
- Docker support
- Self-hosted support
Both cover
- Cloud support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
3scale
- API gateway and lifecycle managementnot Appwrite
- Rate limiting and traffic control across API consumersnot Appwrite
- Developer portal and access key managementnot Appwrite
- Monetising APIs with usage-based plansnot Appwrite
- Hybrid deployment across on-premises and cloudnot Appwrite
Appwrite
- API Developmentnot 3scale
- API Gatewaynot 3scale
- API Testingnot 3scale
- API Documentationnot 3scale
- Microservicesnot 3scale
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
3scale
- Red Hat's managed 3scale services end on 30 June 2027, so anyone adopting the hosted option now is choosing a product with a published end date
- Sold as part of Red Hat middleware rather than standalone, and 3scale.net redirects into redhat.com
- Pricing is not published and a subscription is required for some services
Appwrite
- Smaller ecosystem compared to Firebase; fewer third-party integrations and extensions
- Analytics, crash reporting, and A/B testing not included (Firebase includes these)
- Requires infrastructure management for self-hosted deployments; not fully managed like Firebase Cloud
- Mobile app support not as mature as Firebase's native iOS/Android SDKs
Pricing, plan by plan
3scale
$300/monthly- Starter$300/monthly
- API gateway
- Developer portal
- Basic analytics
- Professional$750/monthly
- Advanced features
- API monetization
- Enhanced support
- Enterprise$undefined/monthly
- Custom deployment
- Dedicated support
- Premium SLA
Appwrite
Free- Cloud FreeFree
- 75K MAU
- 10GB storage
- Unlimited projects
- Cloud Pro$15/month
- More storage
- Priority support
Which should you pick?
Choose 3scale if
- You need api gateway.
- You work on Cloud, On-premises, Hybrid.
- You also want developer portal.
Choose Appwrite if
- You need rest api.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Cloud (Managed), Self-Hosted, Docker.
- You also want authentication.
Questions people ask
- Is 3scale or Appwrite better?
- Neither clearly leads. 3scale starts at $300/monthly and Appwrite at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, 3scale or Appwrite?
- Appwrite has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $300/monthly for 3scale and Free for Appwrite.
- Does 3scale or Appwrite run on more platforms?
- 3scale runs on Cloud, On-premises, Hybrid. Appwrite runs on Cloud (Managed), Self-Hosted, Docker.
- Can I use Appwrite for free?
- Yes. Appwrite has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. 3scale starts at $300/monthly.
- What is 3scale best used for?
- 3scale is most often used for api gateway and lifecycle management, rate limiting and traffic control across api consumers, developer portal and access key management, monetising apis with usage-based plans. Of those, api gateway and lifecycle management and rate limiting and traffic control across api consumers are not what Appwrite is typically brought in for.
- What can 3scale do that Appwrite cannot?
- 3scale covers API Gateway, Developer Portal, API Monetization, Red Hat OpenShift. Appwrite covers REST API, Authentication, Database, Multiple SDKs. Both handle Cloud support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Appwrite: Can Appwrite be self-hosted?
Yes. Appwrite is fully open-source and self-hosted with a single Docker command. Self-hosting is completely free with no feature restrictions, unlike the managed Appwrite Cloud.
SourceAppwrite: What is Appwrite Cloud's pricing?
Appwrite Cloud offers a free tier with unlimited projects, 75K monthly active users, and 10GB storage with no time limit. Pro plan starts at $15/month per organization member. Scale plan at $599/month includes dedicated resources and SOC 2 compliance.
SourceAppwrite: What programming languages does Appwrite support?
Appwrite provides SDKs for 15+ languages including JavaScript, Flutter, Swift, Kotlin, Python, Ruby, PHP, .NET, and more, offering more language flexibility than Firebase.
SourceAppwrite: What backend services does Appwrite provide?
Appwrite includes Auth (with multi-factor auth), Databases, Storage (with compression and encryption), Serverless Functions, Messaging, Realtime subscriptions, and Sites (for hosting static and full-stack apps).
SourceAppwrite: Does Appwrite include real-time capabilities?
Yes. Appwrite's Realtime service covers all platform services by default through WebSocket subscriptions, enabling real-time updates across databases, functions, and messages.
SourceAppwrite: How does Appwrite compare to Firebase on costs?
Appwrite offers better cost predictability. Firebase's pay-per-read/write model can lead to unexpected bills with runaway queries, while Appwrite's self-hosted model only requires paying for your own infrastructure with completely predictable costs.
Source