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Software · head to head

3scale vs CrewAI

3scale logo

3scale

Software

API management platform for designing, securing, and monetizing APIs

From
$300/monthly
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
C

CrewAI

Software

The Enterprise Agent Build and Runtime for the work your business runs on

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only CrewAI 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; CrewAI the free Basic tier caps at 50 workflow executions per month, with all higher usage requiring a custom Enterprise contract, as of August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 3scale and CrewAI actually diverge.

Attributes where 3scale and CrewAI differ
Attribute3scaleCrewAI
Starting price$300/monthlyFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud, On-premises, HybridWeb
Founded1993Unknown

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
  • Cloud support

Only in CrewAI

Nothing recorded that 3scale does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

3scale

  • API gateway and lifecycle managementnot CrewAI
  • Rate limiting and traffic control across API consumersnot CrewAI
  • Developer portal and access key managementnot CrewAI
  • Monetising APIs with usage-based plansnot CrewAI
  • Hybrid deployment across on-premises and cloudnot CrewAI

CrewAI

No use cases recorded yet. See the CrewAI review.

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

CrewAI

  • The free Basic tier caps at 50 workflow executions per month, with all higher usage requiring a custom Enterprise contract, as of August 2026.

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

CrewAI

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the CrewAI review.

Which should you pick?

Choose 3scale if

  • You need api gateway.
  • You work on Cloud, On-premises, Hybrid.
  • You also want developer portal.
3scale review

Choose CrewAI if

  • You want to start without paying.
CrewAI review

Questions people ask

Is 3scale or CrewAI better?
Neither clearly leads. 3scale starts at $300/monthly and CrewAI at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 3scale or CrewAI?
CrewAI has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $300/monthly for 3scale and Free for CrewAI.
Does 3scale or CrewAI run on more platforms?
3scale runs on Cloud, On-premises, Hybrid. CrewAI runs on Web.
Can I use CrewAI for free?
Yes. CrewAI 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 CrewAI is typically brought in for.
What can 3scale do that CrewAI cannot?
3scale covers API Gateway, Developer Portal, API Monetization, Red Hat OpenShift.
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