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Software · head to head

3scale vs Customerly

3scale logo

3scale

Software

API management platform for designing, securing, and monetizing APIs

From
$300/monthly
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Customerly logo

Customerly

Software

Customer service suite with live chat and automation

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Customerly 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; Customerly usage-based pricing of 0.50 EUR per conversation can become expensive at scale
  • They diverge on capability: 3scale covers API Gateway, Customerly covers Live chat.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where 3scale and Customerly differ
Attribute3scaleCustomerly
Starting price$300/monthlyFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud, On-premises, HybridWeb, Ios, Android
Founded19932015

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Customerly

  • Live chat
  • Email marketing
  • Customer surveys
  • Help center
  • Automation
  • Video chat
  • Slack
  • WordPress

What people use each for

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

3scale

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

Customerly

  • Customer supportnot 3scale
  • Lead generationnot 3scale
  • Email marketingnot 3scale
  • Customer feedbacknot 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

Customerly

  • Usage-based pricing of 0.50 EUR per conversation can become expensive at scale
  • Limited to 11-50 employees according to company size metrics

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

Customerly

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 teammates
    • Live chat
    • Basic surveys
  • Essential$9/month
    • Unlimited chat
    • Help center
    • Automation
  • Startup$29/month
    • Video chat
    • Funnels
    • Priority support
  • Pro$79/month
    • White label
    • Advanced analytics
    • API access

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 Customerly if

  • You need live chat.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want email marketing.
Customerly review

Questions people ask

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

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Customerly: Where is Customerly's data stored?

All data is stored exclusively in the EU, providing GDPR compliance and data residency in European servers.

Source
Customerly: What messaging channels does Customerly support?

Customerly integrates live chat, email, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram DMs, and mobile apps into a single unified inbox for managing customer conversations.

Source
Customerly: How much of customer support can Customerly automate?

Customerly's AI assistant (Aura) handles up to 60 percent of customer conversations automatically, with the platform designed to handle 71 percent of support volume through automation.

Source
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Related pages

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