Softwr

Software · head to head

3scale vs GitHub

3scale logo

3scale

Software

API management platform for designing, securing, and monetizing APIs

From
$300/monthly
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GitHub logo

GitHub

Software

Where the world builds software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only GitHub 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; GitHub acquired by Microsoft in 2018, reducing pure independence despite operational autonomy
  • They diverge on capability: 3scale covers API Gateway, GitHub covers Git repositories.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where 3scale and GitHub differ
Attribute3scaleGitHub
Starting price$300/monthlyFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud, On-premises, HybridWeb, Desktop, Mobile
Founded19932008

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
  • Kubernetes
  • Cloud support
  • On-premises support
  • Hybrid support

Only in GitHub

  • Git repositories
  • Pull requests
  • Code review
  • Issues & projects
  • GitHub Actions CI/CD
  • GitHub Pages
  • Security scanning
  • Dependency management

Both cover

  • AWS
  • Azure

What people use each for

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

3scale

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

GitHub

  • Version controlnot 3scale
  • Code collaborationnot 3scale
  • CI/CD pipelinesnot 3scale
  • Project managementnot 3scale
  • Documentation hostingnot 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

GitHub

  • Acquired by Microsoft in 2018, reducing pure independence despite operational autonomy
  • Primary focus on source control differs from purpose-built project management tools like Jira
  • Pricing for enterprise features and private repositories adds up compared to some self-hosted alternatives

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

GitHub

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited public/private repos
    • 2,000 CI/CD minutes/month
    • 500MB package storage
  • Team$4/month
    • Everything in Free
    • 3,000 CI/CD minutes/month
    • 2GB package storage
  • Enterprise$21/month
    • Everything in Team
    • 50,000 CI/CD minutes/month
    • 50GB package storage

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 GitHub if

  • You need git repositories.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want pull requests.
GitHub review

Questions people ask

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

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GitHub: What is a Git repository and how does GitHub use it?

A repository is the centralized database that stores the complete collection of files and folders for a codebase, along with the revision history. GitHub uses Git to provide distributed version control access to repositories with version tracking, branching, and collaboration features.

Source
GitHub: How does GitHub authentication work?

When you connect to a GitHub repository from Git, you need to authenticate with GitHub using either HTTPS or SSH. GitHub supports multiple authentication methods including passwords, personal access tokens, SSH keys, and GitHub Apps.

Source
GitHub: How long has GitHub been operating?

GitHub was founded in 2008 and launched publicly on April 10, 2008, making it the dominant git hosting platform for nearly two decades.

Source
GitHub: Who owns GitHub and when did the acquisition occur?

Microsoft acquired GitHub for $7.5 billion USD, with the deal announced June 4, 2018 and completed October 26, 2018. GitHub operates as an independent subsidiary within Microsoft.

Source
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on 3scale

More on GitHub

Keep looking

Other head to heads