Software · head to head
3scale vs GraphQL Apollo
3scale
Software
API management platform for designing, securing, and monetizing APIs
- From
- $300/monthly
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only GraphQL Apollo 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; GraphQL Apollo standard and Enterprise tiers publish no figures and require contacting sales through a Talk to Sales link, while paid usage is metered at $5 per million requests rather than by seat
- They diverge on capability: 3scale covers API Gateway, GraphQL Apollo covers Apollo Server.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which 3scale and GraphQL Apollo actually diverge.
| Attribute | 3scale | GraphQL Apollo |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $300/monthly | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | open-source |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Cloud, On-premises, Hybrid | JavaScript, Node.js, Web, Mobile |
| Founded | 1993 | 2016 |
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 GraphQL Apollo
- Apollo Server
- Apollo Client
- GraphQL Federation
- REST APIs
- Microservices
- Databases
- JavaScript support
- Node.js support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
3scale
- API gateway and lifecycle managementnot GraphQL Apollo
- Rate limiting and traffic control across API consumersnot GraphQL Apollo
- Developer portal and access key managementnot GraphQL Apollo
- Monetising APIs with usage-based plansnot GraphQL Apollo
- Hybrid deployment across on-premises and cloudnot GraphQL Apollo
GraphQL Apollo
- 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
GraphQL Apollo
- Standard and Enterprise tiers publish no figures and require contacting sales through a Talk to Sales link, while paid usage is metered at $5 per million requests rather than by seat
- Developer plan caps at 10 users and Standard caps at 30 users before requiring the sales-gated Enterprise tier
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
GraphQL Apollo
Free- CommunityFree
- Apollo Server
- Apollo Client
- Community support
- Studio Starter$49/monthly
- Apollo Studio
- GraphQL monitoring
- Collaboration
- Studio Professional$399/monthly
- Advanced analytics
- Priority support
- SLA
Which should you pick?
Choose 3scale if
- You need api gateway.
- You work on Cloud, On-premises, Hybrid.
- You also want developer portal.
Choose GraphQL Apollo if
- You need apollo server.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on JavaScript, Node.js, Web, Mobile.
- You also want apollo client.
Questions people ask
- Is 3scale or GraphQL Apollo better?
- Neither clearly leads. 3scale starts at $300/monthly and GraphQL Apollo at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, 3scale or GraphQL Apollo?
- GraphQL Apollo has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $300/monthly for 3scale and Free for GraphQL Apollo.
- Does 3scale or GraphQL Apollo run on more platforms?
- 3scale runs on Cloud, On-premises, Hybrid. GraphQL Apollo runs on JavaScript, Node.js, Web, Mobile.
- Can I use GraphQL Apollo for free?
- Yes. GraphQL Apollo 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 GraphQL Apollo is typically brought in for.
- What can 3scale do that GraphQL Apollo cannot?
- 3scale covers API Gateway, Developer Portal, API Monetization, Red Hat OpenShift. GraphQL Apollo covers Apollo Server, Apollo Client, GraphQL Federation, REST APIs.