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APIs · head to head

3scale vs Moesif

3scale logo

3scale

APIs

API management platform for designing, securing, and monetizing APIs

From
$300/monthly
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Moesif logo

Moesif

APIs

API analytics and monitoring platform for tracking API usage and customers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Moesif 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; Moesif free tier is aimed at hobbyists and small projects, limiting scale before paid usage-based pricing applies.
  • They diverge on capability: 3scale covers API Gateway, Moesif covers API traffic monitoring.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where 3scale and Moesif differ
Attribute3scaleMoesif
Starting price$300/monthlyFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionusage-based
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud, On-premises, Hybridweb, api
Founded1993Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (APIs).

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 Moesif

  • API traffic monitoring
  • Customer-level analytics
  • Error tracking
  • Usage-based billing support
  • Alerting
  • SDK and integration library

What people use each for

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

3scale

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

Moesif

  • Monitoring API traffic and errors in productionnot 3scale
  • Understanding customer-level API usage patternsnot 3scale
  • Powering usage-based billing and monetizationnot 3scale
  • Alerting on anomalous API behaviornot 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

Moesif

  • Free tier is aimed at hobbyists and small projects, limiting scale before paid usage-based pricing applies.
  • Usage-based pricing on the Growth tier can make costs less predictable at high event volumes.
  • Requires instrumenting APIs with SDKs, adding setup overhead compared to zero-config tools.
  • Focused specifically on API analytics rather than full API gateway or design functionality.

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

Moesif

Free
  • FreeFree
    • For hobbyists and small projects
    • Core API analytics features
  • Growth$undefined/month
    • Usage-based pricing by event volume
    • Full analytics and monitoring feature set

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 Moesif if

  • You need api traffic monitoring.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want customer-level analytics.
Moesif review

Questions people ask

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

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

3scale: Does Red Hat 3scale require a subscription?

Yes. The page states a subscription may be required for some services, though specific subscription details and costs are not published on this page.

Source
Moesif: Is there a free plan for Moesif?

Moesif offers a free tier aimed at hobbyists and small projects; after a 14-day trial with full Growth-tier features and 10,000,000 events, accounts move to the free plan.

Source
3scale: Is a trial available for 3scale?

A 'Start a trial' link is mentioned in navigation, but trial duration, included features, and limitations are not specified on this page.

Source
Moesif: How is usage metered?

Moesif's Growth tier is priced based on the volume of API events processed, supporting usage-based billing use cases for API providers.

Source
3scale: When will Red Hat 3scale end support?

Red Hat 3scale API Management maintenance and managed services will end on June 30, 2027. Customers should plan migrations accordingly.

Source
Moesif: Can I try Moesif's paid features first?

New accounts get a 14-day trial with full access to Growth-plan features and a large event allowance before being converted to the free plan if not upgraded.

Source
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