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API Management · head to head

3scale vs Portkey

3scale logo

3scale

API Management

API management platform for designing, securing, and monetizing APIs

From
$300/monthly
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
P

Portkey

API Management

Observe, govern, and secure every AI interaction across your enterprise

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Portkey 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; Portkey the free Developer tier records only 10,000 logs per month with 3 day log retention; the $49 per month Production tier raises that to 100,000 logs with $9 per additional 100,000 requests, as of August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where 3scale and Portkey differ
Attribute3scalePortkey
Starting price$300/monthlyFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud, On-premises, HybridWeb
Founded1993Unknown

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

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 Portkey

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

Portkey

No use cases recorded yet. See the Portkey 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

Portkey

  • The free Developer tier records only 10,000 logs per month with 3 day log retention; the $49 per month Production tier raises that to 100,000 logs with $9 per additional 100,000 requests, 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

Portkey

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Portkey 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 Portkey if

  • You want to start without paying.
Portkey review

Questions people ask

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