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APIs · head to head

3scale vs Prisma

3scale logo

3scale

APIs

API management platform for designing, securing, and monetizing APIs

From
$300/monthly
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Prisma logo

Prisma

APIs

Modern ORM and API client for Node.js and TypeScript

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Prisma 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; Prisma prisma Postgres is billed per operation, with the free tier at 100,000 operations and 500 MB of storage
  • They diverge on capability: 3scale covers API Gateway, Prisma covers ORM.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where 3scale and Prisma differ
Attribute3scalePrisma
Starting price$300/monthlyFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionusage-based
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud, On-premises, HybridNode.js, TypeScript
Founded19932016

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 Prisma

  • ORM
  • Query builder
  • Auto-migrations
  • Node.js
  • TypeScript
  • GraphQL
  • REST APIs
  • 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 Prisma
  • Rate limiting and traffic control across API consumersnot Prisma
  • Developer portal and access key managementnot Prisma
  • Monetising APIs with usage-based plansnot Prisma
  • Hybrid deployment across on-premises and cloudnot Prisma

Prisma

  • Using a type safe ORM and query layer against a Postgres databasenot 3scale
  • Adding a managed connection pool and edge cache in front of an existing databasenot 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

Prisma

  • Prisma Postgres is billed per operation, with the free tier at 100,000 operations and 500 MB of storage
  • Starter at $10 a month includes 1M operations then charges $0.0080 per 1,000
  • Storage overage runs from $2.00 per GB on Starter down to $1.00 per GB on Business, so the unit cost depends on the plan
  • Accelerate charges separately per operation and per GiB of query egress beyond the first 1 KiB
  • Cache tag invalidations are not included below the Pro plan and are billed per thousand above it

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

Prisma

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1M requests/month
    • 360 GB-hours memory
    • 4 vCPU-hours
  • Starter$10/month
    • 5M requests/month
    • 1M database operations ($8 per million overage)
    • 10 GB storage ($2/GB overage)
  • Pro$49/month
    • 20M requests/month
    • 10M operations ($2 per million overage)
    • 50 GB storage ($1.50/GB overage)
  • Business$129/month
    • 100M requests/month
    • 50M operations ($1 per million overage)
    • 100 GB 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 Prisma if

  • You need orm.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Node.js, TypeScript.
  • You also want query builder.
Prisma review

Questions people ask

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

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
Prisma: How much does Prisma cost?

Prisma is free to start with 1M requests/month. The Starter plan costs $10/month with 5M requests, the Pro plan $49/month with 20M requests, and the Business plan $129/month with 100M requests. All plans have usage-based overages.

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
Prisma: What is Prisma's overage pricing?

Prisma charges $1 per million requests over the included amount (Starter), $2 per million database operations overage (Pro and Starter), and $1.50-$2 per GB for storage overages depending on the plan. All plans include a hard spend limit on by default.

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
Prisma: Does Prisma include data transfer costs?

No, Prisma includes unlimited data transfer with no egress fees on all plans. Prisma ORM remains free across all tiers.

Source
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