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API Management · head to head

3scale vs Spring Cloud Gateway

3scale logo

3scale

API Management

API management platform for designing, securing, and monetizing APIs

From
$300/monthly
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Spring Cloud Gateway logo

Spring Cloud Gateway

API Management

API gateway built on Project Reactor for building microservices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Spring Cloud Gateway 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; Spring Cloud Gateway released under the Apache 2.0 license, free and open source with no commercial tier
  • They diverge on capability: 3scale covers API Gateway, Spring Cloud Gateway covers Routing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 3scale and Spring Cloud Gateway actually diverge.

Attributes where 3scale and Spring Cloud Gateway differ
Attribute3scaleSpring Cloud Gateway
Starting price$300/monthlyFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud, On-premises, HybridJava, Spring Boot
Founded19931998

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 Spring Cloud Gateway

  • Routing
  • Path Rewriting
  • Circuit Breaker
  • Spring Boot
  • Spring Security
  • Spring Cloud
  • Java support
  • Spring Boot support

What people use each for

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

3scale

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

Spring Cloud Gateway

  • 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

Spring Cloud Gateway

  • Released under the Apache 2.0 license, free and open source with no commercial 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

Spring Cloud Gateway

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Core Spring Cloud Gateway
    • Community support

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 Spring Cloud Gateway if

  • You need routing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Java, Spring Boot.
  • You also want path rewriting.
Spring Cloud Gateway review

Questions people ask

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