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Software · head to head

3scale vs Strapi

3scale logo

3scale

Software

API management platform for designing, securing, and monetizing APIs

From
$300/monthly
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Strapi logo

Strapi

Software

Headless CMS with REST and GraphQL APIs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Strapi 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; Strapi cloud pricing is per project, not per account, so a second project doubles the bill
  • They diverge on capability: 3scale covers API Gateway, Strapi covers REST API.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where 3scale and Strapi differ
Attribute3scaleStrapi
Starting price$300/monthlyFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud, On-premises, HybridNode.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker
Founded19932015

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
  • Azure
  • Kubernetes
  • On-premises support
  • Hybrid support

Only in Strapi

  • REST API
  • GraphQL API
  • Content management
  • PostgreSQL
  • MySQL
  • MongoDB
  • Webhooks
  • Node.js support

Both cover

  • AWS
  • Cloud support

What people use each for

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

3scale

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

Strapi

  • Running a self hosted headless CMS with a REST or GraphQL APInot 3scale
  • Giving editors a content admin panel over a custom content modelnot 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

Strapi

  • Cloud pricing is per project, not per account, so a second project doubles the bill
  • Starter at $35 a month allows 100,000 API requests, and overage is $1.50 per 25,000
  • Extra bandwidth is $30 per 100 GB and extra asset storage $0.60 per GB
  • Backups start at the Pro plan, weekly, and only become daily at Business
  • An uptime SLA is Business only, at $450 a month per project
  • Additional environments cost $60 a month on Pro and $300 a month on Business

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

Strapi

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Self-hosted Strapi
    • Community support
  • Pro$99/monthly
    • Cloud hosting
    • Advanced features
    • Priority support
  • Business$undefined/monthly
    • Enterprise features
    • Custom SLA
    • Dedicated 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 Strapi if

  • You need rest api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Node.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker.
  • You also want graphql api.
Strapi review

Questions people ask

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