Software · head to head
3scale vs Zephyr Scale

3scale
Software
API management platform for designing, securing, and monetizing APIs
- From
- $300/monthly
- Rated
- -
The short version
- 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; Zephyr Scale split across separate Essential and Advanced editions plus a distinct Zephyr Enterprise on-premises product, so buyers must pick the right SKU before pricing applies
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which 3scale and Zephyr Scale actually diverge.
| Attribute | 3scale | Zephyr Scale |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $300/monthly | On request |
| Platforms | Cloud, On-premises, Hybrid | Web |
| Founded | 1993 | Unknown |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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
- AWS
- Azure
- Kubernetes
- Cloud support
Only in Zephyr Scale
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 Zephyr Scale
- Rate limiting and traffic control across API consumersnot Zephyr Scale
- Developer portal and access key managementnot Zephyr Scale
- Monetising APIs with usage-based plansnot Zephyr Scale
- Hybrid deployment across on-premises and cloudnot Zephyr Scale
Zephyr Scale
No use cases recorded yet. See the Zephyr Scale 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
Zephyr Scale
- Split across separate Essential and Advanced editions plus a distinct Zephyr Enterprise on-premises product, so buyers must pick the right SKU before pricing applies
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
Zephyr Scale
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Zephyr Scale review.
Which should you pick?
Choose 3scale if
- You need api gateway.
- You work on Cloud, On-premises, Hybrid.
- You also want developer portal.
Choose Zephyr Scale if
Nothing in the data separates Zephyr Scale from 3scale on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Questions people ask
- Is 3scale or Zephyr Scale better?
- Neither clearly leads. 3scale starts at $300/monthly and Zephyr Scale at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, 3scale or Zephyr Scale?
- 3scale starts at $300/monthly and Zephyr Scale at On request.
- Does 3scale or Zephyr Scale run on more platforms?
- 3scale runs on Cloud, On-premises, Hybrid. Zephyr Scale runs on Web.
- 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 Zephyr Scale is typically brought in for.
- What can 3scale do that Zephyr Scale cannot?
- 3scale covers API Gateway, Developer Portal, API Monetization, Red Hat OpenShift.
Related pages
More on Zephyr Scale
Keep looking
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- Zephyr Scale vs Bruno
- Zephyr Scale vs KeystoneJS
- Zephyr Scale vs Parse Server
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- Zephyr Scale vs Akana
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- Zephyr Scale vs Microsoft Azure API Management
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