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Databases · head to head

Aiven vs Spring Cloud Gateway

Aiven logo

Aiven

Databases

Fully managed open source data infrastructure cloud

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Spring Cloud Gateway logo

Spring Cloud Gateway

APIs

API gateway built on Project Reactor for building microservices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Aiven the free plan gives 1 VM with 1 CPU, 1 GB RAM and 1 GB storage, and cannot pick a specific cloud or region; Spring Cloud Gateway released under the Apache 2.0 license, free and open source with no commercial tier
  • They diverge on capability: Aiven covers Multi-cloud Support, Spring Cloud Gateway covers Routing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Aiven and Spring Cloud Gateway differ
AttributeAivenSpring Cloud Gateway
Pricing modelusage-basedopen-source
PlatformsWeb, Aws, Azure, Gcp, DoJava, Spring Boot
CategoryDatabasesAPIs
Founded20161998

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Aiven

  • Multi-cloud Support
  • Automated Backups
  • Seamless Upgrades
  • VPC Peering
  • End-to-end Encryption
  • Compliance
  • Observability
  • PostgreSQL

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.

Aiven

  • Running managed open source databases without operating themnot Spring Cloud Gateway
  • Multi-cloud deployment across AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, DigitalOcean, OVH and UpCloudnot Spring Cloud Gateway
  • Highly available data services with automatic failovernot Spring Cloud Gateway
  • Prototyping on a small free instance before scaling upnot Spring Cloud Gateway

Spring Cloud Gateway

  • API Developmentnot Aiven
  • API Gatewaynot Aiven
  • API Testingnot Aiven
  • API Documentationnot Aiven
  • Microservicesnot Aiven

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Aiven

  • The free plan gives 1 VM with 1 CPU, 1 GB RAM and 1 GB storage, and cannot pick a specific cloud or region
  • Free and Developer tiers have no integrations and no connection pooling
  • Connection pooling, database forks and dynamic disk sizing need the Business or Premium plan
  • A 99.99 percent uptime SLA starts at the Startup plan from $75 a month
  • High availability with automatic failover starts at Business from $180 a month

Spring Cloud Gateway

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Aiven

Free
  • Free TrialFree
    • $300 credits
    • 30 day trial
    • All services
  • Startup$19/month
    • Single node
    • Basic support
    • Daily backups

Spring Cloud Gateway

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Aiven if

  • You need multi-cloud support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Aws, Azure, Gcp, Do.
  • You also want automated backups.
Aiven 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 Aiven or Spring Cloud Gateway better?
Neither clearly leads. Aiven starts at Free and Spring Cloud Gateway at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aiven or Spring Cloud Gateway?
Aiven starts at Free and Spring Cloud Gateway at Free.
Does Aiven or Spring Cloud Gateway run on more platforms?
Aiven runs on Web, Aws, Azure, Gcp, Do. Spring Cloud Gateway runs on Java, Spring Boot.
Can I use Aiven for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Aiven best used for?
Aiven is most often used for running managed open source databases without operating them, multi-cloud deployment across aws, google cloud, azure, digitalocean, ovh and upcloud, highly available data services with automatic failover, prototyping on a small free instance before scaling up. Of those, running managed open source databases without operating them and multi-cloud deployment across aws, google cloud, azure, digitalocean, ovh and upcloud are not what Spring Cloud Gateway is typically brought in for.
What can Aiven do that Spring Cloud Gateway cannot?
Aiven covers Multi-cloud Support, Automated Backups, Seamless Upgrades, VPC Peering. Spring Cloud Gateway covers Routing, Path Rewriting, Circuit Breaker, Spring Boot.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Aiven: What does Aiven's free tier include and does it have any time limit?

The free tier includes PostgreSQL with 1 VM, 1 CPU, 1 GB RAM, and 1 GB storage with access to limited cloud and region selections. There are no time limitations on the free tier, though Aiven reserves the right to shut down accounts that violate policies or remain unused for extended periods.

Source
Spring Cloud Gateway: Is Spring Cloud Gateway free?

Yes, Spring Cloud Gateway is free and open-source software. It is part of the Spring ecosystem and available through GitHub repositories with open-source dependencies like spring-cloud-starter-gateway-server-webflux and spring-cloud-starter-gateway-server-webmvc.

Source
Aiven: How is Aiven billed and what are the monthly costs for each tier?

Aiven bills services by the hour and invoices monthly, charging only for what you actually run. PostgreSQL pricing starts at 5 dollars per month for Developer, 12 dollars per month for Hobbyist, 75 dollars per month for Startup, 180 dollars per month for Business, and 270 dollars per month for Premium. All paid tiers offer hourly billing options as well.

Source
Spring Cloud Gateway: What enterprise support is available for Spring Cloud Gateway?

Tanzu Spring provides optional enterprise support including Day 0 access to security patches for organizations requiring guaranteed support, but specific pricing is not published on the Spring Cloud Gateway project page.

Source
Aiven: What backup retention periods are included at different Aiven tiers?

Backup retention increases with tier level: Startup tier provides 2 days of backup retention, Business tier offers 14 days, and Premium tier includes 30 days. Point-in-time restore is available on all paid tiers.

Source
Aiven: Is high availability included in Aiven pricing or charged separately?

High availability, backups, and routine maintenance are all included in the tier costs with no separate charges. The Business tier includes 2 VMs with automatic failover, and Premium includes 3 VMs with a second standby node.

Source
Aiven: Does Aiven offer a trial period to test premium features?

Aiven offers a 30-day free trial to access premium features beyond what the free plan provides.

Source
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