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APIs · head to head

Apigee vs WSO2 API Manager

Apigee logo

Apigee

APIs

API management platform for designing, securing, and scaling APIs

From
$500/monthly
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
WSO2 API Manager logo

WSO2 API Manager

APIs

Complete API management platform for designing and managing APIs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only WSO2 API Manager has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Apigee the free evaluation is a sandbox limited to 60 days; WSO2 API Manager the free open source distribution does not include a subscription to the WSO2 Update service, so continuous improvements and security patches require a paid subscription
  • They diverge on capability: Apigee covers API Analytics, WSO2 API Manager covers API Designer.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apigee and WSO2 API Manager actually diverge.

Attributes where Apigee and WSO2 API Manager differ
AttributeApigeeWSO2 API Manager
Starting price$500/monthlyFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud, Hybrid, On-premisesJava, Linux, Docker, Kubernetes
Founded20062005

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 Apigee

  • API Analytics
  • Google Cloud services
  • Azure
  • AWS
  • Cloud support
  • Hybrid support
  • On-premises support

Only in WSO2 API Manager

  • API Designer
  • LDAP
  • Keycloak
  • Microservices
  • Java support
  • Linux support
  • Docker support
  • Kubernetes support

Both cover

  • API Gateway
  • Developer Portal
  • Okta

What people use each for

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

Apigee

  • Publishing, securing and versioning APIs for an enterprise API programnot WSO2 API Manager
  • Monetizing APIs and running a developer portalnot WSO2 API Manager
  • Analyzing API traffic and defending APIs against bots and abusenot WSO2 API Manager

WSO2 API Manager

  • Publishing, securing and rate limiting APIs behind a gatewaynot Apigee
  • Running an API developer portal with subscription key managementnot Apigee
  • Self hosting an open source API management layer on premisesnot Apigee

Where each one falls short

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

Apigee

  • The free evaluation is a sandbox limited to 60 days
  • Pay-as-you-go has no SLA available at all
  • Pay-as-you-go bills environments separately from API calls, with a Base environment costing $365 per month per region
  • The Base environment is capped at 50 QPS with an SLA of up to 99%
  • Standard API Proxy calls are billed at $20 per 1M calls up to 50M, and Extensible API Proxy calls at $100 per 1M calls up to 50M
  • API Analytics is a paid add-on at $20 per 1M API calls and cannot be bought on a Base environment
  • Advanced API Security is a paid add-on at $350 per 1M API calls and cannot be bought on a Base environment
  • Monetization is unavailable on pay-as-you-go and requires a subscription tier
  • Additional API proxy deployments beyond those included cost $0.04 per hour per region on a Comprehensive environment
  • Subscription tiers Standard, Enterprise and Enterprise Plus are quote only with no published price
  • Google Cloud networking charges for IP addresses, data transfer out and forwarding rules are billed on top of Apigee usage

WSO2 API Manager

  • The free open source distribution does not include a subscription to the WSO2 Update service, so continuous improvements and security patches require a paid subscription
  • A commercial production licence is not part of the free download and comes only with a subscription
  • No subscription price is published; Basic Support and Enterprise Support both require contacting sales for a quote
  • 24x7x365 coverage requires Enterprise Support; the general query SLA is one business day
  • A Customer Success Manager is a paid optional add on covering business hours only
  • Consulting services and WSO2 Private Cloud hosting are quoted separately

Pricing, plan by plan

Apigee

$500/monthly
  • Starter$500/monthly
    • API gateway
    • Analytics
    • Developer portal
  • Professional$2500/monthly
    • Advanced security
    • Traffic management
    • Monetization
  • Enterprise$undefined/monthly
    • Custom deployment
    • SLA
    • Dedicated support

WSO2 API Manager

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Core API management
    • Community support
  • Commercial$undefined/monthly
    • Enterprise features
    • Technical support
    • SLA

Which should you pick?

Choose Apigee if

  • You need api analytics.
  • You work on Cloud, Hybrid, On-premises.
  • You also want google cloud services.
Apigee review

Choose WSO2 API Manager if

  • You need api designer.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Java, Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want ldap.
WSO2 API Manager review

Questions people ask

Is Apigee or WSO2 API Manager better?
Neither clearly leads. Apigee starts at $500/monthly and WSO2 API Manager at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apigee or WSO2 API Manager?
WSO2 API Manager has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $500/monthly for Apigee and Free for WSO2 API Manager.
Does Apigee or WSO2 API Manager run on more platforms?
Apigee runs on Cloud, Hybrid, On-premises. WSO2 API Manager runs on Java, Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.
Can I use WSO2 API Manager for free?
Yes. WSO2 API Manager has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Apigee starts at $500/monthly.
What is Apigee best used for?
Apigee is most often used for publishing, securing and versioning apis for an enterprise api program, monetizing apis and running a developer portal, analyzing api traffic and defending apis against bots and abuse. Of those, publishing, securing and versioning apis for an enterprise api program and monetizing apis and running a developer portal are not what WSO2 API Manager is typically brought in for.
What can Apigee do that WSO2 API Manager cannot?
Apigee covers API Analytics, Google Cloud services, Azure, AWS. WSO2 API Manager covers API Designer, LDAP, Keycloak, Microservices. Both handle API Gateway, Developer Portal, Okta.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apigee: Does Apigee offer a free tier?

Yes, Apigee offers an always-free tier with access to 20+ products for common API management use cases, and a separate free trial providing $300 in credit for proof-of-concept projects.

Source
WSO2 API Manager: How is WSO2 API Manager priced?

WSO2 API Manager pricing is not published on their website. As an enterprise API management platform, pricing is custom-quoted based on deployment model and organizational requirements.

Source
Apigee: What is Apigee's pricing model?

Apigee uses a pay-as-you-go pricing model where customers pay based on API calls and usage, with a new pay-as-you-go model designed to optimize costs.

Source
WSO2 API Manager: Does WSO2 API Manager offer different pricing for on-premises versus cloud deployments?

WSO2 API Manager supports multiple deployment options including on-premises and cloud, but pricing structures for different deployment models are not publicly disclosed.

Source
Apigee: Is there a commitment required to start with Apigee?

No. The free trial provides $300 in credit with no automatic charges or commitment required, allowing customers to evaluate the platform risk-free.

Source
WSO2 API Manager: What deployment flexibility does WSO2 API Manager provide?

WSO2 API Manager enables flexible deployment on-premises or in cloud environments, but specific pricing tiers for each deployment model require contacting WSO2 sales.

Source
Apigee: Are there usage limits I should know about?

Apigee documentation includes a limits page covering usage constraints, though specific limits are not detailed in the pricing section.

Source
WSO2 API Manager: How would I request a WSO2 API Manager pricing quote?

Organizations can request pricing quotes by contacting WSO2 sales through their website. Custom quotes depend on API volume, deployment model, and feature requirements.

Source
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