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APIs · head to head

Apollo GraphQL vs Token.io

Apollo GraphQL logo

Apollo GraphQL

APIs

GraphQL platform and API orchestration layer for building unified graphs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Token.io logo

Token.io

APIs

Account to account pay by bank infrastructure across the UK and Europe

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Apollo GraphQL has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Apollo GraphQL pricing beyond the Developer tier requires contacting sales, making cost comparison harder for mid-size teams.; Token.io account to account payments carry no chargeback scheme, so merchants gain cost savings but consumers lose the dispute protection cards provide, which limits adoption in general retail.
  • They diverge on capability: Apollo GraphQL covers Apollo Connectors, Token.io covers Payment initiation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apollo GraphQL and Token.io actually diverge.

Attributes where Apollo GraphQL and Token.io differ
AttributeApollo GraphQLToken.io
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo

Identical on both: platforms (web, api), 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 Apollo GraphQL

  • Apollo Connectors
  • GraphOS Router
  • Schema registry
  • Schema checks
  • Response caching
  • Audit logging

Only in Token.io

  • Payment initiation
  • Variable recurring payments
  • Bank network coverage
  • giroAPI membership
  • Payouts and refunds
  • Data and account information
  • Hosted payment pages
  • Reconciliation reporting

What people use each for

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

Apollo GraphQL

  • Federating multiple backend services into one GraphQL APInot Token.io
  • Wrapping legacy REST APIs for frontend consumptionnot Token.io
  • Enterprise API governance with schema checks and audit logsnot Token.io
  • Reducing frontend over-fetching and under-fetching of datanot Token.io

Token.io

  • A utility or telecom collecting high value bills where card interchange makes acceptance expensivenot Apollo GraphQL
  • An investment or trading platform funding customer accounts without card chargeback exposurenot Apollo GraphQL
  • A payment service provider adding pay by bank to its merchant proposition without building bank connectivitynot Apollo GraphQL
  • A German merchant using giroAPI scheme access for recurring and future dated bank paymentsnot Apollo GraphQL

Where each one falls short

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

Apollo GraphQL

  • Pricing beyond the Developer tier requires contacting sales, making cost comparison harder for mid-size teams.
  • Adopting GraphOS effectively requires buy-in to the GraphQL paradigm, which is a larger architectural shift than adding a REST gateway.
  • The free plan's 1-day data retention and 60 req/min self-hosted router limit make it unsuitable for production use.
  • Volume-based per-request pricing can become expensive at very high request volumes compared to flat-rate API gateways.

Token.io

  • Account to account payments carry no chargeback scheme, so merchants gain cost savings but consumers lose the dispute protection cards provide, which limits adoption in general retail.
  • Conversion depends on each bank's own authentication journey, and slow or broken bank redirects cost sales in ways the merchant cannot fix or even always diagnose.
  • Variable recurring payments beyond sweeping are still being rolled out unevenly across banks and markets, so a subscription use case may be supported at one bank and not another.
  • Token.io initiates payments rather than acting as acquirer of record, so merchants still need settlement, safeguarding and reconciliation arrangements elsewhere.
  • Coverage and feature parity vary by country, so a pan European rollout means different capabilities and different bank behaviour in each market rather than one uniform product.

Pricing, plan by plan

Apollo GraphQL

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 3 developers
    • 1-day data retention
    • Community support
  • Developer$5/month
    • $5 per million requests with volume discounts
    • $50 usage credit for new signups
    • Up to 10 developers
  • Standard$undefined/month
    • Up to 30 developers
    • 90-day data retention
    • Standard support with SLA
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited developers
    • 18-month data retention
    • 24x7x365 support with SLA

Token.io

On request
  • Token.io platform$undefined/year
    • Quoted per customer, typically per initiated payment
    • Volume tiers and monthly minimums are common
    • No interchange, so unit cost is usually well below card acceptance

Which should you pick?

Choose Apollo GraphQL if

  • You need apollo connectors.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want graphos router.
Apollo GraphQL review

Choose Token.io if

  • You need payment initiation.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want variable recurring payments.
Token.io review

Questions people ask

Is Apollo GraphQL or Token.io better?
Neither clearly leads. Apollo GraphQL starts at Free and Token.io at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apollo GraphQL or Token.io?
Apollo GraphQL has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Apollo GraphQL and On request for Token.io.
Does Apollo GraphQL or Token.io run on more platforms?
Apollo GraphQL runs on web, api. Token.io runs on Web, API.
Can I use Apollo GraphQL for free?
Yes. Apollo GraphQL has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Token.io starts at On request.
What is Apollo GraphQL best used for?
Apollo GraphQL is most often used for federating multiple backend services into one graphql api, wrapping legacy rest apis for frontend consumption, enterprise api governance with schema checks and audit logs, reducing frontend over-fetching and under-fetching of data. Of those, federating multiple backend services into one graphql api and wrapping legacy rest apis for frontend consumption are not what Token.io is typically brought in for.
What can Apollo GraphQL do that Token.io cannot?
Apollo GraphQL covers Apollo Connectors, GraphOS Router, Schema registry, Schema checks. Token.io covers Payment initiation, Variable recurring payments, Bank network coverage, giroAPI membership.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apollo GraphQL: What does Apollo GraphQL cost?

The Free plan supports up to 3 developers at no cost. Developer plan starts at $5 per million requests with a $50 signup credit, while Standard and Enterprise require contacting sales for custom pricing.

Source
Token.io: Does pay by bank remove card fees?

It removes interchange and scheme fees, so unit cost is normally far below card acceptance, particularly on high value payments.

Apollo GraphQL: Is there a free plan and what are its limits?

Yes, the Free 'Forever Free' plan supports up to 3 developers, 1-day data retention for checks and insights, and a self-hosted router capped at 60 requests per minute.

Source
Token.io: What about chargebacks?

There are none. That is the cost saving and the consumer protection gap, which is why it suits bills, top ups and account funding more than retail.

Apollo GraphQL: How is usage metered on paid plans?

Standard requests are billed per million operations with tiered volume discounts, starting at $5.00/million for the first 250M and dropping to $3.00/million beyond 5B, with similar tiered pricing for subscription update events.

Source
Token.io: Is Token.io regulated?

Yes, it is an authorised third party provider under UK and European open banking rules, but it initiates payments rather than holding merchant funds as an acquirer.

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