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API Management · head to head

Appwrite vs Gravitee

Appwrite logo

Appwrite

API Management

Open-source Backend as a Service with REST API and SDKs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Gravitee logo

Gravitee

API Management

Open source API management platform for event-native APIs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Appwrite smaller ecosystem compared to Firebase; fewer third-party integrations and extensions; Gravitee the entry paid API management tier is $2,500 a month and includes a single production gateway
  • They diverge on capability: Appwrite covers REST API, Gravitee covers API Gateway.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Appwrite and Gravitee actually diverge.

Attributes where Appwrite and Gravitee differ
AttributeAppwriteGravitee
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsCloud (Managed), Self-Hosted, DockerCloud, On-premise, Kubernetes
Founded20192015

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

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 Appwrite

  • REST API
  • Authentication
  • Database
  • Multiple SDKs
  • Cloud functions
  • File storage
  • Docker support
  • Self-hosted support

Only in Gravitee

  • API Gateway
  • Developer Portal
  • Analytics Dashboard
  • Kubernetes
  • Docker
  • Kafka
  • LDAP
  • On-premise support

Both cover

  • Cloud support
  • Kubernetes support

What people use each for

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

Appwrite

  • API Developmentnot Gravitee
  • API Gatewaynot Gravitee
  • API Testingnot Gravitee
  • API Documentationnot Gravitee
  • Microservicesnot Gravitee

Gravitee

  • API gateway and lifecycle managementnot Appwrite
  • Exposing Kafka event streams as managed APIsnot Appwrite
  • Protocol mediation between event brokers and clientsnot Appwrite
  • Self-hosting an open source API gatewaynot Appwrite
  • Access control and authentication in front of internal APIsnot Appwrite

Where each one falls short

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

Appwrite

  • Smaller ecosystem compared to Firebase; fewer third-party integrations and extensions
  • Analytics, crash reporting, and A/B testing not included (Firebase includes these)
  • Requires infrastructure management for self-hosted deployments; not fully managed like Firebase Cloud
  • Mobile app support not as mature as Firebase's native iOS/Android SDKs

Gravitee

  • The entry paid API management tier is $2,500 a month and includes a single production gateway
  • Event management is priced separately, starting at $1,250 a month for the Comet tier
  • Tiers are gated on gateway and broker counts, so scaling horizontally means moving tier rather than paying incrementally
  • Data logging masking and other enterprise features are withheld from the lowest paid tier
  • 24/7 support requires the top Universe tier

Pricing, plan by plan

Appwrite

Free
  • Cloud FreeFree
    • 75K MAU
    • 10GB storage
    • Unlimited projects
  • Cloud Pro$15/month
    • More storage
    • Priority support

Gravitee

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • API Gateway
    • Basic analytics
    • Community support
  • Enterprise$1500/monthly
    • Advanced features
    • SLA support
    • SSO integration
  • Custom$undefined/monthly
    • Custom deployment
    • Dedicated support
    • Premium SLA

Which should you pick?

Choose Appwrite if

  • You need rest api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud (Managed), Self-Hosted, Docker.
  • You also want authentication.
Appwrite review

Choose Gravitee if

  • You need api gateway.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, On-premise, Kubernetes.
  • You also want developer portal.
Gravitee review

Questions people ask

Is Appwrite or Gravitee better?
Neither clearly leads. Appwrite starts at Free and Gravitee at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Appwrite or Gravitee?
Appwrite starts at Free and Gravitee at Free.
Does Appwrite or Gravitee run on more platforms?
Appwrite runs on Cloud (Managed), Self-Hosted, Docker. Gravitee runs on Cloud, On-premise, Kubernetes.
Can I use Appwrite for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Appwrite best used for?
Appwrite is most often used for api development, api gateway, api testing, api documentation. Of those, api development and api gateway are not what Gravitee is typically brought in for.
What can Appwrite do that Gravitee cannot?
Appwrite covers REST API, Authentication, Database, Multiple SDKs. Gravitee covers API Gateway, Developer Portal, Analytics Dashboard, Kubernetes. Both handle Cloud support, Kubernetes support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Appwrite: Can Appwrite be self-hosted?

Yes. Appwrite is fully open-source and self-hosted with a single Docker command. Self-hosting is completely free with no feature restrictions, unlike the managed Appwrite Cloud.

Source
Appwrite: What is Appwrite Cloud's pricing?

Appwrite Cloud offers a free tier with unlimited projects, 75K monthly active users, and 10GB storage with no time limit. Pro plan starts at $15/month per organization member. Scale plan at $599/month includes dedicated resources and SOC 2 compliance.

Source
Appwrite: What programming languages does Appwrite support?

Appwrite provides SDKs for 15+ languages including JavaScript, Flutter, Swift, Kotlin, Python, Ruby, PHP, .NET, and more, offering more language flexibility than Firebase.

Source
Appwrite: What backend services does Appwrite provide?

Appwrite includes Auth (with multi-factor auth), Databases, Storage (with compression and encryption), Serverless Functions, Messaging, Realtime subscriptions, and Sites (for hosting static and full-stack apps).

Source
Appwrite: Does Appwrite include real-time capabilities?

Yes. Appwrite's Realtime service covers all platform services by default through WebSocket subscriptions, enabling real-time updates across databases, functions, and messages.

Source
Appwrite: How does Appwrite compare to Firebase on costs?

Appwrite offers better cost predictability. Firebase's pay-per-read/write model can lead to unexpected bills with runaway queries, while Appwrite's self-hosted model only requires paying for your own infrastructure with completely predictable costs.

Source
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