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API Management · head to head

AWS API Gateway vs CircleCI

AWS API Gateway logo

AWS API Gateway

API Management

Fully managed API gateway service for creating and managing APIs at scale

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
CircleCI logo

CircleCI

Testing & QA

The leading CI/CD platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: AWS API Gateway rEST APIs cost $3.50 per million calls against $1.00 for HTTP APIs, so the older and more featureful type is three and a half times dearer; CircleCI the free plan covers 6,000 build minutes and 5 active users a month

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AWS API Gateway and CircleCI actually diverge.

Attributes where AWS API Gateway and CircleCI differ
AttributeAWS API GatewayCircleCI
Pricing modelusage-basedfreemium
PlatformsAWS CloudWeb
CategoryAPI ManagementTesting & QA
Founded20062011

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 AWS API Gateway

  • REST APIs
  • WebSocket APIs
  • HTTP APIs
  • Lambda
  • EC2
  • DynamoDB
  • CloudWatch
  • IAM

Only in CircleCI

Nothing recorded that AWS API Gateway does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

AWS API Gateway

  • Fronting Lambda functions with an HTTP endpointnot CircleCI
  • REST and HTTP API management with throttling and keysnot CircleCI
  • WebSocket APIs for real-time clientsnot CircleCI
  • Private APIs reachable only inside a VPCnot CircleCI
  • Publishing a developer portal for API consumersnot CircleCI

CircleCI

  • Continuous integration pipelines for application codenot AWS API Gateway
  • Parallel test execution across containersnot AWS API Gateway
  • Docker-based builds with layer cachingnot AWS API Gateway
  • Deployment pipelines with approval gatesnot AWS API Gateway
  • Self-hosted runners for private infrastructurenot AWS API Gateway

Where each one falls short

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

AWS API Gateway

  • REST APIs cost $3.50 per million calls against $1.00 for HTTP APIs, so the older and more featureful type is three and a half times dearer
  • Data transfer out is charged at $0.09 per GB on top of request pricing
  • WebSocket APIs bill connection minutes as well as messages, at $0.25 per million minutes
  • Private APIs avoid data transfer charges but incur AWS PrivateLink costs instead
  • The developer portal is $125 a month, with additional portal products at $12.50 each
  • The free tier lasts 12 months rather than being ongoing

CircleCI

  • The free plan covers 6,000 build minutes and 5 active users a month
  • Active users are billed at $15 each beyond the included five, and an active user is anyone who commits to a project
  • Everything runs on credits, so compute, Docker layer caching at 200 credits a job and IP ranges at 450 credits per GB all draw from the same pool
  • Network and storage overage costs 420 credits per GB
  • Free credits expire monthly with no rollover, and paid credits expire after a year
  • Scale is annual billing only

Pricing, plan by plan

AWS API Gateway

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • 1M requests per month
    • Basic API management
  • Pay-as-you-go$3.5/per 1M requests
    • Unlimited requests
    • HTTP APIs
    • REST APIs

CircleCI

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the CircleCI review.

Which should you pick?

Choose AWS API Gateway if

  • You need rest apis.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on AWS Cloud.
  • You also want websocket apis.
AWS API Gateway review

Choose CircleCI if

  • You want to start without paying.
CircleCI review

Questions people ask

Is AWS API Gateway or CircleCI better?
Neither clearly leads. AWS API Gateway starts at Free and CircleCI at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AWS API Gateway or CircleCI?
AWS API Gateway starts at Free and CircleCI at Free.
Does AWS API Gateway or CircleCI run on more platforms?
AWS API Gateway runs on AWS Cloud. CircleCI runs on Web.
Can I use AWS API Gateway for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is AWS API Gateway best used for?
AWS API Gateway is most often used for fronting lambda functions with an http endpoint, rest and http api management with throttling and keys, websocket apis for real-time clients, private apis reachable only inside a vpc. Of those, fronting lambda functions with an http endpoint and rest and http api management with throttling and keys are not what CircleCI is typically brought in for.
What can AWS API Gateway do that CircleCI cannot?
AWS API Gateway covers REST APIs, WebSocket APIs, HTTP APIs, Lambda.
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