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API Management · head to head

AWS API Gateway vs Directus

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
Directus logo

Directus

API Management

Open-source data platform providing REST and GraphQL APIs

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; Directus free permissive use of the self hosted product is limited to organisations under $5M annual revenue with fewer than 50 employees, so crossing either threshold turns a free dependency into a paid licence
  • They diverge on capability: AWS API Gateway covers REST APIs, Directus covers REST API.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where AWS API Gateway and Directus differ
AttributeAWS API GatewayDirectus
Pricing modelusage-basedopen-source
PlatformsAWS CloudNode.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker
Founded20062014

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 AWS API Gateway

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

Only in Directus

  • REST API
  • GraphQL API
  • Database management
  • PostgreSQL
  • MySQL
  • SQLite
  • Webhooks
  • Node.js support

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 Directus
  • REST and HTTP API management with throttling and keysnot Directus
  • WebSocket APIs for real-time clientsnot Directus
  • Private APIs reachable only inside a VPCnot Directus
  • Publishing a developer portal for API consumersnot Directus

Directus

  • Wrapping an existing SQL database in a REST and GraphQL API with an admin interfacenot AWS API Gateway
  • Running a self hosted headless CMS over a schema you already ownnot 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

Directus

  • Free permissive use of the self hosted product is limited to organisations under $5M annual revenue with fewer than 50 employees, so crossing either threshold turns a free dependency into a paid licence
  • The free Core tier is a hard limit of 3 seats, 25 collections and 5 flows
  • The Team plan is $499 a month billed annually, or $599 monthly, with extra seats at $50 each
  • Team caps collections at 50, expandable to 100, and flows at 20

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

Directus

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Self-hosted Directus
    • Community support
  • Cloud$25/monthly
    • Managed cloud
    • Automatic updates
    • Backups

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 Directus if

  • You need rest api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Node.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker.
  • You also want graphql api.
Directus review

Questions people ask

Is AWS API Gateway or Directus better?
Neither clearly leads. AWS API Gateway starts at Free and Directus at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AWS API Gateway or Directus?
AWS API Gateway starts at Free and Directus at Free.
Does AWS API Gateway or Directus run on more platforms?
AWS API Gateway runs on AWS Cloud. Directus runs on Node.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker.
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 Directus is typically brought in for.
What can AWS API Gateway do that Directus cannot?
AWS API Gateway covers REST APIs, WebSocket APIs, HTTP APIs, Lambda. Directus covers REST API, GraphQL API, Database management, PostgreSQL.
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