Softwr

API Management · head to head

AWS API Gateway vs GitHub Actions

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
GitHub Actions logo

GitHub Actions

Testing & QA

Automate your software workflows

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; GitHub Actions private repository usage is capped at 2,000 minutes per month on GitHub Free and 3,000 on Pro and Team, with anything beyond billed

Where they differ

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

Attributes where AWS API Gateway and GitHub Actions differ
AttributeAWS API GatewayGitHub Actions
Pricing modelusage-basedfreemium
PlatformsAWS CloudWeb
CategoryAPI ManagementTesting & QA
Founded20062008

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 GitHub Actions

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

GitHub Actions

  • Running CI builds and tests on pushes and pull requestsnot AWS API Gateway
  • Automating releases, container image builds and deployments from a repositorynot AWS API Gateway
  • Scheduled maintenance jobs and repository automationnot 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

GitHub Actions

  • Private repository usage is capped at 2,000 minutes per month on GitHub Free and 3,000 on Pro and Team, with anything beyond billed
  • Artifact storage is only 500 MB on GitHub Free and 2 GB on Team, and it is shared with GitHub Packages storage
  • Larger runners are always charged for, even on public repositories and even when plan quota remains
  • Windows runners cost $0.010 per minute against $0.006 for a 2-core Linux runner, so the same workflow costs more per platform
  • macOS runners are charged at a higher per-minute rate than Linux runners
  • Failed runs consume minutes, so a job that fails after 5 minutes and is re-run for 10 uses 15 minutes of quota
  • Storage is billed on hourly accrual in GB-Hours, so deleting artifacts stops future charges but does not remove charges already accrued in the cycle
  • Cache storage is a separate 10 GB per repository allowance and peak hourly usage above it is charged
  • Minutes are charged to the repository owner, not the person who triggered the run, and anyone with write access can trigger runs
  • Without a valid payment method on file, workflows are blocked as soon as the quota is exhausted

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

GitHub Actions

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the GitHub Actions 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 GitHub Actions if

  • You want to start without paying.
GitHub Actions review

Questions people ask

Is AWS API Gateway or GitHub Actions better?
Neither clearly leads. AWS API Gateway starts at Free and GitHub Actions at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AWS API Gateway or GitHub Actions?
AWS API Gateway starts at Free and GitHub Actions at Free.
Does AWS API Gateway or GitHub Actions run on more platforms?
AWS API Gateway runs on AWS Cloud. GitHub Actions 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 GitHub Actions is typically brought in for.
What can AWS API Gateway do that GitHub Actions cannot?
AWS API Gateway covers REST APIs, WebSocket APIs, HTTP APIs, Lambda.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on AWS API Gateway

More on GitHub Actions

Keep looking

Other head to heads