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API Management · head to head

AWS API Gateway vs Gravitee

AWS API Gateway logo

AWS API Gateway

API Management

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Gravitee logo

Gravitee

API Management

Open source API management platform for event-native APIs

From
Free
Rated
-

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; Gravitee the entry paid API management tier is $2,500 a month and includes a single production gateway
  • They diverge on capability: AWS API Gateway covers REST APIs, Gravitee covers API Gateway.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where AWS API Gateway and Gravitee differ
AttributeAWS API GatewayGravitee
Pricing modelusage-basedfreemium
PlatformsAWS CloudCloud, On-premise, Kubernetes
Founded20062015

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 Gravitee

  • API Gateway
  • Developer Portal
  • Analytics Dashboard
  • Kubernetes
  • Docker
  • Kafka
  • LDAP
  • Cloud 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 Gravitee
  • REST and HTTP API management with throttling and keysnot Gravitee
  • WebSocket APIs for real-time clientsnot Gravitee
  • Private APIs reachable only inside a VPCnot Gravitee
  • Publishing a developer portal for API consumersnot Gravitee

Gravitee

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

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

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

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 AWS API Gateway if

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

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.

Questions people ask

Is AWS API Gateway or Gravitee better?
Neither clearly leads. AWS API Gateway 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, AWS API Gateway or Gravitee?
AWS API Gateway starts at Free and Gravitee at Free.
Does AWS API Gateway or Gravitee run on more platforms?
AWS API Gateway runs on AWS Cloud. Gravitee runs on Cloud, On-premise, Kubernetes.
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 Gravitee is typically brought in for.
What can AWS API Gateway do that Gravitee cannot?
AWS API Gateway covers REST APIs, WebSocket APIs, HTTP APIs, Lambda. Gravitee covers API Gateway, Developer Portal, Analytics Dashboard, Kubernetes.

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