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AWS API Gateway vs LiteLLM

AWS API Gateway logo

AWS API Gateway

Software

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
L

LiteLLM

Software

The AI Gateway for platform teams

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only AWS API Gateway has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; LiteLLM sSO, RBAC, JWT authentication, and audit logs are all reserved for the Enterprise tier, which is not self-serve and requires a custom quote on top of the free open source core, as of August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where AWS API Gateway and LiteLLM differ
AttributeAWS API GatewayLiteLLM
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelusage-basedquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsAWS CloudWeb
Founded2006Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 LiteLLM

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

LiteLLM

No use cases recorded yet. See the LiteLLM review.

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

LiteLLM

  • SSO, RBAC, JWT authentication, and audit logs are all reserved for the Enterprise tier, which is not self-serve and requires a custom quote on top of the free open source core, as of August 2026.

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

LiteLLM

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the LiteLLM 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 LiteLLM if

Nothing in the data separates LiteLLM from AWS API Gateway on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

LiteLLM review

Questions people ask

Is AWS API Gateway or LiteLLM better?
Neither clearly leads. AWS API Gateway starts at Free and LiteLLM at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AWS API Gateway or LiteLLM?
AWS API Gateway has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for AWS API Gateway and On request for LiteLLM.
Does AWS API Gateway or LiteLLM run on more platforms?
AWS API Gateway runs on AWS Cloud. LiteLLM runs on Web.
Can I use AWS API Gateway for free?
Yes. AWS API Gateway has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. LiteLLM starts at On request.
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 LiteLLM is typically brought in for.
What can AWS API Gateway do that LiteLLM cannot?
AWS API Gateway covers REST APIs, WebSocket APIs, HTTP APIs, Lambda.
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