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Software · head to head

AWS API Gateway vs Prisma

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
Prisma logo

Prisma

Software

Modern ORM and API client for Node.js and TypeScript

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; Prisma prisma Postgres is billed per operation, with the free tier at 100,000 operations and 500 MB of storage
  • They diverge on capability: AWS API Gateway covers WebSocket APIs, Prisma covers ORM.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where AWS API Gateway and Prisma differ
AttributeAWS API GatewayPrisma
Pricing modelusage-basedopen-source
PlatformsAWS CloudNode.js, TypeScript
Founded20062016

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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

  • WebSocket APIs
  • HTTP APIs
  • Lambda
  • EC2
  • DynamoDB
  • CloudWatch
  • IAM
  • AWS Cloud support

Only in Prisma

  • ORM
  • Query builder
  • Auto-migrations
  • Node.js
  • TypeScript
  • GraphQL
  • Node.js support
  • TypeScript support

Both cover

  • REST APIs

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

Prisma

  • Using a type safe ORM and query layer against a Postgres databasenot AWS API Gateway
  • Adding a managed connection pool and edge cache in front of an existing databasenot 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

Prisma

  • Prisma Postgres is billed per operation, with the free tier at 100,000 operations and 500 MB of storage
  • Starter at $10 a month includes 1M operations then charges $0.0080 per 1,000
  • Storage overage runs from $2.00 per GB on Starter down to $1.00 per GB on Business, so the unit cost depends on the plan
  • Accelerate charges separately per operation and per GiB of query egress beyond the first 1 KiB
  • Cache tag invalidations are not included below the Pro plan and are billed per thousand above it

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

Prisma

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full Prisma ORM
    • Community support
  • Professional$50/monthly
    • Extended browser
    • Priority support
    • Monitoring

Which should you pick?

Choose AWS API Gateway if

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

Choose Prisma if

  • You need orm.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Node.js, TypeScript.
  • You also want query builder.
Prisma review

Questions people ask

Is AWS API Gateway or Prisma better?
Neither clearly leads. AWS API Gateway starts at Free and Prisma at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AWS API Gateway or Prisma?
AWS API Gateway starts at Free and Prisma at Free.
Does AWS API Gateway or Prisma run on more platforms?
AWS API Gateway runs on AWS Cloud. Prisma runs on Node.js, TypeScript.
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 Prisma is typically brought in for.
What can AWS API Gateway do that Prisma cannot?
AWS API Gateway covers WebSocket APIs, HTTP APIs, Lambda, EC2. Prisma covers ORM, Query builder, Auto-migrations, Node.js. Both handle REST APIs.
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