Softwr

APIs · head to head

AWS API Gateway vs Prisma

AWS API Gateway logo

AWS API Gateway

APIs

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Prisma logo

Prisma

APIs

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.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

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
PlatformsAWS CloudNode.js, TypeScript
Founded20062016

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (usage-based), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (APIs).

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 Tier (12 months)Free
    • 1M REST API calls per month
    • 1M HTTP API calls per month
    • 1M WebSocket messages plus 750K connection minutes per month
  • HTTP APIs$1/per million requests (first 300M)
    • First 300M: $1.00 per million
    • Next 132M: $0.90 per million
    • Data transfer varies by volume
  • REST APIs$3.5/per million API calls
    • Edge Optimized and Regional: $3.50 per million (first tier)
    • Higher volumes: $2.80 then $2.38 per million
    • Data transfer: $0.09 per GB
  • WebSocket APIs$1/per million messages
    • Messages: $1.00 per million
    • Connection minutes: $0.25 per million minutes

Prisma

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1M requests/month
    • 360 GB-hours memory
    • 4 vCPU-hours
  • Starter$10/month
    • 5M requests/month
    • 1M database operations ($8 per million overage)
    • 10 GB storage ($2/GB overage)
  • Pro$49/month
    • 20M requests/month
    • 10M operations ($2 per million overage)
    • 50 GB storage ($1.50/GB overage)
  • Business$129/month
    • 100M requests/month
    • 50M operations ($1 per million overage)
    • 100 GB storage

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.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

AWS API Gateway: How much does AWS API Gateway cost?

AWS API Gateway pricing varies by API type. HTTP APIs cost $1.00 per million requests for the first 300M monthly, then $0.90 per million. REST APIs cost $3.50 per million, and WebSocket APIs cost $1.00 per million messages plus $0.25 per million connection minutes. Data transfer charges ($0.09 per GB) apply separately.

Source
Prisma: How much does Prisma cost?

Prisma is free to start with 1M requests/month. The Starter plan costs $10/month with 5M requests, the Pro plan $49/month with 20M requests, and the Business plan $129/month with 100M requests. All plans have usage-based overages.

Source
AWS API Gateway: Is AWS API Gateway free?

New AWS customers receive 12 months of free tier access including 1 million REST API calls, 1 million HTTP API calls, and 1 million WebSocket messages plus 750,000 connection minutes per month. Starting July 15, 2025, new customers receive up to $200 in AWS Free Tier credits.

Source
Prisma: What is Prisma's overage pricing?

Prisma charges $1 per million requests over the included amount (Starter), $2 per million database operations overage (Pro and Starter), and $1.50-$2 per GB for storage overages depending on the plan. All plans include a hard spend limit on by default.

Source
AWS API Gateway: What is the price difference between HTTP and REST APIs?

HTTP APIs are significantly cheaper at $1.00 per million requests compared to REST APIs at $3.50 per million (first tier). REST API pricing decreases to $2.80 and $2.38 per million for higher volumes, while HTTP API pricing drops to $0.90 per million after 300M monthly requests.

Source
Prisma: Does Prisma include data transfer costs?

No, Prisma includes unlimited data transfer with no egress fees on all plans. Prisma ORM remains free across all tiers.

Source
AWS API Gateway: How much does an API Gateway Portal cost?

API Gateway Portals require a base fee of $125 per month (includes 10 PortalProducts with 40 endpoints each) plus $12.50 per month for each additional PortalProduct beyond the included 10.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on AWS API Gateway

More on Prisma

Keep looking

Other head to heads