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APIs · head to head

AWS API Gateway vs Thredd

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
Thredd logo

Thredd

APIs

Issuer processing platform for fintechs and digital banks, formerly Global Processing Services

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$1.00 for HTTP APIs, so the older and more featureful type is three and a half times dearer; Thredd pricing is entirely unpublished, so cost comparison against competing processors requires a sales process.
  • They diverge on capability: AWS API Gateway covers REST APIs, Thredd covers Issuer processing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

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

Identical on both: 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

  • REST APIs
  • WebSocket APIs
  • HTTP APIs
  • Lambda
  • EC2
  • DynamoDB
  • CloudWatch
  • IAM

Only in Thredd

  • Issuer processing
  • Multi-country reach
  • Scheme certification
  • Programme support across verticals
  • High platform availability
  • Global office footprint

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

Thredd

  • A digital bank or fintech needing issuer processing across many countries under one contractnot AWS API Gateway
  • A BNPL, lending or crypto product needing certified card processing behind its own brandnot AWS API Gateway
  • A company that finds outdated Global Processing Services (GPS) material and needs to confirm it is now Threddnot AWS API Gateway
  • An embedded finance platform wanting a processor already integrated with core banking systems such as Mambunot 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

Thredd

  • Pricing is entirely unpublished, so cost comparison against competing processors requires a sales process.
  • The 2023 rebrand from GPS to Thredd means research under either name alone can miss relevant material, and partner or press references before 2023 will still say GPS.
  • Issuer processing does not include the banking licence itself, so a fintech still needs a separate BIN sponsor or bank partner, adding a second relationship to manage.
  • As shared infrastructure behind many fintech brands, an outage or processing delay at Thredd becomes a simultaneous incident for every programme running on it, with limited visibility for any single customer into root cause.
  • Its verticals span crypto, BNPL and remittance broadly, so depth of specialist support in any one vertical may be thinner than a processor focused narrowly on that niche.

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

Thredd

On request
  • Thredd$undefined/year
    • Volume and programme-based pricing, not published
    • Custom quote required via sales

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 Thredd if

  • You need issuer processing.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want multi-country reach.
Thredd review

Questions people ask

Is AWS API Gateway or Thredd better?
Neither clearly leads. AWS API Gateway starts at Free and Thredd 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 Thredd?
AWS API Gateway has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for AWS API Gateway and On request for Thredd.
Does AWS API Gateway or Thredd run on more platforms?
AWS API Gateway runs on AWS Cloud. Thredd runs on Web, API.
Can I use AWS API Gateway for free?
Yes. AWS API Gateway has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Thredd 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 Thredd is typically brought in for.
What can AWS API Gateway do that Thredd cannot?
AWS API Gateway covers REST APIs, WebSocket APIs, HTTP APIs, Lambda. Thredd covers Issuer processing, Multi-country reach, Scheme certification, Programme support across verticals.

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
Thredd: Is Thredd the same company as Global Processing Services?

Yes, GPS rebranded as Thredd in 2023; it is the same company and platform.

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
Thredd: Does it hold the banking licence for programmes it processes?

No, Thredd is the issuer processor; a separate bank or BIN sponsor holds the actual issuing licence.

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
Thredd: Is pricing published?

No, it requires a sales conversation.

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
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