Softwr

API Management · head to head

AWS API Gateway vs Tyk

AWS API Gateway logo

AWS API Gateway

API Management

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tyk logo

Tyk

API Management

Open-source API gateway and API management platform

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; Tyk no plan publishes a price, so every tier requires contacting sales
  • They diverge on capability: AWS API Gateway covers REST APIs, Tyk covers API Gateway.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where AWS API Gateway and Tyk differ
AttributeAWS API GatewayTyk
Pricing modelusage-basedopen-source
PlatformsAWS CloudLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud
Founded20062013

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 Tyk

  • API Gateway
  • Rate Limiting
  • Authentication
  • Kubernetes
  • Docker
  • AWS
  • Azure
  • Linux 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 Tyk
  • REST and HTTP API management with throttling and keysnot Tyk
  • WebSocket APIs for real-time clientsnot Tyk
  • Private APIs reachable only inside a VPCnot Tyk
  • Publishing a developer portal for API consumersnot Tyk

Tyk

  • Running an open source API gateway self managed, hybrid or in the cloudnot AWS API Gateway
  • Governing APIs across regulated or multi region environmentsnot 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

Tyk

  • No plan publishes a price, so every tier requires contacting sales
  • Multi region and multi cloud deployment are Enterprise only
  • Custom support SLAs and a named customer success manager are Enterprise only

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

Tyk

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Core gateway
    • Community support
  • Cloud Pro$100/monthly
    • Managed cloud
    • Analytics
    • API portal
  • Cloud Enterprise$500/monthly
    • Advanced features
    • Dedicated support
    • Custom 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.
AWS API Gateway review

Choose Tyk if

  • You need api gateway.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud.
  • You also want rate limiting.
Tyk review

Questions people ask

Is AWS API Gateway or Tyk better?
Neither clearly leads. AWS API Gateway starts at Free and Tyk at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AWS API Gateway or Tyk?
AWS API Gateway starts at Free and Tyk at Free.
Does AWS API Gateway or Tyk run on more platforms?
AWS API Gateway runs on AWS Cloud. Tyk runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud.
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 Tyk is typically brought in for.
What can AWS API Gateway do that Tyk cannot?
AWS API Gateway covers REST APIs, WebSocket APIs, HTTP APIs, Lambda. Tyk covers API Gateway, Rate Limiting, Authentication, Kubernetes.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on AWS API Gateway

More on Tyk

Keep looking

Other head to heads