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API Management · head to head

Microsoft Azure API Management vs Apigee

Microsoft Azure API Management logo

Microsoft Azure API Management

API Management

Hybrid, multi-cloud API management service on Azure

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Apigee logo

Apigee

API Management

API management platform for designing, securing, and scaling APIs

From
$500/monthly
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Microsoft Azure API Management has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Microsoft Azure API Management prices are not shown on the pricing page itself; every tier renders as a placeholder and routes to the calculator or sales; Apigee the free evaluation is a sandbox limited to 60 days
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Azure API Management covers API Policies, Apigee covers API Analytics.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Microsoft Azure API Management and Apigee actually diverge.

Attributes where Microsoft Azure API Management and Apigee differ
AttributeMicrosoft Azure API ManagementApigee
Starting priceFree$500/monthly
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsCloud, Hybrid, Multi-cloudCloud, Hybrid, On-premises
Founded19752006

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Microsoft Azure API Management

  • API Policies
  • Azure services
  • Google Cloud
  • On-premises
  • Multi-cloud support

Only in Apigee

  • API Analytics
  • Google Cloud services
  • Azure
  • Okta
  • On-premises support

Both cover

  • API Gateway
  • Developer Portal
  • AWS
  • Cloud support
  • Hybrid support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Microsoft Azure API Management

  • API gateway and lifecycle management on Azurenot Apigee
  • Throttling, keys and policies in front of backend servicesnot Apigee
  • Developer portal for internal and partner APIsnot Apigee
  • Hybrid deployments using self-hosted gatewaysnot Apigee

Apigee

  • Publishing, securing and versioning APIs for an enterprise API programnot Microsoft Azure API Management
  • Monetizing APIs and running a developer portalnot Microsoft Azure API Management
  • Analyzing API traffic and defending APIs against bots and abusenot Microsoft Azure API Management

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Microsoft Azure API Management

  • Prices are not shown on the pricing page itself; every tier renders as a placeholder and routes to the calculator or sales
  • Two parallel generations of tiers, classic and v2, so the choice is which lineage before which size
  • The Developer tier is explicitly not for production
  • Self-hosted gateways and workspace gateways are charged separately from the service

Apigee

  • The free evaluation is a sandbox limited to 60 days
  • Pay-as-you-go has no SLA available at all
  • Pay-as-you-go bills environments separately from API calls, with a Base environment costing $365 per month per region
  • The Base environment is capped at 50 QPS with an SLA of up to 99%
  • Standard API Proxy calls are billed at $20 per 1M calls up to 50M, and Extensible API Proxy calls at $100 per 1M calls up to 50M
  • API Analytics is a paid add-on at $20 per 1M API calls and cannot be bought on a Base environment
  • Advanced API Security is a paid add-on at $350 per 1M API calls and cannot be bought on a Base environment
  • Monetization is unavailable on pay-as-you-go and requires a subscription tier
  • Additional API proxy deployments beyond those included cost $0.04 per hour per region on a Comprehensive environment
  • Subscription tiers Standard, Enterprise and Enterprise Plus are quote only with no published price
  • Google Cloud networking charges for IP addresses, data transfer out and forwarding rules are billed on top of Apigee usage

Pricing, plan by plan

Microsoft Azure API Management

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1M calls/month
    • Community support
  • Developer$50/monthly
    • 10M calls/month
    • Email support
  • Premium$500/monthly
    • Unlimited calls
    • Priority support
    • SLA

Apigee

$500/monthly
  • Starter$500/monthly
    • API gateway
    • Analytics
    • Developer portal
  • Professional$2500/monthly
    • Advanced security
    • Traffic management
    • Monetization
  • Enterprise$undefined/monthly
    • Custom deployment
    • SLA
    • Dedicated support

Which should you pick?

Choose Microsoft Azure API Management if

  • You need api policies.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Hybrid, Multi-cloud.
  • You also want azure services.
Microsoft Azure API Management review

Choose Apigee if

  • You need api analytics.
  • You work on Cloud, Hybrid, On-premises.
  • You also want google cloud services.
Apigee review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Azure API Management or Apigee better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Azure API Management starts at Free and Apigee at $500/monthly, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Azure API Management or Apigee?
Microsoft Azure API Management has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft Azure API Management and $500/monthly for Apigee.
Does Microsoft Azure API Management or Apigee run on more platforms?
Microsoft Azure API Management runs on Cloud, Hybrid, Multi-cloud. Apigee runs on Cloud, Hybrid, On-premises.
Can I use Microsoft Azure API Management for free?
Yes. Microsoft Azure API Management has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Apigee starts at $500/monthly.
What is Microsoft Azure API Management best used for?
Microsoft Azure API Management is most often used for api gateway and lifecycle management on azure, throttling, keys and policies in front of backend services, developer portal for internal and partner apis, hybrid deployments using self-hosted gateways. Of those, api gateway and lifecycle management on azure and throttling, keys and policies in front of backend services are not what Apigee is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Azure API Management do that Apigee cannot?
Microsoft Azure API Management covers API Policies, Azure services, Google Cloud, On-premises. Apigee covers API Analytics, Google Cloud services, Azure, Okta. Both handle API Gateway, Developer Portal, AWS, Cloud support.
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