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APIs · head to head

Microsoft Azure API Management vs Spring Cloud Gateway

Microsoft Azure API Management logo

Microsoft Azure API Management

APIs

Hybrid, multi-cloud API management service on Azure

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Spring Cloud Gateway logo

Spring Cloud Gateway

APIs

API gateway built on Project Reactor for building microservices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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; Spring Cloud Gateway released under the Apache 2.0 license, free and open source with no commercial tier
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Azure API Management covers API Gateway, Spring Cloud Gateway covers Routing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Microsoft Azure API Management and Spring Cloud Gateway actually diverge.

Attributes where Microsoft Azure API Management and Spring Cloud Gateway differ
AttributeMicrosoft Azure API ManagementSpring Cloud Gateway
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
PlatformsCloud, Hybrid, Multi-cloudJava, Spring Boot
Founded19751998

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 Microsoft Azure API Management

  • API Gateway
  • Developer Portal
  • API Policies
  • Azure services
  • AWS
  • Google Cloud
  • On-premises
  • Cloud support

Only in Spring Cloud Gateway

  • Routing
  • Path Rewriting
  • Circuit Breaker
  • Spring Boot
  • Spring Security
  • Spring Cloud
  • Java support
  • Spring Boot 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 Spring Cloud Gateway
  • Throttling, keys and policies in front of backend servicesnot Spring Cloud Gateway
  • Developer portal for internal and partner APIsnot Spring Cloud Gateway
  • Hybrid deployments using self-hosted gatewaysnot Spring Cloud Gateway

Spring Cloud Gateway

  • API Developmentnot Microsoft Azure API Management
  • API Gatewaynot Microsoft Azure API Management
  • API Testingnot Microsoft Azure API Management
  • API Documentationnot Microsoft Azure API Management
  • Microservicesnot 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

Spring Cloud Gateway

  • Released under the Apache 2.0 license, free and open source with no commercial tier

Pricing, plan by plan

Microsoft Azure API Management

Free
  • ConsumptionFree
    • 0-1 million API operations free monthly per subscription
  • Basic v2$undefined/mo
    • 10 million API requests included monthly
  • Standard v2$undefined/mo
    • 50 million API requests included monthly
  • Premium v2$undefined/mo
    • Unlimited included API requests

Spring Cloud Gateway

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Core Spring Cloud Gateway
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Microsoft Azure API Management if

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

Choose Spring Cloud Gateway if

  • You need routing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Java, Spring Boot.
  • You also want path rewriting.
Spring Cloud Gateway review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Azure API Management or Spring Cloud Gateway better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Azure API Management starts at Free and Spring Cloud Gateway at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Azure API Management or Spring Cloud Gateway?
Microsoft Azure API Management starts at Free and Spring Cloud Gateway at Free.
Does Microsoft Azure API Management or Spring Cloud Gateway run on more platforms?
Microsoft Azure API Management runs on Cloud, Hybrid, Multi-cloud. Spring Cloud Gateway runs on Java, Spring Boot.
Can I use Microsoft Azure API Management for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Spring Cloud Gateway is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Azure API Management do that Spring Cloud Gateway cannot?
Microsoft Azure API Management covers API Gateway, Developer Portal, API Policies, Azure services. Spring Cloud Gateway covers Routing, Path Rewriting, Circuit Breaker, Spring Boot.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Microsoft Azure API Management: Is Azure API Management free?

Azure API Management offers a Consumption tier with a free tier that includes 0-1 million API operations per subscription monthly at no cost, then charges per operation beyond that. Classic Consumption tier is pay-as-you-go billing.

Source
Spring Cloud Gateway: Is Spring Cloud Gateway free?

Yes, Spring Cloud Gateway is free and open-source software. It is part of the Spring ecosystem and available through GitHub repositories with open-source dependencies like spring-cloud-starter-gateway-server-webflux and spring-cloud-starter-gateway-server-webmvc.

Source
Microsoft Azure API Management: What are the API request limits for Azure API Management's v2 tiers?

Basic v2 includes 10 million API requests monthly, Standard v2 includes 50 million monthly, and Premium v2 includes unlimited API requests. Additional requests beyond included amounts incur standard rates.

Source
Spring Cloud Gateway: What enterprise support is available for Spring Cloud Gateway?

Tanzu Spring provides optional enterprise support including Day 0 access to security patches for organizations requiring guaranteed support, but specific pricing is not published on the Spring Cloud Gateway project page.

Source
Microsoft Azure API Management: What cache capacity does each Azure API Management tier provide?

Basic v2 provides 250 MB built-in cache, Standard v2 provides 1 GB cache, and Premium v2 provides 5 GB cache capacity for response caching.

Source
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