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No-Code · head to head

Corteza vs Tyk

Corteza logo

Corteza

No-Code

Apache-licensed open source low-code platform, formerly Crust, positioned against Salesforce

From
Free
Rated
-
Tyk logo

Tyk

APIs

Open-source API gateway and API management platform

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Corteza planet Crust is a small company of roughly a dozen or so people, so the entire commercial support capability behind Corteza is thin and a large deployment can outgrow the vendors ability to respond.; Tyk professional and Enterprise plan pricing not published; contact required
  • They diverge on capability: Corteza covers Corteza Low Code, Tyk covers API Gateway.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Corteza and Tyk actually diverge.

Attributes where Corteza and Tyk differ
AttributeCortezaTyk
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feefreemium
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Self-hosted, DockerLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud
CategoryNo-CodeAPIs
FoundedUnknown2013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Corteza

  • Corteza Low Code
  • Automation and workflow
  • Bundled CRM
  • Case management
  • Federation
  • Role-based access control
  • Corteza Messaging and integrations
  • Self-hosted deployment

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.

Corteza

  • A European public body that needs a case management system on servers inside its own jurisdiction with an auditable licence and no per-seat vendor feenot Tyk
  • An NGO replacing a Salesforce donation that has run out, needing to keep the data model but remove the recurring costnot Tyk
  • An integrator building a regulated vertical application it intends to resell, requiring a permissive licence it can ship commerciallynot Tyk
  • A mid-size European company that wants one platform for internal applications and a sales pipeline without paying per seat as headcount growsnot Tyk

Tyk

  • API gateway and API management platformsnot Corteza
  • Microservices architecture orchestrationnot Corteza
  • High-growth teams standardizing on API platformsnot Corteza
  • Enterprises requiring advanced security and governancenot Corteza

Where each one falls short

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

Corteza

  • Planet Crust is a small company of roughly a dozen or so people, so the entire commercial support capability behind Corteza is thin and a large deployment can outgrow the vendors ability to respond.
  • No pricing is published for Planet Crusts support, hosting or implementation services, so the true running cost of a supported deployment cannot be estimated without a sales conversation.
  • The connector ecosystem is small compared with commercial low-code platforms, so integrations with common SaaS tools usually mean writing against the REST API rather than installing something.
  • Hiring is hard: almost nobody has Corteza on a CV, so you are training internal developers on a niche platform and you cannot easily replace them.
  • The bundled CRM is a starting point rather than a mature product, and teams that expect Salesforce-equivalent sales functionality out of the box will spend months building the gap themselves.

Tyk

  • Professional and Enterprise plan pricing not published; contact required
  • Core plan uses consumption-based model with variable costs
  • No upfront pricing transparency for production deployments

Pricing, plan by plan

Corteza

Free
  • Corteza communityFree
    • Apache 2.0 licensed with no feature gating
    • Low-code builder, workflow engine, CRM and case management included
    • Self-hosted on your own infrastructure
  • Planet Crust support and services$undefined/year
    • Commercial support, hosting and implementation from Planet Crust
    • Custom application development
    • Training

Tyk

Free
  • Free TrialFree
    • Fully featured 48-hour trial
    • No credit card required
    • Tyk Cloud access
  • Core Plan$null/month
    • Usage-based flexible pricing
    • Cloud, Hybrid, or Self-managed deployment
    • Unlimited API gateways
  • Professional Plan$null/month
    • One fixed price with unlimited access
    • All deployment options
    • Unlimited APIs and requests
  • Enterprise Plan$null/month
    • Custom pricing required
    • Advanced governance and security
    • Premium support with custom SLAs

Which should you pick?

Choose Corteza if

  • You need corteza low code.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, Docker.
  • You also want automation and workflow.

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.

Questions people ask

Is Corteza or Tyk better?
Neither clearly leads. Corteza 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, Corteza or Tyk?
Corteza starts at Free and Tyk at Free.
Does Corteza or Tyk run on more platforms?
Corteza runs on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, Docker. Tyk runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud.
Can I use Corteza for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Corteza best used for?
Corteza is most often used for a european public body that needs a case management system on servers inside its own jurisdiction with an auditable licence and no per-seat vendor fee, an ngo replacing a salesforce donation that has run out, needing to keep the data model but remove the recurring cost, an integrator building a regulated vertical application it intends to resell, requiring a permissive licence it can ship commercially, a mid-size european company that wants one platform for internal applications and a sales pipeline without paying per seat as headcount grows. Of those, a european public body that needs a case management system on servers inside its own jurisdiction with an auditable licence and no per-seat vendor fee and an ngo replacing a salesforce donation that has run out, needing to keep the data model but remove the recurring cost are not what Tyk is typically brought in for.
What can Corteza do that Tyk cannot?
Corteza covers Corteza Low Code, Automation and workflow, Bundled CRM, Case management. Tyk covers API Gateway, Rate Limiting, Authentication, Kubernetes.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Corteza: Is Corteza the same thing as Crust?

Yes. The project was branded Crust and renamed Corteza in 2019 when Crust Technology donated it to the Commons Conservancy.

Tyk: How much does Tyk cost?

Tyk offers a free 48-hour trial with no credit card required. The Core plan uses usage-based pricing on a flexible model. Professional plan offers unlimited access at a fixed price (amount not published). Enterprise plans require custom pricing.

Source
Corteza: Who owns the code?

The Commons Conservancy, a Dutch foundation. Planet Crust in Cork is the primary developer and sells commercial services around it.

Tyk: Is there a free trial of Tyk?

Yes, Tyk provides a fully featured 48-hour free trial of Tyk Cloud that requires no credit card to start.

Source
Corteza: Is there a paid enterprise edition?

No. Corteza is Apache 2.0 with no feature gating. Planet Crust sells support, hosting and development instead of a restricted edition.

Tyk: What deployment options are included in Tyk pricing?

All Tyk plans support Cloud, Hybrid, or Self-managed deployment options without feature restrictions, allowing flexible infrastructure choices across pricing tiers.

Source
Corteza: Can it genuinely replace Salesforce?

For case management and a straightforward sales pipeline on a self-hosted footprint, yes. For a large sales organisation relying on AppExchange products and a mature ecosystem, no.

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