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APIs · head to head

GraphQL Apollo vs Skaleet

GraphQL Apollo logo

GraphQL Apollo

APIs

Complete platform for building GraphQL APIs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Skaleet logo

Skaleet

APIs

Cloud-native core banking and payment hub with deployments measured in months

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only GraphQL Apollo has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: GraphQL Apollo standard and Enterprise plans require sales contact for custom pricing; Skaleet the installed base is in the tens rather than the hundreds, so the pool of consultants and systems integrators who know the platform is small and expensive.
  • They diverge on capability: GraphQL Apollo covers Apollo Server, Skaleet covers Cloud-native core.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GraphQL Apollo and Skaleet actually diverge.

Attributes where GraphQL Apollo and Skaleet differ
AttributeGraphQL ApolloSkaleet
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsJavaScript, Node.js, Web, MobileWeb, REST API, Linux
Founded2016Unknown

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 GraphQL Apollo

  • Apollo Server
  • Apollo Client
  • GraphQL Federation
  • REST APIs
  • Microservices
  • Databases
  • JavaScript support
  • Node.js support

Only in Skaleet

  • Cloud-native core
  • Payment hub
  • Card management
  • Lending
  • API-first
  • Configurable products

What people use each for

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

GraphQL Apollo

  • GraphQL API managementnot Skaleet
  • Schema federationnot Skaleet
  • API analytics and monitoringnot Skaleet
  • Developer-focused infrastructurenot Skaleet

Skaleet

  • A banking group launching a digital savings or deposit brand in a new country within a yearnot GraphQL Apollo
  • A bank modernising payments to ISO 20022 without replacing its whole corenot GraphQL Apollo
  • A payroll or HR software company adding embedded banking to its productnot GraphQL Apollo
  • A payment service provider needing a ledger and accounts under its existing licencenot GraphQL Apollo

Where each one falls short

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

GraphQL Apollo

  • Standard and Enterprise plans require sales contact for custom pricing
  • Free plan limited to 3 developers and 1-day retention
  • Self-hosted router on free tier heavily rate-limited to 60 requests/minute

Skaleet

  • The installed base is in the tens rather than the hundreds, so the pool of consultants and systems integrators who know the platform is small and expensive.
  • Speed references are mostly greenfield launches inside large groups, which is an easier problem than migrating an existing book off a legacy core.
  • It is European-centric, with payment rails and regulatory work concentrated on SEPA and EU requirements rather than global coverage.
  • As a smaller vendor carrying a bank core, it attracts hard concentration and viability questions in procurement that larger competitors do not face.
  • Pricing is unpublished and scaled by accounts and transactions, so a bank whose volumes grow faster than forecast faces cost escalation it did not model.

Pricing, plan by plan

GraphQL Apollo

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 developers
    • 1-day data retention
    • Community support only
  • Developer$5/per million requests
    • $50 usage credit for new signups
    • Up to 10 developers
    • 7-day data retention
  • Standard$null/custom
    • Up to 30 developers
    • 90-day data retention
    • Standard support with SLA (8x5)
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Unlimited developers
    • 18-month data retention
    • Business support 24x7x365 with SLA

Skaleet

On request
  • Skaleet Core Banking Platform$undefined/year
    • Subscription licence scaled by accounts and transaction volume
    • Payment hub licensable separately from the full core
    • Implementation and configuration charged as a project

Which should you pick?

Choose GraphQL Apollo if

  • You need apollo server.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on JavaScript, Node.js, Web, Mobile.
  • You also want apollo client.
GraphQL Apollo review

Choose Skaleet if

  • You need cloud-native core.
  • You work on Web, REST API, Linux.
  • You also want payment hub.
Skaleet review

Questions people ask

Is GraphQL Apollo or Skaleet better?
Neither clearly leads. GraphQL Apollo starts at Free and Skaleet at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GraphQL Apollo or Skaleet?
GraphQL Apollo has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for GraphQL Apollo and On request for Skaleet.
Does GraphQL Apollo or Skaleet run on more platforms?
GraphQL Apollo runs on JavaScript, Node.js, Web, Mobile. Skaleet runs on Web, REST API, Linux.
Can I use GraphQL Apollo for free?
Yes. GraphQL Apollo has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Skaleet starts at On request.
What is GraphQL Apollo best used for?
GraphQL Apollo is most often used for graphql api management, schema federation, api analytics and monitoring, developer-focused infrastructure. Of those, graphql api management and schema federation are not what Skaleet is typically brought in for.
What can GraphQL Apollo do that Skaleet cannot?
GraphQL Apollo covers Apollo Server, Apollo Client, GraphQL Federation, REST APIs. Skaleet covers Cloud-native core, Payment hub, Card management, Lending.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GraphQL Apollo: How much does Apollo GraphQL cost?

Apollo GraphQL is free for up to 3 developers. Paid plans start at $5 per million GraphQL requests on the Developer plan, which includes $50 usage credit for new signups. Standard and Enterprise plans require custom pricing via sales contact.

Source
Skaleet: What was Skaleet called before?

TagPay. The company rebranded to Skaleet while keeping the same platform lineage.

GraphQL Apollo: Is there a free version of Apollo GraphQL?

Yes, Apollo GraphQL offers a forever-free plan with no credit card required for up to 3 developers, including 1-day data retention, community support, and self-hosted GraphOS Router rate-limited to 60 requests per minute.

Source
Skaleet: Can I buy just the payment hub?

Yes. The payment engine is licensable standalone and can sit over an existing core, which is a common first step.

GraphQL Apollo: What does Apollo's Enterprise plan include that Standard does not?

The Enterprise plan offers unlimited developers versus 30 on Standard, 18-month data retention versus 90 days, and 24x7x365 business support with SLA instead of 8x5 support. It also includes premium and professional services add-ons and custom MSA agreements. Both require custom pricing.

Source
Skaleet: How fast are real deployments?

Named European deployments have gone live in six to twelve months, including a Crédit Agricole savings platform live in Germany in eight months.

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