Softwr

APIs · head to head

Gravitee vs Griffin

Gravitee logo

Gravitee

APIs

Open source API management platform for event-native APIs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Griffin logo

Griffin

APIs

UK banking-as-a-service from a company that holds its own full banking licence

From
£100/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Gravitee has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Gravitee the entry paid API management tier is $2,500 a month and includes a single production gateway; Griffin platform banking carries a one-off onboarding fee from 15,000 pounds and a 3,500 pound monthly minimum, which prices out early-stage companies entirely.
  • They diverge on capability: Gravitee covers API Gateway, Griffin covers Bank accounts by API.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Gravitee and Griffin actually diverge.

Attributes where Gravitee and Griffin differ
AttributeGraviteeGriffin
Starting priceFree£100/month
Pricing modelfreemiumPer month with usage drawdown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsCloud, On-premise, KubernetesWeb, REST API
Founded2015Unknown

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 Gravitee

  • API Gateway
  • Developer Portal
  • Analytics Dashboard
  • Kubernetes
  • Docker
  • Kafka
  • LDAP
  • Cloud support

Only in Griffin

  • Bank accounts by API
  • UK payment rails
  • Integrated ledger
  • Automated onboarding
  • Debit cards
  • Interest on balances

What people use each for

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

Gravitee

  • API gateway and lifecycle managementnot Griffin
  • Exposing Kafka event streams as managed APIsnot Griffin
  • Protocol mediation between event brokers and clientsnot Griffin
  • Self-hosting an open source API gatewaynot Griffin
  • Access control and authentication in front of internal APIsnot Griffin

Griffin

  • A wealth platform that must hold client money in a licensed bank rather than an EMI safeguarding accountnot Gravitee
  • A lender wanting UK accounts and payment rails without becoming a bank itselfnot Gravitee
  • A fintech burned by sponsor bank instability that wants the deposit holder and the API provider to be the same entitynot Gravitee
  • A platform needing sub-account ledgering for pooled client funds with a clean audit trailnot Gravitee

Where each one falls short

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

Gravitee

  • The entry paid API management tier is $2,500 a month and includes a single production gateway
  • Event management is priced separately, starting at $1,250 a month for the Comet tier
  • Tiers are gated on gateway and broker counts, so scaling horizontally means moving tier rather than paying incrementally
  • Data logging masking and other enterprise features are withheld from the lowest paid tier
  • 24/7 support requires the top Universe tier

Griffin

  • Platform banking carries a one-off onboarding fee from 15,000 pounds and a 3,500 pound monthly minimum, which prices out early-stage companies entirely.
  • It is UK-only, so a business with European or US operations needs a second banking provider and a second integration for those entities.
  • It is a young bank with a small balance sheet relative to incumbents, and enterprise counterparties still ask hard questions about concentration risk.
  • Holding a banking licence means Griffin applies bank-grade due diligence to its own clients, so onboarding is slower and more selective than an EMI-based provider.
  • Feature breadth is narrower than long-established providers, particularly in card programme management and in payment types beyond core UK rails.

Pricing, plan by plan

Gravitee

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • API Gateway
    • Basic analytics
    • Community support
  • Enterprise$1500/monthly
    • Advanced features
    • SLA support
    • SSO integration
  • Custom$undefined/monthly
    • Custom deployment
    • Dedicated support
    • Premium SLA

Griffin

£100/month
  • Business Banking$100/month
    • From 100 pounds per month
    • Interest or commission from around 1.75 percent AER variable
    • Operational accounts and UK payment rails
  • Platform Banking$3500/month
    • One-off onboarding fee from 15,000 pounds
    • Minimum monthly spend of 3,500 pounds, drawn down by usage
    • Higher committed tiers at 5,000 and 10,000 pounds with discounts
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom pricing
    • Bespoke account structures and volumes
    • Negotiated interest or commission share

Which should you pick?

Choose Gravitee if

  • You need api gateway.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, On-premise, Kubernetes.
  • You also want developer portal.
Gravitee review

Choose Griffin if

  • You need bank accounts by api.
  • You work on Web, REST API.
  • You also want uk payment rails.
Griffin review

Questions people ask

Is Gravitee or Griffin better?
Neither clearly leads. Gravitee starts at Free and Griffin at £100/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Gravitee or Griffin?
Gravitee has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Gravitee and £100/month for Griffin.
Does Gravitee or Griffin run on more platforms?
Gravitee runs on Cloud, On-premise, Kubernetes. Griffin runs on Web, REST API.
Can I use Gravitee for free?
Yes. Gravitee has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Griffin starts at £100/month.
What is Gravitee best used for?
Gravitee is most often used for api gateway and lifecycle management, exposing kafka event streams as managed apis, protocol mediation between event brokers and clients, self-hosting an open source api gateway. Of those, api gateway and lifecycle management and exposing kafka event streams as managed apis are not what Griffin is typically brought in for.
What can Gravitee do that Griffin cannot?
Gravitee covers API Gateway, Developer Portal, Analytics Dashboard, Kubernetes. Griffin covers Bank accounts by API, UK payment rails, Integrated ledger, Automated onboarding.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Gravitee: What is Gravitee's pricing model?

Gravitee uses a tiered subscription model with monthly flat pricing. The Planet tier for API Management starts at $2,500/month with one production gateway, while the Comet tier for Event Management starts at $1,250/month.

Source
Griffin: Is Griffin actually a bank?

Yes. It received a UK banking licence with restrictions in March 2023 and a full licence in March 2024 after exiting mobilisation.

Gravitee: Are there hidden fees with Gravitee?

No. Gravitee explicitly states there are no hidden fees, and all tiers include unlimited users and unlimited APIs under management.

Source
Griffin: What does it cost?

Business banking from 100 pounds a month; platform banking from a 15,000 pound onboarding fee plus a 3,500 pound monthly minimum drawn down by usage.

Gravitee: What does higher tier pricing include in Gravitee?

Higher tiers add more production gateways, enterprise plugins, and enhanced support levels ranging from Gold to Platinum/Diamond support.

Source
Griffin: Does it cover Europe?

No. Griffin is a UK bank serving UK accounts and UK payment rails.

Share

Related pages

More on Gravitee

More on Griffin

Keep looking

Other head to heads