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APIs · head to head

Gravitee vs Mathesar

Gravitee logo

Gravitee

APIs

Open source API management platform for event-native APIs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Mathesar logo

Mathesar

Spreadsheets

Spreadsheet style interface that edits an existing PostgreSQL database directly, with no schema of its own

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Gravitee the entry paid API management tier is $2,500 a month and includes a single production gateway; Mathesar there is no hosted offering of any kind, so a team without someone who can run and secure a server cannot use it at all.
  • They diverge on capability: Gravitee covers API Gateway, Mathesar covers Direct PostgreSQL editing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Gravitee and Mathesar actually diverge.

Attributes where Gravitee and Mathesar differ
AttributeGraviteeMathesar
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsCloud, On-premise, KubernetesWeb, Linux
CategoryAPIsSpreadsheets
Founded2015Unknown

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 Gravitee

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

Only in Mathesar

  • Direct PostgreSQL editing
  • PostgreSQL permissions
  • Schema editing
  • Data exploration
  • Relationship navigation
  • Import of tabular files
  • Self hosted only

What people use each for

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

Gravitee

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

Mathesar

  • A nonprofit or research group whose data is already in PostgreSQL and whose staff cannot write SQLnot Gravitee
  • Giving analysts a safe editing interface governed by database roles that already existnot Gravitee
  • Replacing a hand built Django or Rails admin screen that nobody wants to maintainnot Gravitee
  • Editing production reference data where an export, edit and reimport cycle would risk losing concurrent changesnot 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

Mathesar

  • There is no hosted offering of any kind, so a team without someone who can run and secure a server cannot use it at all.
  • It works only with PostgreSQL, so a MySQL, SQL Server or SQLite estate is excluded outright.
  • There are no automations, no webhooks and effectively no integration catalogue, so it edits data and does nothing else.
  • Because it writes to the live database, a careless bulk edit or column type change is a production change with no staging step and no undo.
  • Development is grant and community funded rather than commercially funded, so roadmap pace and long term continuity carry a different risk profile from a venture backed vendor.

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

Mathesar

Free
  • Self hosted open sourceFree
    • No licence fee
    • No hosted option offered
    • Connects to your existing PostgreSQL database

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 Mathesar if

  • You need direct postgresql editing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux.
  • You also want postgresql permissions.
Mathesar review

Questions people ask

Is Gravitee or Mathesar better?
Neither clearly leads. Gravitee starts at Free and Mathesar at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Gravitee or Mathesar?
Gravitee starts at Free and Mathesar at Free.
Does Gravitee or Mathesar run on more platforms?
Gravitee runs on Cloud, On-premise, Kubernetes. Mathesar runs on Web, Linux.
Can I use Gravitee for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Mathesar is typically brought in for.
What can Gravitee do that Mathesar cannot?
Gravitee covers API Gateway, Developer Portal, Analytics Dashboard, Kubernetes. Mathesar covers Direct PostgreSQL editing, PostgreSQL permissions, Schema editing, Data exploration.

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
Mathesar: Is there a cloud version?

No. Self hosting is the only option, and that is a deliberate project decision rather than a gap waiting to be filled.

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
Mathesar: How does it handle permissions?

Through PostgreSQL roles and privileges directly, so there is no second permission model to keep in step.

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
Mathesar: What is the row limit?

Whatever PostgreSQL can handle. Mathesar adds no storage layer of its own.

Mathesar: Does it support databases other than PostgreSQL?

No.

Mathesar: Can it replace Airtable?

Only for editing and exploring data. There are no automations, apps or integrations.

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