Software · head to head
Paw vs AWS API Gateway
Paw
Software
Full-featured REST client for macOS with powerful scripting and testing
- From
- $99/one-time
- Rated
- -
AWS API Gateway
Software
Fully managed API gateway service for creating and managing APIs at scale
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only AWS API Gateway has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Paw now distributed as RapidAPI for Mac; the vendor's own page states it is "exclusively built for macOS" and requires macOS 10.15+, with no Windows or Linux client; AWS API Gateway rEST APIs cost $3.50 per million calls against $1.00 for HTTP APIs, so the older and more featureful type is three and a half times dearer
- They diverge on capability: Paw covers REST Client, AWS API Gateway covers REST APIs.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Paw and AWS API Gateway actually diverge.
| Attribute | Paw | AWS API Gateway |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $99/one-time | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | usage-based |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | MacOS | AWS Cloud |
| Founded | 2013 | 2006 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Paw
- REST Client
- Scripting
- Dynamic Values
- Slack
- GitHub
- Custom extensions
- MacOS support
Only in AWS API Gateway
- REST APIs
- WebSocket APIs
- HTTP APIs
- Lambda
- EC2
- DynamoDB
- CloudWatch
- IAM
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Paw
- API Developmentnot AWS API Gateway
- API Gatewaynot AWS API Gateway
- API Testingnot AWS API Gateway
- API Documentationnot AWS API Gateway
- Microservicesnot AWS API Gateway
AWS API Gateway
- Fronting Lambda functions with an HTTP endpointnot Paw
- REST and HTTP API management with throttling and keysnot Paw
- WebSocket APIs for real-time clientsnot Paw
- Private APIs reachable only inside a VPCnot Paw
- Publishing a developer portal for API consumersnot Paw
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Paw
- Now distributed as RapidAPI for Mac; the vendor's own page states it is "exclusively built for macOS" and requires macOS 10.15+, with no Windows or Linux client
AWS API Gateway
- REST APIs cost $3.50 per million calls against $1.00 for HTTP APIs, so the older and more featureful type is three and a half times dearer
- Data transfer out is charged at $0.09 per GB on top of request pricing
- WebSocket APIs bill connection minutes as well as messages, at $0.25 per million minutes
- Private APIs avoid data transfer charges but incur AWS PrivateLink costs instead
- The developer portal is $125 a month, with additional portal products at $12.50 each
- The free tier lasts 12 months rather than being ongoing
Pricing, plan by plan
Paw
$99/one-time- Standard$99/one-time
- Full REST client
- Advanced scripting
- Extensions
- Annual License$49/yearly
- All features
- Updates
- Priority support
AWS API Gateway
Free- Free TierFree
- 1M requests per month
- Basic API management
- Pay-as-you-go$3.5/per 1M requests
- Unlimited requests
- HTTP APIs
- REST APIs
Which should you pick?
Choose AWS API Gateway if
- You need rest apis.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on AWS Cloud.
- You also want websocket apis.
Questions people ask
- Is Paw or AWS API Gateway better?
- Neither clearly leads. Paw starts at $99/one-time and AWS API Gateway at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Paw or AWS API Gateway?
- AWS API Gateway has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $99/one-time for Paw and Free for AWS API Gateway.
- Does Paw or AWS API Gateway run on more platforms?
- Paw runs on MacOS. AWS API Gateway runs on AWS Cloud.
- Can I use AWS API Gateway for free?
- Yes. AWS API Gateway has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Paw starts at $99/one-time.
- What is Paw best used for?
- Paw is most often used for api development, api gateway, api testing, api documentation. Of those, api development and api gateway are not what AWS API Gateway is typically brought in for.
- What can Paw do that AWS API Gateway cannot?
- Paw covers REST Client, Scripting, Dynamic Values, Slack. AWS API Gateway covers REST APIs, WebSocket APIs, HTTP APIs, Lambda.