Software · head to head
Spring Cloud Gateway vs Microsoft Azure API Management
Spring Cloud Gateway
Software
API gateway built on Project Reactor for building microservices
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Microsoft Azure API Management
Software
Hybrid, multi-cloud API management service on Azure
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Spring Cloud Gateway released under the Apache 2.0 license, free and open source with no commercial tier; Microsoft Azure API Management prices are not shown on the pricing page itself; every tier renders as a placeholder and routes to the calculator or sales
- They diverge on capability: Spring Cloud Gateway covers Routing, Microsoft Azure API Management covers API Gateway.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Spring Cloud Gateway and Microsoft Azure API Management actually diverge.
| Attribute | Spring Cloud Gateway | Microsoft Azure API Management |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | open-source | subscription |
| Platforms | Java, Spring Boot | Cloud, Hybrid, Multi-cloud |
| Founded | 1998 | 1975 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Spring Cloud Gateway
- Routing
- Path Rewriting
- Circuit Breaker
- Spring Boot
- Spring Security
- Spring Cloud
- Java support
- Spring Boot support
Only in Microsoft Azure API Management
- API Gateway
- Developer Portal
- API Policies
- Azure services
- AWS
- Google Cloud
- On-premises
- Cloud support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Spring Cloud Gateway
- API Developmentnot Microsoft Azure API Management
- API Gatewaynot Microsoft Azure API Management
- API Testingnot Microsoft Azure API Management
- API Documentationnot Microsoft Azure API Management
- Microservicesnot Microsoft Azure API Management
Microsoft Azure API Management
- API gateway and lifecycle management on Azurenot Spring Cloud Gateway
- Throttling, keys and policies in front of backend servicesnot Spring Cloud Gateway
- Developer portal for internal and partner APIsnot Spring Cloud Gateway
- Hybrid deployments using self-hosted gatewaysnot Spring Cloud Gateway
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Spring Cloud Gateway
- Released under the Apache 2.0 license, free and open source with no commercial tier
Microsoft Azure API Management
- Prices are not shown on the pricing page itself; every tier renders as a placeholder and routes to the calculator or sales
- Two parallel generations of tiers, classic and v2, so the choice is which lineage before which size
- The Developer tier is explicitly not for production
- Self-hosted gateways and workspace gateways are charged separately from the service
Pricing, plan by plan
Spring Cloud Gateway
Free- Open SourceFree
- Core Spring Cloud Gateway
- Community support
Microsoft Azure API Management
Free- FreeFree
- 1M calls/month
- Community support
- Developer$50/monthly
- 10M calls/month
- Email support
- Premium$500/monthly
- Unlimited calls
- Priority support
- SLA
Which should you pick?
Choose Spring Cloud Gateway if
- You need routing.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Java, Spring Boot.
- You also want path rewriting.
Choose Microsoft Azure API Management if
- You need api gateway.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Cloud, Hybrid, Multi-cloud.
- You also want developer portal.
Questions people ask
- Is Spring Cloud Gateway or Microsoft Azure API Management better?
- Neither clearly leads. Spring Cloud Gateway starts at Free and Microsoft Azure API Management at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Spring Cloud Gateway or Microsoft Azure API Management?
- Spring Cloud Gateway starts at Free and Microsoft Azure API Management at Free.
- Does Spring Cloud Gateway or Microsoft Azure API Management run on more platforms?
- Spring Cloud Gateway runs on Java, Spring Boot. Microsoft Azure API Management runs on Cloud, Hybrid, Multi-cloud.
- Can I use Spring Cloud Gateway for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Spring Cloud Gateway best used for?
- Spring Cloud Gateway is most often used for api development, api gateway, api testing, api documentation. Of those, api development and api gateway are not what Microsoft Azure API Management is typically brought in for.
- What can Spring Cloud Gateway do that Microsoft Azure API Management cannot?
- Spring Cloud Gateway covers Routing, Path Rewriting, Circuit Breaker, Spring Boot. Microsoft Azure API Management covers API Gateway, Developer Portal, API Policies, Azure services.