AppBreakup

Amazon API Gateway alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rankAll API gateways and API management

Top picks

  • Kong logo

    Best overall

    Kong

    Starting price: From $25/month plus usage (Konnect Plus)

  • Tyk logo

    Best free option

    Tyk

    Open source

  • WSO2 API Manager logo

    Best open source

    WSO2 API Manager

    Open source

Common reasons people leave Amazon API Gateway: only runs inside AWS and is region-bound, and no polished developer portal out of the box. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Amazon API Gateway, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Kong currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingVerified priceOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Kong logoKongOpen sourceFrom $25/month plus usage (Konnect Plus)YesWeb, Linux, Self-hosted4 of 468.8
2Tyk logoTykOpen source—YesWeb, Linux, Self-hosted4 of 464.8
3Apigee logoApigeePaid$365 per month per region (Base environment)NoWeb8 of 859.4
4Azure API Management logoAzure API ManagementPaid—NoWeb5 of 557.5
5WSO2 API Manager logoWSO2 API ManagerOpen source—YesWeb, Self-hosted6 of 653.6
  1. Kong logo

    1. KongTop pick

    Best for: Platform teams wanting a battle-tested open-source gateway with an optional managed control plane

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Linux, Self-hosted

    68.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Amazon API Gateway

    Runs on any cloud or on-premises, avoiding AWS lock-in, with an open-source core.

    Pros

    • Open-source core under Apache 2.0
    • Large plugin library for auth, rate limiting and observability
    • Self-hosted, hybrid or fully managed deployment

    Cons

    • Many advanced plugins and the portal need a paid licence
    • Konnect usage pricing has many moving parts
    • More to operate than a single-binary gateway like KrakenD
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Kong a good Amazon API Gateway alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    Apache-2.0
    Checked Nov 1, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    30 days (Konnect)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026konghq.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    From $25/month plus usage (Konnect Plus)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026konghq.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Extensibility
    Modules and plugins
    Checked Nov 8, 2026developer.konghq.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Tyk logo

    2. Tyk

    Best for: Teams in regulated industries wanting an open-source gateway they can fully self-manage

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Linux, Self-hosted

    64.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Amazon API Gateway

    Open-source gateway with a built-in developer portal, deployable across clouds.

    Pros

    • Gateway is open source under MPL 2.0
    • Paid plans don't charge per API call
    • Cloud, hybrid or fully on-premises deployment

    Cons

    • Dashboard and developer portal require a paid licence
    • Cloud trial is only 48 hours
    • Smaller plugin ecosystem than Kong
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Tyk a good Amazon API Gateway alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    MPL 2.0 (Gateway and Pump)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026tyk.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    48 hours (Tyk Cloud)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026tyk.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Pricing basis
    Per API managed, unlimited calls
    Checked Nov 8, 2026tyk.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Protocols
    REST, GraphQL, TCP, gRPC, MCP
    Checked Nov 1, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Apigee logo

    3. Apigee

    Best for: Large enterprises on Google Cloud that need full API lifecycle management, portals and analytics.

    PaidWeb

    59.4

    score / 100

    Why switch from Amazon API Gateway

    Fuller API management with portals, analytics and monetization for large API programs.

    Pros

    • Covers proxies, portals, analytics and monetization in one product
    • Hybrid option keeps API traffic in your own clusters
    • Free 60-day evaluation sandbox
    • Pay-as-you-go option for smaller starts

    Cons

    • Environment fees add a fixed monthly cost before any traffic
    • Policy configuration in XML feels dated next to code-first gateways
    • Closely tied to Google Cloud
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Apigee a good Amazon API Gateway alternative?

    Verified facts

    8 of 8 verified
    Free trial
    60-day sandbox evaluation
    Checked Nov 8, 2026cloud.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pricing model
    Pay-as-you-go or subscription
    Checked Nov 8, 2026cloud.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Standard proxy calls
    $20 per 1M calls (up to 50M)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026cloud.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Base environment
    $365 per month per region
    Checked Nov 8, 2026cloud.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $365 per month per region (Base environment)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026cloud.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Intermediate environment plan
    $1,460 per month per region
    Checked Nov 8, 2026cloud.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Comprehensive environment plan
    $3,431 per month per region
    Checked Nov 8, 2026cloud.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Standard API proxy calls
    $20 per 1M calls (up to 50M)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026cloud.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Azure API Management logo

    4. Azure API Management

    Best for: Azure-based organisations that want a managed API gateway with a ready-made developer portal

    PaidWeb

    57.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Amazon API Gateway

    Microsoft's managed gateway with a developer portal and policies, the natural pick for APIs hosted on Azure.

    Pros

    • Built-in developer portal with docs, test console and self-service API keys
    • Imports OpenAPI, WSDL, GraphQL and gRPC definitions
    • Serverless Consumption tier for low or spiky traffic
    • Close ties to Entra ID, Azure Monitor and virtual networks

    Cons

    • Self-hosted gateway in production needs the costly Premium tier
    • Developer tier has no SLA, so it can't be used for production
    • Policy configuration is XML-based and has a learning curve
    • Fits best when the rest of your stack is on Azure
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Azure API Management a good Amazon API Gateway alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Developer portal
    Yes, open source and customizable
    Checked Nov 8, 2026learn.microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
    API formats
    OpenAPI, WSDL, OData, WebSocket, GraphQL, gRPC
    Checked Nov 8, 2026learn.microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosted gateway
    Yes, for on-premises and multi-cloud
    Checked Nov 8, 2026azure.microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Serverless tier
    Consumption tier, billed per execution
    Checked Nov 8, 2026azure.microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Developer tier
    No SLA; for evaluation and testing
    Checked Nov 8, 2026azure.microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. WSO2 API Manager logo

    5. WSO2 API Manager

    Best for: Enterprises wanting full open-source API management they can host on their own infrastructure

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    53.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Amazon API Gateway

    Open-source API management you can run on any cloud or on-prem, avoiding lock-in to AWS's gateway.

    Pros

    • Apache 2.0 open source with a complete feature set
    • Runs on-prem, in Kubernetes, hybrid or as SaaS
    • Control plane can govern Kong, AWS, Azure and Envoy gateways
    • Includes AI gateway and MCP server generation

    Cons

    • Large Java-based platform with a steep setup and operations load
    • Production support and managed cloud are paid extras
    • Heavier than lightweight gateways for simple routing needs
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.357
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is WSO2 API Manager a good Amazon API Gateway alternative?

    Verified facts

    6 of 6 verified
    License
    Apache-2.0
    Checked Nov 8, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Open source
    Yes, self-hosted
    Checked Nov 8, 2026wso2.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Deployment
    On-prem, Kubernetes, hybrid or managed cloud
    Checked Nov 8, 2026wso2.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Development
    Active
    Checked Nov 8, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Web portals
    Open source (Apache-2.0)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Multi-gateway
    WSO2, Kong, AWS, Azure, Envoy
    Checked Nov 8, 2026wso2.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Amazon API Gateway alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Kong logo

Best Amazon API Gateway alternative for most people

Kong

Runs on any cloud or on-premises, avoiding AWS lock-in, with an open-source core.

Tyk logo

Best Amazon API Gateway alternative for a free option

Tyk

Open-source gateway with a built-in developer portal, deployable across clouds.

WSO2 API Manager logo

Best Amazon API Gateway alternative for open source

WSO2 API Manager

Open-source API management you can run on any cloud or on-prem, avoiding lock-in to AWS's gateway.

Kong logo

Best Amazon API Gateway alternative for self-hosting

Kong

Runs on any cloud or on-premises, avoiding AWS lock-in, with an open-source core.

Kong logo

Best Amazon API Gateway alternative for Linux

Kong

Runs on any cloud or on-premises, avoiding AWS lock-in, with an open-source core.

Apigee logo

Best Amazon API Gateway alternative for working in the browser

Apigee

Fuller API management with portals, analytics and monetization for large API programs.

Amazon API Gateway alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Amazon API Gateway?

Kong ranks first right now. Runs on any cloud or on-premises, avoiding AWS lock-in, with an open-source core. Tyk and Apigee follow it in our ranking.

Amazon API Gateway vs Kong: what's the difference?

Amazon API Gateway is a paid product; Kong is free and open source. Verified prices: Amazon API Gateway Up to $200 for new AWS customers, Kong From $25/month plus usage (Konnect Plus). Kong is open source and Amazon API Gateway is not. Only Kong runs on Linux.

Is Amazon API Gateway free?

Amazon API Gateway is a paid product. Pricing model: Pay per API call, no minimum fees; Free tier: 1M REST + 1M HTTP calls/month for 12 months; HTTP API calls: $1.00 per million (first 300 million); REST API calls: $3.50 per million (first 333 million, US East). Checked on Amazon API Gateway's own site, November 2026.

How much do Amazon API Gateway alternatives cost?

Verified prices for the top-ranked Amazon API Gateway alternatives: Kong, From $25/month plus usage (Konnect Plus); Apigee, $365 per month per region (Base environment). Each price was checked on the app's own site; see each card below for the date and source.

Is there a free alternative to Amazon API Gateway?

Yes. Kong (open source), Tyk (open source) and WSO2 API Manager (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Amazon API Gateway?

Yes: Kong, Tyk and WSO2 API Manager. Kong, Tyk and WSO2 API Manager can also be self-hosted.

Which Amazon API Gateway alternatives work on Linux?

Kong and Tyk run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Amazon API Gateway?

The complaints we hear most: only runs inside AWS and is region-bound; no polished developer portal out of the box; costs and configuration get complex at high volume.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Amazon API Gateway, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.