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WSO2 API Manager logo

WSO2 API Manager

Open-source, self-hostable API management platform with gateway, developer portal and analytics.

Open sourceSelf-hostableAPI gateways and API management

Updated · AppBreakup editorial · Web, Self-hosted

Visit WSO2 API ManagerSee 6 alternatives

Is WSO2 API Manager free?

Yes, free and open source

License:
Apache-2.0

Checked on WSO2 API Manager's site Nov 8, 2026

Switch from WSO2 API Manager to

All 6
  • Kong logo
    Kong

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

  • Tyk logo
    Tyk

    Open source

  • Apigee logo
    Apigee

    Starting price: $365 per month per region (Base environment)

Verified facts
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Alternatives ranked
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About WSO2 API Manager

WSO2 API Manager is a full API management suite released as open source under Apache 2.0. It covers the whole API lifecycle: designing and publishing APIs, securing them at the gateway with OAuth, rate limits and policies, and offering them to developers through a self-service portal. Analytics and monetisation are included, and recent versions add an AI gateway for LLM traffic. They can also generate MCP servers from existing REST APIs so AI agents can call them. Its control plane can manage other gateways too, including Kong, AWS, Azure and Envoy, besides WSO2's own. You can run it on your own servers, in Kubernetes, in a hybrid setup, or use WSO2's SaaS version, Bijira. The software is free to download. Companies typically pay WSO2 for support subscriptions and managed cloud. It suits enterprises, banks and governments that want vendor-neutral, self-hosted API management. Smaller teams may find its Java-based stack heavy compared with lighter gateways.

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

Pros and cons

What works

  • 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

Why people leave

  • 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

WSO2 API Manager vs Kong, Tyk and Apigee

From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.

AttributeWSO2 API ManagerKongTykApigee
PricingOpen sourceOpen sourceOpen sourcePaid
Verified price—From $25/month plus usage (Konnect Plus)—$365 per month per region (Base environment)
Free planFree appFree appFree appNo
Open sourceYesYesYesNo
Self-hostableYesYesYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Self-hostedWeb, Linux, Self-hostedWeb, Linux, Self-hostedWeb

Top WSO2 API Manager alternatives

See all 6
  1. 1Kong logo
    Kong

    Lighter, very popular gateway with an open-source core and a large plugin ecosystem.

    68.8
  2. 2Tyk logo
    Tyk

    Open-source gateway written in Go, simpler to run, with a full management layer available.

    64.8
  3. 3Apigee logo
    Apigee

    Fully managed on Google Cloud if you'd rather not operate the platform yourself.

    61.8
  4. 4Azure API Management logo
    Azure API Management

    Managed service that fits naturally if your backends already run on Azure.

    59.4
  5. 5Amazon API Gateway logo
    Amazon API Gateway

    Serverless, pay-per-call gateway for AWS-hosted APIs with no servers to manage.

    57.5

Why people left WSO2 API Manager

In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.

No switching stories yet. If you moved away from WSO2 API Manager, review the app you switched to and tell us why.

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WSO2 API Manager: common questions

What is WSO2 API Manager?

WSO2 API Manager: Open-source, self-hostable API management platform with gateway, developer portal and analytics. Best for enterprises wanting full open-source API management they can host on their own infrastructure. Available for Web, and you can host it yourself.

Is WSO2 API Manager free?

Yes. WSO2 API Manager is free, open-source software that you can host yourself.

Is WSO2 API Manager open source?

Yes. The source code is on GitHub at wso2/product-apim. You can also run it on your own server.

What platforms does WSO2 API Manager run on?

WSO2 API Manager is available for Web and Self-hosted.

What are the best alternatives to WSO2 API Manager?

The highest-ranked WSO2 API Manager alternatives right now are Kong, Tyk and Apigee. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

WSO2 API Manager vs Kong: what's the difference?

Both WSO2 API Manager and Kong are free and open source. Only Kong runs on Linux.

See all 6 WSO2 API Manager alternatives