Ranked list · API Gateways · 7 companies
Best API Gateways Software in 2026
API gateways serve as a critical component in modern software architecture, managing and securing API traffic. This guide examines leading API gateway solutions, highlighting their core features and pricing structures for buyers.
Kong offers comprehensive API, protocol, and service support, including AI Observability with token-level tracking.
Free tier · paid from $12/user/month
- · Citation data still being collected (5 checks so far) — ranked on product facts only
- · Starting price: $12/user/month
- · Free tier available
- · Key features: API, protocol, and service support, Unlimited agents for agent-to-agent traffic, AI Observability with token-level tracking, Advanced analytics for up to 1M API requests, Developer portal support for 2 portals
- · Integrates with: AWS, Azure, GCP, Git, Slack
- · Strengths: Comprehensive API management; Free trial available; Robust support for enterprise
Postman API Gateway provides 50 AI credits/month and includes an API client with core tools.
Free tier · paid from $0
- · Citation data still being collected (0 checks so far) — ranked on product facts only
- · Starting price: $0
- · Free tier available
- · Key features: 50 AI credits/month, API client & core tools, Specs & mock servers, Native Git, Unlimited manual Flows
- · Integrates with: Up to 5, Internal & Private workspaces, Collection Runner, SDK generation
- · Strengths: Affordable entry-level plan; Includes essential features; Good for individual developers
Apigee features pay-as-you-go pricing and advanced API security.
Free tier · paid from $20 (Standard API Proxy, per 1M API calls)
- · Citation data still being collected (5 checks so far) — ranked on product facts only
- · Starting price: $20 (Standard API Proxy, per 1M API calls)
- · Free tier available
- · Key features: Pay-as-you-go pricing, Multiple subscription tiers, API Analytics, Advanced API Security
- · Strengths: No upfront commitment; Flexible pricing options; Tailored for various use cases
AWS API Gateway offers pay-as-you-go pricing and includes one million free API calls.
Free tier · paid from $1.00/million
- · Citation data still being collected (5 checks so far) — ranked on product facts only
- · Starting price: $1.00/million
- · Free tier available
- · Key features: Pay-as-you-go pricing, One million free API calls, No minimum fees, No upfront commitments
- · Strengths: Flexible pricing model; Generous free tier offers; Scalable for different needs
Zuplo functions as a fully managed API gateway, offering 100K requests/month free.
Free tier · paid from $25/month
- · Citation data still being collected (5 checks so far) — ranked on product facts only
- · Starting price: $25/month
- · Free tier available
- · Key features: Fully managed API gateway, 100K requests/month free, Pay per request pricing, Edge-native and multi-cloud access
- · Strengths: Customizable plans based on usage; No per-seat fees; Fast deployment under 60 seconds
Tyk provides usage-based pricing and includes a developer portal.
Free tier available
- · Citation data still being collected (5 checks so far) — ranked on product facts only
- · Free tier available
- · Key features: Usage-based pricing, Unlimited API gateways, Developer portal included, Enhanced success plan
- · Strengths: Flexible pricing model; Easy to start with a free trial; Scalable for enterprise needs
Gravitee offers unlimited users and unlimited APIs under management with flat pricing.
From $1,250/month
- · Citation data still being collected (5 checks so far) — ranked on product facts only
- · Starting price: $1,250/month
- · Key features: Unlimited Users, Unlimited APIs under Management, Production Gateways available, Gold Support
- · Strengths: Flat pricing for all API calls; Free onboarding and setup; Flexible gateway options
How we rank
Composite score, weighted across five public signals from each company's published releases:
- · Recency (25%) — exponential decay from the most recent release
- · Volume (20%) — releases published in the last 90 days
- · GEO score (25%) — average AI-optimization score
- · Citations (20%) — confirmed AI-engine citations
- · Entities (10%) — entity richness per release
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