Apollo Studio vs Stellate: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Apollo Studio and Stellate side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, Apollo Studio leads on lower entry price. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Apollo Studio
GraphQL developer platform for building APIs
Best for you if:
- • You want GraphQL schema management
Stellate
Secure, scale, and optimize your GraphQL APIs with global edge caching and real-time insights.
Best for you if:
- • You want significantly reduces API response times (down to ~40ms worldwide)
| At a Glance | Apollo Studio | Stellate |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free plan, paid from $49/mo, billed monthly Standard plan | Free plan, paid from $249/mo, billed monthly Business plan |
Category | API Tools Developer Tools | Security API Tools |
Rating | 4.3/5 Capterra 4.3 10 reviews | n/a |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Watch out for | n/a | Edge Caching/Rate Limiting are add-ons in Business tier |
Choose Apollo Studio or Stellate?
Choose Apollo Studio if
- You want GraphQL schema management
- You want good metrics
- Budget matters ($49/mo, billed monthly vs $249/mo, billed monthly)
- You work in API tools, not security
Choose Stellate if
- You want significantly reduces API response times (down to ~40ms worldwide)
- You want decreases origin traffic and server load, leading to substantial infrastructure cost reductions
- You work in security, not API tools
In-Depth Analysis
Apollo Studio
GraphQL developer platform for building APIs
Apollo Studio's pricing is fair for individual developers and small teams, with a generous Free tier.
Strengths
- Pro: GraphQL schema management
- Pro: Good metrics
- Pro: Schema registry
- Pro: Federation support
- Pro: Operation traces
Weaknesses
- Con: Expensive
- Con: Apollo ecosystem lock-in
- Con: Learning curve
- Con: Per-operation pricing
- Con: Overkill for simple APIs
Key features
Stellate
Secure, scale, and optimize your GraphQL APIs with global edge caching and real-time insights.
Stellate's pricing is fair for small projects with its generous free tier, offering 100k requests.
Watch out
Edge Caching/Rate Limiting are add-ons in Business tier
Strengths
- Pro: Significantly reduces API response times (down to ~40ms worldwide).
- Pro: Decreases origin traffic and server load, leading to substantial infrastructure cost reductions.
- Pro: Enhances API stability and availability through distributed edge computing and security measures.
- Pro: Offers granular insights into GraphQL API performance and usage patterns.
- Pro: Easy to set up and integrate with existing GraphQL APIs.
Weaknesses
- Con: May require some configuration to fully optimize caching for complex GraphQL queries.
Key features
Plans and prices: Apollo Studio vs Stellate
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Apollo Studio |
| apollographql.com/pricing read Oct 18, 2026 |
| Stellate |
| stellate.co/pricing read Oct 20, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Apollo Studio pricing and Stellate pricing.
Key Takeaways
Apollo Studio
- Lower entry price: $49/mo, billed monthly vs $249/mo, billed monthly
Stellate
- Choose if you want secure, scale, and optimize your GraphQL APIs with global edge caching and real-time insights
What the data shows
On the data below, Apollo Studio leads on lower entry price. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- Only Apollo Studio has a published user rating (4.3/5 from 10 reviews); Stellate has none we can show.
- Apollo Studio has the lower entry price: $49/mo, billed monthly (Standard) against $249/mo, billed monthly (Business) for Stellate.
- Both have a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Apollo Studio and Stellate compare in 2026?
On the data below, Apollo Studio leads on lower entry price. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. Only Apollo Studio has a published user rating (4.3/5 from 10 reviews); Stellate has none we can show. Apollo Studio has the lower entry price: $49/mo, billed monthly (Standard) against $249/mo, billed monthly (Business) for Stellate. Both have a free plan.
What are Apollo Studio and Stellate used for?
Apollo Studio: GraphQL developer platform for building APIs. Stellate: Secure, scale, and optimize your GraphQL APIs with global edge caching and real-time insights.
What does Apollo Studio cost vs Stellate?
Apollo Studio's cheapest paid plan is Standard at $49/mo, billed monthly; it also has a free plan. Stellate's cheapest paid plan is Business at $249/mo, billed monthly; it also has a free plan. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 20, 2026.
What's the main difference between Apollo Studio and Stellate?
Apollo Studio's main strength: GraphQL schema management. Stellate's main strength: significantly reduces API response times (down to ~40ms worldwide).