AWS API Gateway
UnclaimedBuild, secure, and scale APIs with REST, HTTP, and WebSocket support
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933 reviews trackedThe Bottom Line
Entry price
Free plan available, paid tiers above
Biggest pro
Fully managed, no infrastructure to maintain
Biggest con
Vendor lock-in to AWS ecosystem
TL;DR - AWS API Gateway
- Fully managed API gateway supporting REST, HTTP, and WebSocket APIs
- Scales automatically with pay-per-request pricing
- Free tier: 1M calls/mo; HTTP APIs from $1.00/M, REST from $3.50/M
Pricing: Free plan available
Best for: Growing teams
4.4/5 across review platforms
What is AWS API Gateway?
Amazon API Gateway is a fully managed AWS service for creating, publishing, maintaining, monitoring, and securing APIs at any scale. It supports REST APIs, HTTP APIs, and WebSocket APIs, handling hundreds of thousands of concurrent API calls with built-in traffic management, authorization, throttling, and monitoring. HTTP APIs offer up to 71% cost savings over REST APIs for serverless workloads, while WebSocket APIs enable real-time bidirectional communication for chat and streaming applications.
Available on: Web
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Fully managed, no infrastructure to maintain
- Native integration with Lambda, DynamoDB, and other AWS services
- Free tier includes 1M API calls/month for 12 months
- HTTP APIs offer significant cost savings for simple use cases
- Global edge network reduces latency
- Granular access control with multiple auth methods
Cons
- Vendor lock-in to AWS ecosystem
- Pricing complexity across REST vs HTTP vs WebSocket
- 29-second timeout limit on API calls
- Cold start latency when paired with Lambda
- REST API pricing ($3.50/M) is expensive at scale
- Limited WebSocket message size (128KB)
Ratings Across the Web
4.4(933 reviews)
Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more
Key Features
REST, HTTP, and WebSocket API supportAutomatic scaling to handle any traffic volumeBuilt-in authorization via IAM, Cognito, OAuth2, and LambdaTraffic management with rate limiting and throttlingAPI versioning with multi-version deploymentCloudWatch monitoring dashboardEdge-optimized deployment via CloudFrontAPI Portal for discovery and documentationRequest/response transformationPay-per-request pricing with no minimum fees
Pricing
Freemium
AWS API Gateway offers a generous free tier with optional paid upgrades for advanced features.
Reviews
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4.4/5
Across 933 verified user reviews on G2, Capterra
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AWS API Gateway FAQ
How does AWS API Gateway support real-time applications?
AWS API Gateway supports real-time applications through its WebSocket APIs, which enable bidirectional communication. This functionality is suitable for use cases like chat applications or streaming data. WebSocket APIs handle the persistent connections required for real-time interactions.
Which teams benefit most from using AWS API Gateway?
Teams that are already invested in the AWS ecosystem and require scalable, secure API management will find AWS API Gateway most beneficial. It is particularly well-suited for development teams building serverless applications due to its native integration with AWS Lambda and other services. Operations teams also benefit from the managed nature, reducing infrastructure overhead.
How does AWS API Gateway compare to Apache APISIX?
AWS API Gateway is a fully managed service within the AWS ecosystem, offering native integrations with other AWS services. Apache APISIX is an open-source API gateway that provides flexibility but requires self-management of its infrastructure. AWS API Gateway handles the underlying infrastructure, whereas Apache APISIX users are responsible for deployment and maintenance.
What are the primary limitations of AWS API Gateway?
A primary limitation of AWS API Gateway is its potential for vendor lock-in to the AWS ecosystem, which might not suit multi-cloud strategies. It also has a 29-second timeout limit on API calls and can introduce cold start latency when integrated with AWS Lambda. Additionally, the pricing structure can be complex, varying significantly between REST, HTTP, and WebSocket APIs.
How is AWS API Gateway priced?
AWS API Gateway is available on a free tier that includes 1 million API calls per month for 12 months. Beyond the free tier, pricing is usage-based, with costs varying depending on the type of API (REST, HTTP, or WebSocket) and the volume of requests. HTTP APIs offer cost savings for simpler serverless workloads compared to REST APIs.
Can AWS API Gateway integrate with other AWS services?
Yes, AWS API Gateway offers native integration with a variety of other AWS services. This includes seamless connections with AWS Lambda for serverless function execution and Amazon DynamoDB for database interactions. These integrations simplify the process of building and deploying robust API-driven applications within the AWS cloud.
Does AWS API Gateway provide security features for APIs?
Yes, AWS API Gateway provides robust security features for APIs, including built-in authorization and throttling capabilities. It offers granular access control through multiple authentication methods to secure API endpoints. This helps in protecting APIs from unauthorized access and managing traffic effectively.
Source: aws.amazon.com