AWS API Gateway Pricing 2026
Plans, hidden costs, and cheaper alternatives compared
Is AWS API Gateway worth the price?
AWS API Gateway offers a fair to generous pricing model, especially with its substantial Free Tier providing 1M calls/messages monthly.
HTTP APIs are quite affordable at $1.00/million requests, making it a strong contender for high-volume, low-latency needs. REST APIs are pricier at $3.50/million but still competitive for more complex integrations, making it best for businesses of all sizes looking for scalable API management.
Pricing
AWS API Gateway offers a generous free tier with optional paid upgrades for advanced features.
Hidden Costs & Gotchas
Data transfer fees at $0.09/GB
WebSocket messages metered in 32KB increments
API Gateway Portals are $125/month base
Higher costs for REST APIs vs. HTTP APIs
Which Plan Do You Need?
Startups needing generous free tier
High-volume, low-cost HTTP APIs
Scalable, managed API infrastructure
How AWS API Gateway Compares to Competitors
Compared to Google Cloud Apigee, which can start at $500/month for its pay-as-you-go plan, AWS API Gateway's Free Tier and per-request pricing (e.g., $1.00/million for HTTP APIs) are significantly more accessible. Azure API Management also has higher starting costs, making AWS a more cost-effective entry point for many use cases.
AWS API Gateway Pricing FAQ
How much does AWS API Gateway cost?
AWS API Gateway uses custom pricing. Contact AWS API Gateway directly for a quote based on your team size and requirements.
Does AWS API Gateway have a free plan?
AWS API Gateway does not offer a permanent free plan. Paid plans are required from day one.
Is there a cheaper alternative to AWS API Gateway?
Yes. Popular alternatives to AWS API Gateway include Apache APISIX, RapidAPI, Stoplight. Free alternatives include Apache APISIX, RapidAPI, Stoplight. Compare them side-by-side on Toolradar.
Cheaper alternatives to AWS API Gateway
3 of 3 direct competitors below offer a free plan. Per-seat pricing varies up to 60% across this set.
