Amazon API Gateway
Amazon API Gateway: A broad AWS-native gateway for HTTP, REST, WebSocket, and private API workloads. Ranked #2 of 29 in API Gateway Software by our editors (9.3/10); pricing: Paid; best for AWS-native teams needing broad API management.
At a glance
- Editor score9.3 / 10
- PricingPaid
- Best forAWS-native teams needing broad API management
- Free planNo
- Deployment modelCloud
- Founded2006 · Seattle, Washington, United States
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Supports HTTP, REST, and WebSocket APIs
- Offers IAM, Cognito, JWT, authorizers, API keys, and mutual TLS
- Connects with Lambda, CloudWatch, WAF, CloudFront, and other AWS services
Where it doesn't
- Usage pricing varies by API type, region, volume, and related services
- Data transfer, connection minutes, and caching can add separate charges
- API Gateway Portals cost $125 per month
Our verdict on Amazon API Gateway
Amazon API Gateway is a fully managed cloud service for creating, publishing, securing, monitoring, and operating APIs. It supports HTTP APIs, REST APIs, and WebSocket APIs, making it suitable for teams exposing backend functionality to internal applications, customers, or third-party developers. The service fits serverless, containerized, web, and real-time workloads, with support for private APIs and integrations with public HTTP/HTTPS endpoints. AWS-native teams are the clearest audience, particularly when their APIs already depend on services such as Lambda, EC2, ECS, or EventBridge.
Pricing is usage-based rather than a fixed subscription. The Free Tier includes 1 million REST API calls, 1 million HTTP API calls, 1 million WebSocket messages, and 750,000 WebSocket connection minutes per month. HTTP APIs start at $1 per 1 million requests monthly, while REST APIs start at $3.50 per 1 million requests monthly. WebSocket APIs start at $1 per 1 million messages monthly, with connection minutes charged separately. Data transfer out for HTTP APIs is charged separately, and API Gateway Portals cost $125 per month with 10 PortalProducts included.
Its main strength is breadth across gateway controls and AWS ecosystem fit. Features include throttling at account, route, method, and usage-plan levels; request validation; request and response transformation; API keys; versioning; stages; CloudWatch metrics and logs; VPC connectivity; and managed developer portals for REST APIs. Authentication options include IAM/SigV4, Cognito user pools, JWT/OIDC/OAuth 2.0, Lambda authorizers, API keys, and mutual TLS. Choose it when broad API management and AWS integration matter most. Teams seeking a simple fixed-cost gateway, or needing predictable total costs without usage and related-service variables, should evaluate alternatives.
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Amazon API Gateway pricing
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Amazon API Gateway fact sheet
| Free plan | No |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Not verified |
| Deployment model | Cloud |
| Supported protocols | HTTP, REST, WebSocket |
| Authentication methods | IAM/SigV4, Amazon Cognito user pools, JWT/OIDC/OAuth 2.0, Lambda authorizers, API keys, mutual TLS |
| Rate limiting | Yes |
| Request transformation | Yes |
| Monthly request limit | Not verified |
| Deployment | Cloud |
| Platforms | Web |
| Compliance & security | SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, PCI DSS |
| Support | Docs, Community |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 13 integrations: AWS Lambda, Amazon EC2, Amazon ECS, AWS Elastic Beanstalk, Amazon Kinesis, Amazon SQS … |
| Pricing | Paid (source) |
| Website | aws.amazon.com |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
Amazon API Gateway integrations
Amazon API Gateway lists 13 integrations on its own site.
- AWS Lambda
- Amazon EC2
- Amazon ECS
- AWS Elastic Beanstalk
- Amazon Kinesis
- Amazon SQS
- AWS Step Functions
- Amazon EventBridge
- AWS Cloud Map
- Amazon CloudWatch
- AWS WAF
- Amazon CloudFront
- public HTTP/HTTPS endpoints
Alternatives to Amazon API Gateway
- Azure API ManagementA full-lifecycle API platform for enterprises with hybrid deployment needs.9.4
- Apache APISIXA self-hosted gateway for teams needing broad protocol support and extensible traffic controls.9.2
- MuleSoft Omni GatewayA hybrid gateway and governance layer for enterprises coordinating multiple gateway products.9.1
See all Amazon API Gateway alternatives →
Amazon API Gateway vs the competition
- Amazon API Gateway vs Azure API Management
- Amazon API Gateway vs Apache APISIX
- Amazon API Gateway vs MuleSoft Omni Gateway
- Amazon API Gateway vs Spring Cloud Gateway
- Amazon API Gateway vs NGINX Gateway Fabric
- Amazon API Gateway vs Alibaba Cloud API Gateway
Compare Amazon API Gateway with any tool side by side →
Also Ranked In
Amazon API Gateway is ranked in 6 of our directories.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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