KrakenD API Gateway
KrakenD API Gateway: A flexible gateway for composing services, controlling traffic, and connecting mixed protocols. Ranked #16 of 29 in API Gateway Software by our editors (7.9/10); pricing: Free plan; best for developers needing API aggregation and mediation.
At a glance
- Editor score7.9 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forDevelopers needing API aggregation and mediation
- Free planYes
- Deployment modelHybrid
- Founded2016 · Barcelona, Spain
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Free open-source Community Edition
- Aggregates, transforms, authenticates, and rate-limits API traffic
- Connects REST, gRPC, SOAP, GraphQL, messaging, and cloud services
Where it doesn't
- Enterprise functionality requires a commercial edition
- Advanced enterprise support is tied to SLA-backed plans
- Its wide protocol scope may exceed a simple REST gateway's needs
Our verdict on KrakenD API Gateway
KrakenD API Gateway is a stateless API gateway for teams managing microservices and complex API ecosystems. It is designed for developers who need to combine multiple backend responses behind an API, transform requests and responses, apply authentication and traffic controls, or connect clients with services using different protocols. The gateway supports on-premises, cloud, and hybrid deployment across Linux, Windows, and macOS. Its open-source Community Edition makes it relevant to teams seeking a free starting point, while Enterprise Edition targets organizations that need additional functionality, governance, security, support, and service-level commitments.
The plan structure is straightforward. Community Edition is open source and free to use. Enterprise Edition adds a production-grade gateway, security and governance capabilities, additional enterprise functionality, and support backed by SLAs. Enterprise prospects are directed to contact sales. The product's ecosystem fit is a central strength: published integrations include REST APIs, gRPC, SOAP, GraphQL, Kafka, RabbitMQ, NATS, AWS Lambda, AWS SNS, AWS SQS, Azure Service Bus, and GCP Pub/Sub. That combination suits architectures where APIs must mediate between web services, messaging systems, cloud functions, and non-REST backends.
KrakenD's standout capability is API composition and mediation rather than serving as only a traffic proxy. It can aggregate backend responses, translate protocols, generate OpenAPI documentation, and provide logs, metrics, and traces. Declarative, GitOps-oriented configuration also aligns with teams that manage gateway changes through version-controlled workflows. Authentication options include JWT, client credentials, OAuth2, OpenID Connect, API keys, Basic Authentication, and mTLS, with endpoint and client rate limiting available for traffic control. Choose KrakenD when aggregation, transformation, and protocol connectivity are core requirements; a simpler REST-only gateway may be a better fit for narrower deployments.
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KrakenD API Gateway pricing
All 2 KrakenD API Gateway plans and prices →
KrakenD API Gateway fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Not verified |
| Deployment model | Hybrid |
| Supported protocols | REST, HTTP, WebSockets, SOAP, gRPC, GraphQL, AMQP, Kafka, NATS |
| Authentication methods | JWT, client credentials, OAuth2, OpenID Connect, API keys, Basic Authentication, mTLS |
| Rate limiting | Yes |
| Request transformation | Yes |
| Monthly request limit | Not verified |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Linux, Windows, macOS |
| Compliance & security | SOC 2 |
| Support | Email, Community, Docs · 24/7 |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 12 integrations: gRPC, SOAP, REST APIs, Kafka, RabbitMQ, NATS … |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | krakend.io |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
KrakenD API Gateway integrations
KrakenD API Gateway lists 12 integrations on its own site.
- gRPC
- SOAP
- REST APIs
- Kafka
- RabbitMQ
- NATS
- AWS Lambda
- GraphQL
- AWS SNS
- AWS SQS
- Azure Service Bus
- GCP Pub/Sub
Alternatives to KrakenD API Gateway
- Azure API ManagementA full-lifecycle API platform for enterprises with hybrid deployment needs.9.4
- Amazon API GatewayA broad AWS-native gateway for HTTP, REST, WebSocket, and private API workloads.9.3
- Apache APISIXA self-hosted gateway for teams needing broad protocol support and extensible traffic controls.9.2
See all KrakenD API Gateway alternatives →
Also Ranked In
KrakenD API Gateway is ranked in 4 of our directories.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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