Skip to content
SPECIFICTION
Get listed

Developer Tools

Best API Gateway Software in 2026

An API gateway can shape how requests reach services and how access is managed. Compare authentication methods and supported protocols with rate limiting and request transformation to assess the capabilities each option specifies.

  1. 01 Amazon API Gateway

    It suits teams building APIs for AWS-connected applications, especially those needing multiple API types, traffic controls, and monitoring.

    From $1/mo Free plan Web · iOS · Android · API
    9.4 Visit Specs
  2. 02 Higress

    Higress suits teams that need an API gateway for AI services, MCP, or cloud-native traffic.

    Free plan Open source Web · Windows · macOS · Linux
    8.7 Visit Specs
  3. 03 Gravitee API Gateway
    From $2,500/mo Free plan Web · Windows · Linux · API
    8.5 Visit Specs
  4. 04 Google Cloud Endpoints

    Endpoints suits teams managing APIs through Google Cloud that need access controls, monitoring, analytics, or quotas.

    From $1.50/mo Free plan Web · macOS · Linux · API
    8.4 Visit Specs
  5. 05 Automic Continuous Delivery Automation
    Free trial Web · Linux · API · Self-hosted
    8.3 Visit Specs
  6. 06 Traefik Hub API Gateway

    It suits DevOps and Platform Engineering teams managing APIs and microservices, especially those using Kubernetes and declarative or GitOps workflows.

    Free trial Web · Windows · Linux · API
    8.2 Visit Specs
  7. 07 Tyk Gateway

    Tyk positions Core for startups and scale-ups, Professional for high-growth teams, and Enterprise for regulated industries and global enterprises.

    Free plan Open source Web · Linux · API · Self-hosted
    8.2 Visit Specs
  8. 08 API7 Enterprise
    Free trial Web · Linux · API · Self-hosted
    8.1 Visit Specs
  9. 09 Ambassador Edge Stack
    Web · API · Self-hosted
    7.9 Visit Specs
  10. 10 Envoy Gateway

    It suits teams that need a self-hosted gateway for standalone or Kubernetes-based Envoy Proxy deployments.

    Free plan API · Self-hosted
    7.9 Visit Specs
  11. 11 Lura

    Lura suits developers building an API gateway or proxy inside their own Go application.

    Free plan API · Self-hosted
    7.9 Visit Specs
  12. 12 Kong Gateway
    Free plan Web · Linux · API · Self-hosted
    7.8 Visit Specs
  13. 13 KrakenD API Gateway

    It suits teams that need a self-hosted gateway to connect APIs, control traffic, and compose service responses.

    Free plan Windows · macOS · Linux · Self-hosted
    7.8 Visit Specs
  14. 14 Oracle Cloud Infrastructure API Gateway
    Free trial Web · API
    7.8 Visit Specs
  15. 15 Tencent Cloud API Gateway

    It suits teams that need to manage API lifecycle stages, apply traffic limits, and monitor API activity.

    From $0.01/mo Free plan Web · API
    7.8 Visit Specs
  16. 16 Emissary-ingress

    Emissary-ingress is for developers and operators in cloud-native organizations whose developers have operational responsibility for their services.

    Free plan Linux · Self-hosted
    7.7 Visit Specs
  17. 17 Google Cloud API Gateway
    From $1.50/mo Web · API
    7.7 Visit Specs
  18. 18 Apache APISIX

    APISIX suits teams that need a self-managed gateway for APIs, microservices or LLM workloads.

    Linux · API · Self-hosted
    7.6 Visit Specs
  19. 19 NGINX Gateway Fabric

    NGINX Gateway Fabric suits teams operating Kubernetes that need NGINX-based gateway, proxy, or load-balancing traffic handling.

    Free plan Linux · Self-hosted
    7.4 Visit Specs
  20. 20 Tyk API Management

    Core is described for startups and businesses launching an API platform; Professional is for high-growth teams.

    Free trial Web · Linux · API · Self-hosted
    7.4 Visit Specs
  21. 21 Ocelot

    It suits developers building self-hosted ASP.NET Core gateways for microservices with routing, authentication, discovery, and traffic-management needs.

    Free plan API · Self-hosted
    7.3 Visit Specs
  22. 22 WSO2 Choreo Connect

    It suits teams deploying Kubernetes-based API gateways in cloud, on-premises, or hybrid environments.

    Free plan API · Self-hosted
    7.2 Visit Specs
  23. 23 Zuul
    Linux · Self-hosted
    6.7 Visit Specs
  24. 24 Alibaba Cloud API Gateway
    Web
    6.6 Visit Specs
  25. 25 Axway API Gateway
    Windows · Linux
    6.3 Visit Specs
How this list is ordered. Specifiction scores each tool on how fully its maker documents it, whether its prices are published, where the research puts it, the platforms it runs on and whether it can be tried for free (how we rank). Makers can also buy a numbered place (how Specifiction is paid for).

Deployment model and free-plan availability help distinguish setup choices; monthly request limits and paid-from pricing add cost and capacity context. Kong Gateway, Tyk Gateway, and Gravitee API Gateway are among the options, alongside KrakenD API Gateway and Tyk API Management. Use the comparison points that match your traffic, access, and deployment requirements to evaluate the gateway software.

Compare Amazon API Gateway and Higress Get a place on this list

More in Developer ToolsThe whole topic →