Apollo Client

Apollo Client is a JavaScript library for managing GraphQL data and keeping application interfaces up to date. It suits developers building GraphQL-backed apps, especially React teams that want fetching and caching in one client. The client is free and open source; GraphOS plans are a separate purchase for teams needing longer retention or support with an SLA.

Overview

Apollo Client brings remote and local data management together: it fetches, caches and modifies application data, then updates the UI automatically. That makes it a practical choice when an app repeatedly requests GraphQL data and needs its interface to reflect changes. It is less suitable if the need is simply to explore or test an API rather than manage data inside an application.

The core library is for JavaScript, with support for TypeScript apps as well. It can be introduced incrementally and works with any build setup and GraphQL API, so adopting it does not require a particular application scaffold.

Key features

Fetching and cache

Declarative queries return data without developers manually tracking loading states. Normalized request and response caching can make cached queries respond almost immediately, reducing repeated data-fetching work in the app. Those features are most useful where queries recur; a small project with little repeated GraphQL access may not need a dedicated client.

Framework and router support

The core @apollo/client package integrates with React, including hooks and Suspense. Community integrations extend to Angular, Vue, Svelte, Solid.js, Ember, Meteor, Apollo Elements web components, and native iOS and Android. This breadth gives teams outside React options, though those integrations are community-provided rather than part of the core React integration.

Apollo Client supports GraphOS Router features including incremental delivery with @defer, GraphQL subscriptions and persisted-query safelisting. Chrome and Firefox Devtools extensions provide GraphiQL plus inspectors for watched queries, mutations and the cache. Apollo also offers the Explorer IDE, schema registry, schema-usage insights and organization-based team collaboration for free.

Pricing

Apollo Client itself is free and open source. The paid plans below are for GraphOS tooling and operations, not a fee for using the client library.

Free is adequate for a small team that can live with one-day retention and community support, but the 60-requests-per-minute Router cap may constrain operational use. Developer raises the developer ceiling and retention, adds weekday support without an SLA, and includes a $50 usage credit; it is the paid entry point for teams needing those upgrades, with monthly billing and usage-based discounts. Standard and Enterprise trade custom pricing for longer retention, larger or unlimited teams and support backed by an SLA. The client library remains free across these choices.

Platforms

Apollo Client is listed for web, API, Android, iOS and extension platforms. It has a hybrid deployment model, schema registry, API explorer and operation testing, but no client code generation. Apollo passed a SOC 2 Type II audit in May 2024 with no exceptions, is certified to ISO/IEC 27001:2022 as of October 10, 2024, and states compliance with NIST SP 800-171.

Who it's for

Choose Apollo Client if you are building a JavaScript or TypeScript GraphQL application and value declarative fetching, normalized caching and automatic UI updates, particularly with React. It also suits teams that want a path from a free client to GraphOS tooling as they need more retention, collaboration or contracted support. Look elsewhere if you need code generation or only a standalone API exploration tool.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Declarative queries and normalized caching reduce manual loading-state handling and can speed responses to cached queries.
• Pro: React support is built into the core library, while incremental adoption and community integrations extend its reach to other frameworks and native platforms.
• Pro: The client is free and open source, and Apollo provides several GraphOS tools at no cost.
• Con: The Free GraphOS Router is limited to 60 requests per minute, with only one-day retention and community support.
• Con: Developer Support has no SLA; SLA-backed Standard and Enterprise support require custom pricing.
• Con: Apollo Client does not provide client code generation.

Alternatives

For a broader directory, see GraphQL Tools. Choose Altair GraphQL Client if you want a GraphQL client with a free tier offering up to two team members, 20 queries and unlimited collections. Apollo Studio is an alternative for teams seeking GraphOS tooling, with a free plan for up to three developers, a 60-requests-per-minute Router limit and one-day retention. Choose Graphene for a free, open-source Python library installed with pip, or GraphiQL for a free MIT-licensed package for React applications. GraphQL Hive offers a free Hobby plan with 1M operations per month, seven-day usage-data retention and unlimited seats, projects and organizations. GraphQL.js is a free MIT-licensed JavaScript library installable from npm. Hot Chocolate is a free MIT-licensed option for commercial or private projects, while Lighthouse is a free PHP package for Laravel or Lumen projects.

Verdict

Apollo Client is a strong fit for developers building GraphQL applications who want fetching, normalized caching and UI updates in one free, adaptable library. Its main advantage is the combination of built-in React support and incremental adoption across app setups; its main caution is that useful GraphOS limits and support depend on a separate plan, with the free Router capped at 60 requests per minute and 1-day retention. Pick it for application-side GraphQL data management, not merely API exploration.