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Best API Gateway Software in 2026

An API gateway provides a layer for handling API access and traffic, with capabilities and deployment choices that vary between products. Compared on are authentication methods, supported protocols, rate limiting, and request transformation. Deployment model and free plan availability are useful distinctions, while monthly request limits and paid-from pricing add cost and capacity context. Gravitee API Gateway, Kong Gateway, and KrakenD API Gateway are among the entries to consider against your APIs and deployment requirements.

29 apps
Research read 23 Sept 2026
How the order is worked out

1

Higress

Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+3

Pick Higress if you need a self-hosted gateway for AI APIs, MCP services and cloud-native traffic, with routing, traffic controls and security functions.

8.9 Free plan Visit site
2

Tyk Gateway

Free plan Open source APILinuxSelf-hosted+1

Tyk Gateway offers broad protocol support, traffic controls, analytics, and deployment flexibility. The open-source gateway is free, but pricing for the named paid plans requires contacting Tyk.

8.6 Free plan · 2-day trial Visit site
3

Amazon API Gateway

Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+1

Amazon API Gateway brings API creation, traffic controls, monitoring, and authorization into a managed cloud service.

7.7 From $1 Visit site
4

Google Cloud Endpoints

Free plan APILinuxMac+2

Google Cloud Endpoints combines API lifecycle management, access policies, and analytics in a hybrid deployment. Consider the listed API-call ranges and prices when choosing a tier.

7.4 Free plan · paid from $3 Visit site
5

Gravitee API Gateway

Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted+2

Gravitee API Gateway combines protocol support, policy configuration, and multiple deployment options.

7.4 Free plan · paid from $2,500/mo · 14-day trial Visit site
6

Kong Gateway

Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted+1

Choose Kong Gateway if you need an API gateway with open-source availability and deployment options spanning on-premises, cloud, Kubernetes, and serverless environments.

7.3 Pricing on request Visit site
7

Ambassador Edge Stack

Free plan APISelf-hostedWeb

Choose Ambassador Edge Stack if your cloud-native team needs a self-hosted Kubernetes gateway with developer-managed deployments and traffic controls.

7.2 Pricing on request Visit site
8

Apache APISIX

Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted

APISIX combines API and AI gateway functions with broad protocol and plugin support. Its self-managed model and separate commercial support are important considerations for teams evaluating it.

7.2 Free plan Visit site
9

Emissary-ingress

Free plan LinuxSelf-hosted

Emissary-ingress combines Kubernetes service management with Envoy-based routing, authentication options and diagnostics.

7.2 Free plan Visit site
10

KrakenD API Gateway

Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted+1

KrakenD brings API composition, traffic controls, and multiple authentication options into a self-hosted gateway.

7.2 Free plan Visit site
11

Envoy Gateway

Free plan APISelf-hosted

Envoy Gateway combines gateway configuration, traffic controls, and security features around Envoy Proxy. Check the release caveat and Kubernetes prerequisite when planning an installation.

7.1 Free plan Visit site
12

Google Cloud API Gateway

Free plan APIWeb

Choose Google Cloud API Gateway when you need a managed API layer for supported backends, with authentication, traffic controls, and request monitoring.

7.1 Free plan · paid from $3 Visit site
13

Tyk API Management

Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted+1

Tyk suits teams seeking API gateway controls alongside lifecycle management, analytics, and deployment choice.

7.0 Pricing on request · 2-day trial Visit site
14

Lura

Free plan APISelf-hosted

Lura gives Go developers building blocks for a self-hosted gateway, with response handling and middleware that can be extended.

6.9 Free plan Visit site
15

NGINX Gateway Fabric

Free plan LinuxSelf-hosted

NGINX Gateway Fabric offers a free, self-hosted path to Kubernetes Gateway API traffic management with a wide set of documented routing and security options.

6.9 Free plan Visit site
16

Ocelot

Free plan APISelf-hosted

Choose Ocelot if you need a free, self-hosted gateway for HTTP(S) microservices built on ASP.NET Core, with routing, authentication, and service discovery options.

6.8 Open source Visit site
17

Tencent Cloud API Gateway

Free plan APIWeb

Choose Tencent Cloud API Gateway if you need API lifecycle management with throttling, monitoring, and Tencent Cloud integrations.

6.7 From $1.90/mo Visit site
18

WSO2 Choreo Connect

Free plan APISelf-hosted

Choose Choreo Connect if you want an open-source gateway with Kubernetes deployment options, API management, and extensible request handling.

6.6 Open source Visit site
19

API7 Enterprise

Free trial APILinuxSelf-hosted+1

API7 Enterprise combines lifecycle management, gateway policies, developer documentation, analytics, and multi-cluster organization.

6.5 Pricing on request Visit site
20

Automic Continuous Delivery Automation

Free trial APILinuxSelf-hosted+1

6.5 Pricing on request Visit site
21

Zuul

Free plan LinuxSelf-hosted

Zuul offers extensive gateway filters and traffic controls without a software price.

6.3 Open source Visit site
22

Traefik Hub API Gateway

Free trial APILinuxSelf-hosted+2

Traefik Hub API Gateway combines service discovery, traffic controls, API governance, and security features.

5.9 Pricing on request Visit site
23

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure API Gateway

Free trial APIWeb

OCI API Gateway offers endpoint, policy, identity, and traffic-management controls for web APIs.

5.7 From $3.93 Visit site
24

Spring Cloud Gateway

Free plan

5.4 Free plan Visit site
25

Alibaba Cloud API Gateway

Paid Web

Alibaba Cloud API Gateway combines broad protocol support with authentication, rate limiting, and request transformation.

5.1 Visit site

#1Places #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 on this list can be bought by the makers of the software on it. See the price

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