Best API Gateway Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Gravitee API Gateway is ranked #1 of 27 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Kong Gateway and KrakenD API Gateway. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Kong Gateway. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Google Cloud Endpoints at $1.50/mo.
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.
27 API gateway software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
8 of the 25 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gravitee API GatewayWeb · Windows · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | $2,500/mo | 6.6 | |
| 2 | Kong GatewayWeb · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 3 | KrakenD API GatewayWindows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 4 | Tyk GatewayWeb · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 5 | Emissary-ingressLinux · Self-hosted | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 6 | Envoy GatewaySelf-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 0 of 6 | Free | 6.3 | |
| 7 | Google Cloud EndpointsMac · Linux | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | $1.50/mo | 6.3 | |
| 8 | Spring IntegrationSelf-hosted | Two bars | — | 0 of 6 | Free | 6.3 | |
| 9 | Apache APISIXLinux · Self-hosted · API | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 10 | Tyk API ManagementWeb · Linux · Self-hosted · API | One bar | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 11 | Google Cloud API GatewayWeb · API | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | $1.50/mo | 5.4 |
| 12 | HigressWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 13 | Oracle Cloud Infrastructure API GatewayWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 14 | ZuulLinux | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 15 | Ambassador Edge StackNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 16 | LuraNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 17 | NGINX Gateway FabricNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 18 | OcelotNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 19 | WSO2 Choreo ConnectNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 20 | API7 EnterpriseWeb · Linux · Self-hosted · API | One bar | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.0 |
| 21 | MuleSoft ComposerWeb | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | $2,000/mo | 5.0 |
| 22 | Alibaba Cloud API GatewayWeb | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 4.9 |
| 23 | MuleSoft Omni GatewayWeb · Linux | One bar | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 4.9 |
| 24 | Traefik Hub API GatewayWindows · Linux | One bar | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 4.9 |
| 25 | Amazon API GatewayWeb | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 4.8 |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which API gateway software is ranked first on Freedom251?
Gravitee API Gateway is ranked #1 of 27 with a score of 6.6. Kong Gateway is second and KrakenD API Gateway third.
How many of these have a free plan?
8 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Google Cloud Endpoints has the lowest first paid tier we found: $1.50/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.