Side by side
API Portal vs Backstage
Both stand on api catalog tools. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free trial APILinuxMac+3
API Portal combines API cataloging, documentation, automation, versioning, and access controls in one platform. Its request-based pricing and plan-specific features should be reviewed against team size and deployment needs.
Visit API Portal
Free plan APILinuxMac+2
Backstage brings a software catalog, documentation, templates, search, and integrations into a customizable developer portal. Organizations should plan for self-hosting and a protected deployment environment.
Visit BackstageThe facts
| API Portal | Backstage | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | A free trial | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 3 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | api-portal.io | backstage.io |
| On api catalog tools | #4 of 14 | #1 of 14 |
API Portal: what it does well
- Central catalog with self-service API discovery
- Interactive browser-based API tryouts
- Breaking-change detection and specification-diff changelogs
- CI/CD integrations for GitHub Actions, GitLab, and Jenkins
- Enterprise on-premise deployment with SSO and SAML
What to know first
- Pricing is available only on request
- No free plan is listed
- Some advanced access features are enterprise-oriented
Backstage: what it does well
- Free, open-source framework.
- Catalog tracks software ownership and metadata.
- Templates publish generated projects to GitHub or GitLab.
- TechDocs keeps documentation close to code.
- Kubernetes feature aggregates service deployments.
What to know first
- Self-hosted deployment required.
- Standalone demo setup is not production-ready.
- Minimum requirements include 20 GB disk and 6 GB memory.
- Denial-of-service protection is described as rudimentary.
Alternatives to API Portal Alternatives to Backstage The whole list