Side by side

Apollo Client vs GraphQL Hive

Both stand on graphql tools. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.

Apollo Client

Free plan AndroidAPIExtension+2

Apollo Client offers data fetching, caching, and UI updates for JavaScript applications using GraphQL. Check the GraphOS Free plan’s request and retention limits, and distinguish the free client library from paid GraphOS plans.

Visit Apollo Client

GraphQL Hive

Free plan APISelf-hostedWeb

GraphQL Hive combines schema management, API observability, and gateway capabilities, with a free plan for small projects. Teams should account for usage-based charges and the shorter retention on Hobby before choosing a plan.

Visit GraphQL Hive

The facts

	Apollo Client	GraphQL Hive
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Open source	Not published	Not published
Runs on	Android, API, Extension, iPhone, Web	API, Self-hosted, Web
Lowest paid plan	Developer: $5 a month	See the plans
Plans published	4	3
Maker	Not published	Not published
Website	apollographql.com	the-guild.dev
On graphql tools	#2 of 32	#6 of 32

Apollo Client: what it does well

Open-source library for GraphQL state management.
Built-in React integration includes hooks and Suspense.
Works with any build setup and GraphQL API.
Devtools include query, mutation, and cache inspectors.

What to know first

GraphOS Free router is limited to 60 requests per minute.
GraphOS Free data retention is 1 day.
Free plan supports up to 3 developers.
Developer plan costs $5 a month.

GraphQL Hive: what it does well

Free Hobby plan with 1M monthly operations
Hosted or self-hosted Console
Gateway supports federation, subgraph, and proxy roles
Includes schema checks and a schema explorer
Pro includes 90-day usage-data retention

What to know first

Hobby retains usage data for 7 days
Pro charges $10 per million operations after included usage
Enterprise pricing is by custom request

Alternatives to Apollo Client Alternatives to GraphQL Hive The whole list