Side by side
Axel vs Hookdeck
Both stand on webhook management software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APISelf-hostedWeb
Axel provides webhook intake, routing, searchable event history, and replay, with a free plan and usage-based Pro pricing. Teams considering self-hosting should note that its public source release is still in preparation.
Visit Axel
Free plan APILinuxMac+3
Hookdeck offers event intake, operational controls, and outbound delivery options, with a free Developer tier for limited event volume. Its dashboard lock after the free event limit is an important constraint to account for.
Visit HookdeckThe facts
| Axel | Hookdeck | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Self-hosted, Web | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Pro: $20 a month | Team: $39 a month |
| Plans published | 2 | 10 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | axelapp.ai | hookdeck.com |
| On webhook management software | #5 of 29 | #9 of 29 |
Axel: what it does well
- Stores accepted payloads before returning HTTP 202.
- Routes can filter, transform, and fan out events.
- Dashboard and CLI can replay retained events.
- Free plan includes 10,000 accepted events monthly.
- Destination pushes and retries are included in Pro billing.
What to know first
- Free plan has a 10,000-event monthly limit.
- Default raw payload and event-trace retention is 30 days.
- Self-hosting source release is still being prepared.
- Delivery is at least once, so receivers should deduplicate.
Hookdeck: what it does well
- Gateway supports signature verification and conditional routing.
- Events can be retried, replayed, and inspected.
- Outpost offers managed and self-hosted delivery.
- Developer plan includes up to 10,000 events.
What to know first
- Developer plan retains events for three days.
- Dashboard locks after exceeding 10,000 events until upgrade or renewal.
- 14-day trial is subject to Developer usage limits.
- Paid plans start at $39 a month.
Alternatives to Axel Alternatives to Hookdeck The whole list