Gravitee API Gateway

Gravitee API Gateway is a runtime for applying security, transformation, and traffic policies to API traffic. It supports REST, GraphQL, gRPC, SOAP, WebSocket, Server-sent Events, and Webhook traffic. Policy Studio offers drag-and-drop configuration for authentication, validation, rate limits, caching, threat protection, and message transformation. Shared policy groups let teams reuse enforcement across APIs and plans. The gateway can mediate between protocols, including REST to Kafka, gRPC to Kafka, and JSON to Protobuf. It can run self-managed, on cloud services, on premises, or on Kubernetes. Runtime telemetry can be exported through OpenTelemetry to tools including Datadog, Grafana, and Splunk; Alert Engine can send email, Slack, or webhook alerts. Gravitee lists a free Apache 2.0 Community Edition without numerical limits on the plan page. Planet costs $2,500 a month and includes one production gateway, unlimited APIs and users, and Gold Support. The pricing page describes flat pricing with no per-call fees. A 14-day trial is listed.

Gravitee API Gateway combines API traffic controls, protocol mediation, and multiple deployment options. Teams should compare their gateway and support requirements with the listed plans.

It suits teams that need consistent runtime policies across APIs, including enterprises. Its deployment choices may suit teams operating in cloud, on-premises, self-managed, or Kubernetes environments.

Overview

Gravitee API Gateway is runtime software for applying security, traffic, and transformation rules to APIs. It is best suited to teams managing multiple APIs across varied protocols or deployment environments. Its breadth is a strength, while production gateway limits and support tiers make plan choice consequential.

Key features

Policy Studio lets teams configure identity, validation, rate limiting, caching, threat protection, and message transformation through a drag-and-drop interface. Shared policy groups extend those rules across thousands of APIs and plans, which helps larger API estates maintain consistent enforcement; smaller teams may not need that scale.

Protocol support spans REST, GraphQL, gRPC, SOAP, WebSocket, Server-sent Events, and Webhooks. The gateway can bridge formats and systems, including gRPC to Kafka, JSON to Protobuf, and REST to Kafka, with integrations for Kafka, Confluent, Solace, HiveMQ, and MQTT brokers. That makes it a fit for teams connecting conventional APIs with event-driven services.

Identity options include OAuth 2.0, JWT, mTLS, API Key, OIDC, and SAML, with federation through Gravitee Access Management or an external identity provider. Traffic controls include OpenAPI validation, threat protection, IP filtering, CORS, caching, retries, circuit breakers, and per-consumer rate limits. Runtime telemetry can flow through OpenTelemetry to Datadog, Grafana, Splunk, and other tools; Alert Engine supports email, Slack, and webhook alerts.

Deployment options include self-managed installations, AWS, Azure, GCP, on-premises environments, and Kubernetes through the Gateway API. The broader API management capabilities include a catalog, developer portal, lifecycle management, API products, access policies, and analytics. This range is useful for organizations that want gateway controls alongside API management functions, though it may exceed the needs of teams seeking only a lightweight gateway.

Pricing

Community Edition costs nothing and is an Apache 2.0 community edition. It has no stated numerical limits, making it the entry point for teams able to manage the software themselves.

Planet costs $2,500 a month, billed $2,500/m. It includes unlimited users and APIs, one production gateway, and Gold Support. The flat pricing and absence of per-call fees suit teams that need predictable costs as API traffic grows, but the single production gateway may constrain larger or more distributed deployments.

Galaxy has custom pricing, unlimited users and APIs, two production gateways, enterprise plugins, limited event broker support, hybrid or managed deployment, and Gold Support. It is the middle step for teams that need more than one production gateway or a managed deployment; event broker support remains limited.

Universe has custom pricing and includes unlimited users and APIs, four or more production gateways, unlimited enterprise functionality, all supported event brokers, IAM, and 24/7 support with a Technical Account Manager. It is aimed at larger enterprise deployments that need broader broker coverage and dedicated support. Paid pricing starts at $2,500/mo, and the API Management pricing is flat with unlimited calls and users; there are no per-call fees. A 14-day trial is offered.

Platforms

Gravitee supports API, Linux, self-hosted, web, and Windows environments. Its hybrid deployment options span cloud providers, on-premises systems, and Kubernetes.

Who it's for

Gravitee suits enterprises and teams that need consistent runtime policies across many APIs, protocol mediation, or a mix of cloud and self-managed deployment. Teams with modest gateway needs may find the paid production gateway tiers difficult to justify, while the free community edition offers a self-managed starting point.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Broad protocol and broker support helps connect APIs with event systems and varied service types.
• Pros: Shared policy groups can keep enforcement consistent across thousands of APIs and plans.
• Pros: Flat pricing with unlimited API calls and users avoids per-call fees as usage grows.
• Cons: Planet starts at $2,500 per month and includes only one production gateway.
• Cons: Galaxy has limited event broker support, while full broker coverage and 24/7 support require Universe.

Alternatives

Consider Amazon API Gateway if its paid model, free plan, and Android, iOS, and web platform support better match your needs. Kong Gateway is another option, with a free plan and a 30-day trial that includes no Gateway limits and 30 days of analytics retention.

Envoy Gateway is an open-source, Apache-2.0 project for teams looking for a free self-hosted gateway. Google Cloud Endpoints offers a free usage tier of 1,999,999 API calls and a standard usage tier priced at $3 a month.

Higress has a free self-hosted community edition with community support and documentation, with stability and performance handled by the user. KrakenD API Gateway offers a free self-hosted community edition with unlimited requests, APIs, and AI workloads.

Lura is a free Go library that users compile from source. Spring Integration is a free Apache 2.0 licensed framework used as a Java or Spring application dependency.

For a broader comparison, browse API Gateway Software, API Management Software, API Monetization Software, API Developer Portal Software, and API Marketplace Software.

Verdict

Gravitee is a strong fit for organizations that need shared policies across varied protocols, broker integrations, and flexible deployment options. Its flat pricing avoids per-call charges, but the $2,500 monthly Planet tier buys only one production gateway, and broader support or broker coverage moves teams to custom-priced plans. Choose it when those controls and deployment choices justify the gateway commitment; look elsewhere for a simpler or lower-cost production setup.