Apache APISIX vs Layer7 API Management comparison

Why PeerSpot?

Apache and Broadcom are both solutions in the API Management category. Apache is ranked #21 with an average rating of 8.0, while Broadcom is ranked #19 with an average rating of 8.0. Apache holds a 2.0% mindshare in APIM, compared to Broadcom’s 1.9% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Apache users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of Broadcom users who would recommend it.

Apache APISIX

Read 2 Apache APISIX reviews

3,362 Views
3,362 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Layer7 API Management

Read 112 Layer7 API Management reviews

7,358 Views
7,211 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

Apache APISIX

Layer7 API Management

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Apache APISIX and Layer7 API Management based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two API Management solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.

To learn more, read our detailed Apache APISIX vs. Layer7 API Management Report (Updated: September 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Apache APISIX vs. Layer7 API Management

September 2026

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Helped 917,433 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Apache APISIX

Ranking in API Management

21st

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Layer7 API Management

Ranking in API Management

19th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

112

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2026, in the API Management category, the mindshare of Apache APISIX is 2.0%, down from 3.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Layer7 API Management is 1.9%, down from 2.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

API Management Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Layer7 API Management	1.9%
Apache APISIX	2.0%
Other	96.1%

API Management

Featured Reviews

Ahmed_Sayed

Senior Java Software Developer at VOIS

Integration with backend systems and runtime configuration simplicity enhance operational efficiency

Apache APISIX is easy to configure. It supports coding for filters and can integrate with many languages. Its configuration at runtime is very easy. You can configure your gateway at runtime without needing to restart the gateway to apply configurations. This is a perfect feature. The service discovery feature integrates with backend systems and provides powerful load balancing. Also, its integration with Keycloak and authorization systems is a valuable feature.

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C Vvanigalla

Works

Integration capabilities excel and support for varied platforms enhances communication across backend systems

We mainly use REST APIs, and the solution's integration capabilities are excellent. It allows communication with a number of back-end providers and data consolidation. The flexibility to develop APIs for various platforms, from front-end applications to ATM machines, is valuable. Code changes and migration are straightforward, and it supports identity and access management integration.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"I recommend Apache APISIX to others because of its many useful features."

"The most valuable features of Apache APISIX include routing for upstream and frontend services, masking using proxy rewrite, and the integration of different plugins like Prometheus and Grafana."

"It's benefited us greatly in allowing us to expose our APIs to external third-party vendors in a secure fashion."

"Almost all security features are available out-of-the-box and can be deployed rapidly."

"Security is the most valuable feature for us."

"The most valuable feature is the security with its out-of-the-box policies."

"With the out of the box security features from CA API Management, I can focus on the business logic to deliver the real value to the consumers, without worrying about the security."

"The initial setup process is easy and flexible."

"This product, at first blush, looks something like it's one of those weekend warrior tools, but it's not. It's an enterprise-class tool with the kind of usability that you wouldn't expect. And with that usability - how do you have your cake and eat it too? Well, it's because of the product's extensibility. It's very well-integrated with your existing Java library of processes and procedures, as well as your ability to write new extensions to it. You get so much of the base functionality but you don't give up the ability customize."

"It's pretty easy to use, and once we have templating set up we can add new APIs, at least through the gateway, and apply the security to them; it takes a minute."

More Layer7 API Management pros

Cons

"The routing algorithms in Apache APISIX, such as node-based and round-robin, could be improved. Introducing more plugins and supporting AI features can enhance the solution."

"The user interface is limited and does not support all features of Apache APISIX."

"The delivery is bulky in terms of implementation. Its price could also be better. It is a very good product as compared to CA API, Google API, and WSO2 API, but its price is high. From the cloud-native perspective, some new features need to be added. It could also be made simpler to implement."

"Broadcom's push for upgrades from version nine to ten, ten to 10.3, and onwards to twelve needs improvement in migration processes, especially with service dependencies."

"There is a thick client for configuration that is not as easy to use as you might like."

"we cannot add gateways on the fly because there are a lot of moving parts; endpoint connectivity is one of them. If we add more nodes then the rate-limiting feature is affected. This kind of gateway always has the scalability issue. But, I think CA is coming up with its Microgateway, which is in Beta. If they stabilize their Microgateway platform, we could do very well in terms of scalability."

"Scalability performance has always been an issue. It behaves slowly when communicating with Windows-based servers (e.g., F5 load balancer or DB server, as compared to when communicating with a UNIX server.)"

"The API Development tool can be made more user-friendly by providing folder properties."

"Currently the tool provides REST APIs, but they are not easy to use."

"There are old algorithms that the tool does not support - and it shouldn't, in my opinion. But sometimes customers need old algorithms, from old use cases and old applications, migrated to the platform. At those times, there are hiccups that happen."

More Layer7 API Management cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available

"Pricing is competitive. CA is ready to offer attractive discounts."

"It depends on your use case of course, how much you want to go with that, because it can get pricey and depends on the size of your company."

"There are various licensing models for Layer7 API Management. We have to buy additional licenses to get new versions."

"CA has great pricing for gateways, so negotiate with your sales team."

"I think it's competitive. It's not that expensive when you compare CA with the Oracle product."

"Pricing for Layer7 API Management is excellent, so it's an eight out of ten. The product is less expensive than other solutions. Layer7 API Management charges you based on the number of transactions, so the enterprise-level pricing my company got was excellent."

"The product is moderately priced."

"If you do a TCO of more than five years, then you will see a big jump in costs for some vendors."

More Layer7 API Management pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

15%

Comms Service Provider

12%

Government

10%

Manufacturing Company

Outsourcing Company

14%

Construction Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	23
Midsize Enterprise	13
Large Enterprise	84

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Apache APISIX?

The routing algorithms in Apache APISIX, such as node-based and round-robin, could be improved. Introducing more plugins and supporting AI features can enhance the solution.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Apache APISIX?

The primary use case for Apache APISIX is to mask the API endpoints for my microservices and use self-given APIs in Apache APISIX and mask those with the actual real ones. This helps to prevent use...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Apache APISIX?

I rate Apache APISIX an eight out of ten overall. For new users, I advise going through the official documentation deeply to implement the solution efficiently.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Layer7 API Management?

Pricing is more than average. While I am used to Layer7 API Management ( /products/layer7-api-management-reviews ), seeing other products makes the tool's pricing seem high.

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What needs improvement with Layer7 API Management?

Broadcom's push for upgrades from version nine to ten, ten to 10.3, and onwards to twelve needs improvement in migration processes, especially with service dependencies. The migration path sometime...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Layer7 API Management?

I am not the client. I implement Layer7 API Management ( /products/layer7-api-management-reviews ) for the clients. I have worked on multiple projects as a developer, implementing for Hydro Tasmani...

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Comparisons

Kong Gateway Enterprise vs Apache APISIX

Compared 15% of the time

WSO2 API Manager vs Apache APISIX

Compared 12% of the time

Traefik Enterprise vs Apache APISIX

Compared 10% of the time

Tencent Cloud API Gateway vs Apache APISIX

Compared 6% of the time

IBM webMethods Hybrid Integration vs Apache APISIX

Compared 2% of the time

More Apache APISIX Competitors

Apigee vs Layer7 API Management

Compared 13% of the time

MuleSoft API Manager vs Layer7 API Management

Compared 8% of the time

Amazon API Gateway vs Layer7 API Management

Compared 6% of the time

Microsoft Azure API Management vs Layer7 API Management

Compared 6% of the time

Cloud Elements vs Layer7 API Management

Compared 3% of the time

More Layer7 API Management Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

API Management

September 2026

Download Apache APISIX product report

Buyer's Guide

Layer7 API Management

October 2026

Download Layer7 API Management product report

Also Known As

No data available

CA API Management, CA Live API Creator, Espresso Logic, CA API Gateway

Overview

Apache APISIX is an open-source API Gateway that supports dynamic routing, plugins, and load balancing. It is highly scalable and suitable for managing, securing, and efficiently controlling API traffic. Users appreciate its flexible and robust capabilities.

Developed for developers and businesses seeking to optimize API management, Apache APISIX offers a range of features tailored to improve performance and adaptability. With support for real-time dynamic updates and a broad plugin ecosystem, it can easily integrate into diverse architectures. This tool caters to a range of use cases, from boosting API efficiency to refining load balancing and traffic management.

What are the key features of Apache APISIX?

Dynamic Routing: Enables users to modify routes without service disruption.
Plugin Framework: Allows the addition of custom features to enhance functionality.
HTTPS and SSL Termination: Increases security for API communications.
Load Balancing: Distributes traffic to optimize resource usage.
Comprehensive Monitoring: Offers real-time insights into API performance.

What benefits should users consider?

Scalability: Quickly adapts to increasing traffic demands.
Performance Enhancement: Optimizes API speed and responsiveness.
Reduced Downtime: Maintains stability with updates and changes.
Security: Enhances protection with strong encryption protocols.

Apache APISIX is widely implemented across industries, including finance and e-commerce, where it manages large volumes of transactions efficiently. Its adaptability allows it to meet specific industry needs, supporting businesses in achieving optimal API performance and security.

Apache

Layer7 API Management is a comprehensive solution that enables organizations to securely expose, manage, and monetize their APIs.

It provides features such as API gateway, developer portal, analytics, and security to ensure seamless integration and control over API traffic.

With Layer7 API Management, businesses can streamline their API operations and drive innovation.

Broadcom

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

1. IBM 2. Microsoft 3. Oracle 4. Salesforce 5. SAP 6. Cisco 7. Dell 8. HP 9. Adobe 10. VMware 11. Accenture 12. Capgemini 13. Deloitte 14. PwC 15. Ernst & Young 16. Infosys 17. TCS (Tata Consultancy Services) 18. Wipro 19. Cognizant 20. HCL Technologies 21. Tech Mahindra 22. Fujitsu 23. Hitachi 24. NEC 25. NTT Data 26. Ericsson 27. Nokia 28. Siemens 29. AT&T 30. Verizon 31. Vodafone 32. Orange

Buyer's Guide

Apache APISIX vs. Layer7 API Management

September 2026

Free Report: Apache APISIX vs. Layer7 API Management

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