--- title: "Gravitee Alternative — Zuplo" description: "Gravitee alternative for teams who want managed API management without Java, MongoDB, or Elasticsearch ops. SOC 2, sub-20s deploys. Trusted by Finsolutia." canonicalUrl: "https://zuplo.com/api-gateways/gravitee-alternative-zuplo" pageType: "comparison" competitor: "Gravitee" subtitle: "The Enterprise API Gateway for Teams Replatforming Off Gravitee" --- # Zuplo vs Gravitee _The Enterprise API Gateway for Teams Replatforming Off Gravitee_ > Gravitee alternative for teams who want managed API management without Java, MongoDB, or Elasticsearch ops. SOC 2, sub-20s deploys. Trusted by Finsolutia. ## Why Teams Move Away from Gravitee ### Java Runtime + MongoDB + Elasticsearch Self-hosted production deployments require JVM tuning plus MongoDB and Elasticsearch operations (with Redis for rate limiting). Gravitee Cloud removes that burden but moves you onto per-gateway pricing tiers. ### Enterprise Features Behind Paywalls Community Edition lacks async API support, hybrid deployments, alerting, advanced observability, and enterprise SSO. Most capabilities enterprises actually need are Enterprise-only. ### Java-Based Policy Framework Logic is built in the Policy Studio with Gravitee's Expression Language, Groovy scripting, or custom Java policy plugins. Capable, but tied to the JVM toolchain rather than a mainstream language and npm ecosystem. ## About Gravitee Gravitee is an API management platform that supports both synchronous and asynchronous APIs, with an event-native gateway architecture. Originally launched as an open-source project, Gravitee has grown into a full API lifecycle platform with gateway, developer portal, and access management products. Gravitee is recognized in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for API Management. For teams that need event-native async API management with Kafka, MQTT, or similar protocols, Gravitee is a strong fit. ## Why Choose Zuplo Zuplo is the enterprise API gateway focused on managed, modern API management — without Java, MongoDB, or Elasticsearch operations. Edge-native architecture, TypeScript programmability, GitOps workflows, and an integrated AI Gateway with MCP support — backed by SOC 2 Type II, managed dedicated deployment, and named regulated customers across insurance, payments, and financial services. ## Feature Comparison ### Compliance and Audit Readiness _First-class managed compliance vs. compliance dependent on deployment._ - **Zuplo** — SOC 2 Type II audited annually, third-party penetration test reports under NDA, audit logs, GDPR-aligned data processing. - **Gravitee** — Compliance posture varies by deployment. Self-hosted Community Edition compliance depends on customer environment. ### Enterprise Identity (SSO + RBAC) _SAML/SCIM included on Enterprise vs. Enterprise-Edition-only SSO._ - **Zuplo** — SAML SSO, SCIM provisioning, and RBAC across organizations, projects, and environments. - **Gravitee** — Enterprise SSO is an Enterprise Edition feature. Community Edition lacks it. ### Managed Dedicated Deployment _Managed dedicated across major clouds vs. self-hosted or gateway-tiered managed pricing._ - **Zuplo** — Single-tenant managed deployment on AWS, Azure, GCP, Akamai, or any major cloud with up to a 30-minute response SLA. Self-hosted on Kubernetes also supported. - **Gravitee** — Self-hosted Community/Enterprise Edition, or managed Gravitee Cloud from $2,500/month (Planet tier, 1 production gateway; more gateways at custom pricing). Hybrid deployments Enterprise-only. ### AI Gateway and MCP Support _Managed edge-native AI Gateway and MCP Gateway vs. capable AI Gateway on self-hosted Java + datastores._ - **Zuplo** — Integrated AI Gateway with multi-provider routing, semantic caching, prompt injection protection, budget and token controls. Dedicated MCP Gateway product. - **Gravitee** — Dedicated AI Gateway: LLM proxy with model routing, semantic caching, prompt guardrails, and token tracking, plus a native MCP proxy and A2A — running on the self-hosted Java gateway. ### Operational Simplicity _Zero-ops managed gateway vs. JVM + MongoDB + Elasticsearch operations._ - **Zuplo** — Fully managed and serverless across 300+ edge locations. Zero databases or runtimes to operate. - **Gravitee** — Self-hosted Java platform requires MongoDB, Elasticsearch, Redis, and JVM management. Gravitee Cloud removes the ops but adds per-gateway tier pricing. ### Developer Experience _TypeScript and GitOps vs. Policy Studio with EL, Groovy, and Java plugins._ - **Zuplo** — TypeScript policies with full IDE support and the npm ecosystem. OpenAPI-native config and GitOps workflows. - **Gravitee** — Policy Studio with Gravitee Expression Language, Groovy scripts, or custom Java policy plugins — a JVM-centric toolchain. ### Gateway Testing _Automated CI-runnable tests vs. Enterprise-only interactive debugging of single requests._ - **Zuplo** — First-party `zuplo test` runner included on every plan. Tests are plain TypeScript with fetch and Node's built-in `node:assert` — nothing extra to install — in your repo next to your routes and policies. The identical suite runs against local dev, the preview deployment of every PR, and production by changing only `--endpoint`. - **Gravitee** — Debug mode offers the best per-policy introspection in the field — execution order, skipped-vs-executed status, and per-policy input/output diffs. But it is Enterprise-only, interactive and console-only (no CLI, no CI, no assertions), and Gravitee documents that it cannot exercise the Rate Limit or Cache policies. ### GitOps and CI/CD _Git-native config with PR preview environments vs. GitOps via the Kubernetes Operator._ - **Zuplo** — Native GitHub integration — all configuration stored as code with PR-level preview environments. - **Gravitee** — GitOps via the Kubernetes Operator (APIs as CRDs, ArgoCD integration) for teams running on Kubernetes; otherwise configured through the Management API or Console. ### Developer Portal _Built-in OpenAPI-driven portal vs. separately configured portal._ - **Zuplo** — Auto-generated, OpenAPI-driven portal with self-serve API key management. - **Gravitee** — Developer portal available but requires separate configuration and Enterprise Edition for full features. ### API Monetization _Built-in monetization vs. Enterprise-Edition-only feature._ - **Zuplo** — Built-in usage-based billing and tiered access (in beta). - **Gravitee** — Enterprise Edition feature. Not available in Community Edition. ### Async API Support _Synchronous API focus vs. native async gateway in Gravitee Enterprise._ - **Zuplo** — Synchronous REST/HTTP focus. Backends can include Kafka or similar via standard HTTP/WebSocket adapters. - **Gravitee** — Native async API gateway — including a Kafka-protocol Kafka Gateway — with MQTT, Solace, RabbitMQ support. Enterprise Edition features. ## FAQ **How does Zuplo handle SOC 2, SSO, and audit logs for regulated customers?** Zuplo is SOC 2 Type II audited annually with reports available under NDA. Enterprise includes SAML SSO, SCIM provisioning, RBAC across organizations and projects, and audit logs across the control plane. **Which enterprises run production workloads on Zuplo?** Zuplo runs production API traffic for regulated and high-volume enterprises including Duck Creek Payments (insurance and payments), Finsolutia (mortgage servicing across Europe), Blockdaemon (blockchain infrastructure serving billions of API calls per month), AccuWeather, and Hearsay (Yext). **Can Zuplo deploy on dedicated infrastructure inside our cloud?** Yes. Zuplo Enterprise offers managed dedicated single-tenant deployment on AWS, Azure, GCP, Akamai, or any major cloud. Self-hosted on Kubernetes is also supported. **How does Zuplo's AI Gateway compare to Gravitee's?** Both have first-class AI gateways. Gravitee shipped its AI Gateway in early 2026 with an LLM proxy (model routing, prompt token tracking, guardrails), a native MCP proxy, A2A, and semantic caching — all on its self-hosted Java gateway. Zuplo offers an integrated AI Gateway with multi-provider model routing, semantic caching, prompt injection protection, budget and token controls, auto-failover, and a dedicated MCP Gateway product, delivered fully managed across 300+ edge locations with no datastores or runtimes to operate. **How does the migration from Gravitee to Zuplo work?** OpenAPI specs import directly. Gravitee policies translate to TypeScript policies. Plans, applications, and API keys migrate via the Zuplo Developer API. Most enterprise replatforms run 6–12 weeks with parallel-running and weighted routing during cut-over. **Can Gravitee handle async/event APIs better than Zuplo?** Gravitee Enterprise Edition has strong event-native support for Kafka, MQTT, Solace, and RabbitMQ. If async API gateway is a core requirement, Gravitee Enterprise is a strong fit. Zuplo focuses on synchronous REST/HTTP API management with edge-native performance, developer experience, and AI gateway capabilities. **How does Zuplo's TCO compare to Gravitee?** Zuplo Enterprise replaces JVM + MongoDB + Elasticsearch operations and the Enterprise-Edition feature gates with a single managed contract that includes SSO, audit logs, AI Gateway, monetization, and managed dedicated deployment. The result for most enterprise replatforms is meaningful TCO reduction once licensing and operating cost are factored in.