API gateways · November 2026 Edition
Apache APISIX vs Azure API Management
Zero of fourteen models named Apache APISIX first on the direct prompt; two named Azure API Management. Apache APISIX was named by thirteen of the fourteen models and Azure API Management by fourteen and Apache APISIX carries 23 labels and Azure API Management 56, so the shares are not directly comparable.
Named in four categories this edition.
Named in four categories this edition.
First-choice share7%3%Of first choices across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts, 0 to 100.
Negative rate9%9%Negative labels as a share of the product's labels, 0 to 100.
Rank in category#4#5A position in a field of 15; printed, not drawn.
Labels2356A count; the two differ.
The two percentage rows are drawn on one 0 to 100 track, Apache APISIX reading right to left. Rank and label count are printed, not drawn.Kong Gateway was named alongside these two in fourteen of the fourteen direct answers. Kong Gateway vs Apache APISIX · Kong Gateway vs Azure API Management · Amazon API Gateway vs Apache APISIX
Share is the count of first choices across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts over all fourteen models, for a mid-market B2B company; rank is within the category; every quote names the model and the prompt it came from. Both figures come from the API gateways page.
By framing
How many of the fourteen models made each the first choice, per way of asking, and how many argued against it.
Apache APISIXFirst choices, of fourteen modelsAzure API Management
Direct02
Paraphrase10
Comparative10
Budget-constrained30
Scale-constrained00
Negative002 against Apache APISIX · 5 against Azure API Management
Bars are first choices, 0 to 14 each sideModels that argued againstA model can name both, so the two sides of a row do not sum to fourteen.
Every model, every framing
The eighty-four answers behind the chart above, one cell each: where Apache APISIX and Azure API Management stood in it.
| Model | Direct | Paraphrase | Comparative | Budget-constrained | Scale-constrained | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Haiku 4.5 | | | ||||
| GPT-5.4 mini | | | | |||
| Gemini 3.5 Flash | | | | | | |
| Perplexity Sonar | | | | | ||
| Grok 4.20 | | | | | | |
| Mistral Small | | | | | ||
| DeepSeek V4 Flash | | | | | | |
| Llama 4 Maverick | | | ||||
| Qwen 3.7 Flash | | | | | ||
| Kimi K2 | | | | | | |
| GLM 4.7 FlashX | | | | | ||
| MiniMax M2.5 | | | | | ||
| GPT-6 Luna | | | | |||
| Muse Glimmer 30B | | | | | | |
Apache APISIX Azure API Management first choice named as an alternative argued againstblank: not namedEach cell is one answer, Apache APISIX on the left and Azure API Management on the right.The direct prompt
The plain question, one answer per model, grouped by where Apache APISIX and Azure API Management stood in it.
Azure API Management first, Apache APISIX not the choice
2 of 14 modelsApache APISIX was named in the answer but not as the choice, or not at all.GPT-5.4 miniAmazon API Gateway, Azure API Management alternatives: Kong Gateway, Tyk
DeepSeek V4 FlashAzure API Management, Kong Gateway alternatives: Gravitee, Tyk
Neither was the first choice, one was named
11 of 14 modelsThe answer put something else first and named one of the two as an alternative.Gemini 3.5 FlashKong Gateway alternatives: Amazon API Gateway, Azure API Management, Gravitee, Tyk
Perplexity SonarKong Gateway alternatives: Amazon API Gateway, Azure API Management, Zuplo
Grok 4.20Kong Gateway, Tyk alternatives: Amazon API Gateway, Azure API Management
Mistral SmallKong Gateway alternatives: Amazon API Gateway, Azure API Management, Tyk
Llama 4 MaverickKong Gateway alternatives: Amazon API Gateway, Apache APISIX, Azure API Management, NGINX
Qwen 3.7 FlashKong Gateway alternatives: Amazon API Gateway, Apigee, Azure API Management
Kimi K2Kong Gateway alternatives: Azure API Management, Tyk
GLM 4.7 FlashXKong Gateway alternatives: Amazon API Gateway, Apigee, Azure API Management, Tyk
MiniMax M2.5Kong Gateway alternatives: Amazon API Gateway, Azure API Management, Gravitee, KrakenD, MuleSoft Anypoint Platform
GPT-6 LunaTyk Cloud or Tyk Hybrid alternatives: Amazon API Gateway, Azure API Management, Kong Gateway
Muse Glimmer 30BKong Gateway alternatives: Amazon API Gateway, Azure API Management, Zuplo
Neither was named
1 of 14 modelsThe answer made no first choice from these two in this category.Claude Haiku 4.5Kong Gateway alternatives: Amazon API Gateway, Tyk, Zuplo
Bold names in an answer are the products the judge labeled a first choice; a model naming several gives each of them that label. The full answer text for every row is in the record.
By buyer segment
The same question asked on behalf of a different buyer. Each standing is computed within its segment and they are never added together. The figures above are the mid-market standing, which is the one the category orders by.
Small business
Apache APISIX leads by one point.
Apache APISIX1%#– of 12Azure API Management0%#10 of 12Mid-marketThe figures above
Apache APISIX leads by three points.
Apache APISIX7%#4 of 15Azure API Management3%#5 of 15Enterprise
The order flips: Azure API Management leads at enterprise.
Azure API Management2%#6 of 11Apache APISIX0%#11 of 11What the models said about Apache APISIX
Every negative label with a quote, up to three, then the highest-weighted positives, up to three. Five of six in this category shown.
“Apache APISIX has several documented security concerns that warrant caution” MiniMax M2.5 · negative prompt · hard negative
“APISIX for its default admin credentials and Lua execution model” Muse Glimmer 30B · negative prompt · soft negative
“My top pick for most budget-constrained companies: Kong Gateway (Open Source) or Apache APISIX” DeepSeek V4 Flash · budget prompt · first choice
“Kong OSS or Apache APISIX are the most cited "best value" open-source gateways” Muse Glimmer 30B · budget prompt · first choice
“Start with Kong or APISIX for flexible, high-scale open-source needs.” Grok 4.20 · comparative prompt · first choice
What the models said about Azure API Management
Every negative label with a quote, up to three, then the highest-weighted positives, up to three. Two of two in this category shown.
“My personal #1 pick for most mid-market B2B companies: If you're Microsoft-heavy (most are), Azure API Management is the pragmatic default.” DeepSeek V4 Flash · direct prompt · first choice
“Pick Azure API Management if you need richer B2B API management and hybrid options” GPT-5.4 mini · direct prompt · first choice
Also compared
Kong Gateway vs Apache APISIXKong Gateway vs Azure API ManagementAmazon API Gateway vs Apache APISIXAmazon API Gateway vs Azure API ManagementTyk vs Apache APISIXTyk vs Azure API ManagementApache APISIX vs ZuploApache APISIX vs GraviteeApache APISIX vs Traefik HubAzure API Management vs ZuploAzure API Management vs GraviteeAzure API Management vs Traefik HubAll twenty-eight head-to-head pages and the full API gateways standing
Comparisons are drawn for the top eight products in each category, each against each. The output is the models' output; nothing here is a recommendation by the index.