Open Source Gateway — Free self-hosted, no billing
Core — Consumption-based pricing usage-based
Professional — Flat-rate pricing (custom quote) annual or custom
Enterprise — Custom pricing custom
Pros & Cons
SQD
Pros
Core SDKs and data access are free and open source
Very low latency and high data correctness for on-chain queries
Single API covers 225-plus networks instead of separate integrations
Self-hosting option available for teams wanting full control
Used in production by well-known DeFi protocols managing billions in TVL
Cons
Cloud pricing is usage-based and less predictable than flat subscription tools
Recent acquisition by Rezolve Ai introduces uncertainty about product direction
Primarily targeted at Web3 and blockchain developers, not a general-purpose tool
Requires technical setup and indexing knowledge to get full value
Company size and support structure post-acquisition are not publicly detailed
Tyk
Pros
Genuinely free, unrestricted open source gateway with no artificial feature caps
Supports REST, GraphQL, TCP, and gRPC in one unified platform
Flexible deployment across Cloud, Hybrid, and fully Self-Managed environments
Proven at scale with regulated-industry customers like banks and telcos
Cons
Commercial tier pricing beyond Core is not fully transparent and often requires a sales conversation
Full management platform (Dashboard, Developer Portal) requires a paid license, not just the open source Gateway
Steeper learning curve than fully managed cloud-native gateways for teams new to self-hosted infrastructure
Smaller brand recognition than larger API management vendors like Kong, Apigee, or AWS
Use Cases
SQD
DeFi protocol data indexing — Protocols index on-chain events like swaps, deposits, and liquidations in real time to power dashboards and risk systems.
Blockchain analytics platforms — Analytics products query historical and real-time on-chain data across many networks through a single API instead of managing separate RPC integrations.
AI agents needing on-chain data — AI agents use validated, low-latency on-chain data feeds to make trustworthy decisions involving blockchain state.
Tyk
Standardizing internal API security — Platform teams deploy Tyk Gateway to enforce consistent authentication, rate limiting, and policy across all internal microservices.
Publishing a developer portal for external partners — Companies expose APIs to external partners and developers through Tyk's self-service Developer Portal with API keys and documentation.
Multi-cloud and multi-region API management — Large enterprises use Tyk's management control plane to govern API gateways deployed across multiple clouds and regions from one place.