Apache APISIX vs Cilium

Struggling to choose between Apache APISIX and Cilium? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Apache APISIX is a Network & Admin solution with tags like apigateway, microservices, opensource, loadbalancing, authentication, ratelimiting.

It boasts features such as Dynamic upstream routing, Dynamic load balancing, Plugin system, Customizable authentication, Granular access control, Real-time metrics, Distributed tracing and pros including High performance, Flexible and extensible, Easy to deploy and configure, Open source and free, Active community support.

On the other hand, Cilium is a Network & Admin product tagged with networking, containers, kubernetes, ebpf, xdp.

Its standout features include eBPF-based networking, Identity-based security policies, Transparent encryption, Load balancing, Direct server return, Bandwidth manager, Observability and analytics, and it shines with pros like High performance networking, Simple to operate, Native Kubernetes integration, Flexible security policies, Scalability.

Feature	Apache APISIX	Cilium
Overall Score	N/A	1
Primary Category	Network & Admin	Network & Admin

Product Overview

Apache APISIX

Description: Apache APISIX is an open-source, high-performance API gateway that helps organizations manage traffic to their APIs and microservices. It handles routing, load balancing, authentication, rate limiting and more.

Cilium

Description: Cilium is an open source software for providing and securing network connectivity between application services deployed using Linux container management platforms like Kubernetes. It uses eBPF/XDP for high performance container networking.

Key Features Comparison

Apache APISIX Features

• Dynamic upstream routing
• Dynamic load balancing
• Plugin system
• Customizable authentication
• Granular access control
• Real-time metrics
• Distributed tracing

Cilium Features

• eBPF-based networking
• Identity-based security policies
• Transparent encryption
• Load balancing
• Direct server return
• Bandwidth manager
• Observability and analytics

Pros & Cons Analysis

Apache APISIX

Pros

• High performance
• Flexible and extensible
• Easy to deploy and configure
• Open source and free
• Active community support

Cons

• Steep learning curve
• Requires expertise to manage and scale
• Limited documentation and guides
• Not many third-party integrations yet

Cilium

Pros

• High performance networking
• Simple to operate
• Native Kubernetes integration
• Flexible security policies
• Scalability

Cons

• Complex architecture
• Steep learning curve
• Limited supported platforms
• Immature technology

Pricing Comparison

Apache APISIX

• Open Source

Cilium

• Open Source