# Apollo GraphQL vs GraphQL Mesh

| Attribute | Apollo GraphQL | GraphQL Mesh |
|---|---|---|
| **vioscaleAI score** | 62.6 (57% (medium)) | 58.4 (57% (medium)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 1 | 27 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 76,434 | 519 |
| adoption.github_stars | 13,949 | 3,511 |
| adoption.package_downloads_weekly | 2,385,461 | 27,528 |
| content.faq | `[{"answer":"A complete API orchestration and governance platform that enables teams to build, deploy, and scale GraphQL APIs with support for federation, real-time subscriptions, schema management, and compliance across cloud and self-hosted environments. It is indexed under GraphQL Tools.","source":"https://www.apollographql.com/pricing","question":"What is Apollo GraphQL?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Apollo GraphQL is open source, so it can be self-hosted and used at no licence cost. It is released under the MIT licence. A commercial or hosted edition starts at $5. Prices are published openly on the vendor's own pricing page. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://www.apollographql.com/pricing","question":"Is Apollo GraphQL free to use?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Apollo GraphQL supports the web and a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://www.apollographql.com/pricing","question":"What platforms does Apollo GraphQL support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Apollo GraphQL can be deployed cloud / SaaS and self-hosted, so it does not have to run on the vendor's infrastructure.","source":"https://www.apollographql.com/pricing","question":"Can Apollo GraphQL be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have confirmed 4 integrations for Apollo GraphQL, including Apollo Connectors, Apollo MCP Server, GraphQL APIs and REST APIs. This is what we could verify from public sources, so the vendor may support others we have not indexed.","source":"https://www.apollographql.com/pricing","question":"What does Apollo GraphQL integrate with?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have independently confirmed GDPR for Apollo GraphQL. Certifications we do not list are ones we have not been able to verify from public sources, which is not the same as Apollo GraphQL not holding them. Always confirm compliance directly before you rely on it.","source":"https://www.apollographql.com/trust","question":"What security certifications does Apollo GraphQL have?","confidence":0.7},{"answer":"Yes. Apollo GraphQL is published under the MIT licence, a permissive licence that generally allows commercial use and modification. Licence terms can change between releases, so verify against the repository for the version you intend to use.","source":"https://github.com/apollographql/apollo-server","question":"Is Apollo GraphQL open source?","confidence":0.99},{"answer":"Apollo GraphQL is available worldwide. Its primary market is the United States. The vendor is headquartered in the United States.","source":"https://www.apollographql.com/pricing","question":"Where is Apollo GraphQL available?","confidence":0.75}]` | `[{"answer":"An open-source framework that integrates diverse data sources—REST APIs, databases, gRPC services, and other formats—into a cohesive GraphQL schema. Enables unified querying across your entire API landscape without intermediaries. It is indexed under GraphQL Tools.","source":"https://www.graphql-mesh.com/","question":"What is GraphQL Mesh?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"GraphQL Mesh is open source, so it can be self-hosted and used at no licence cost. It is released under the MIT licence. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://www.graphql-mesh.com/","question":"Is GraphQL Mesh free to use?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"GraphQL Mesh supports the web, iOS, Android and a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://www.graphql-mesh.com/","question":"What platforms does GraphQL Mesh support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. GraphQL Mesh can be deployed cloud / SaaS, hybrid and self-hosted, so it does not have to run on the vendor's infrastructure.","source":"https://www.graphql-mesh.com/","question":"Can GraphQL Mesh be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have confirmed 12 integrations for GraphQL Mesh, including GraphQL, OpenAPI, gRPC, JSON Schema, SOAP, OData, Thrift and SQLite, plus 4 more. This is what we could verify from public sources, so the vendor may support others we have not indexed.","source":"https://www.graphql-mesh.com/","question":"What does GraphQL Mesh integrate with?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. GraphQL Mesh is published under the MIT licence, a permissive licence that generally allows commercial use and modification. Licence terms can change between releases, so verify against the repository for the version you intend to use.","source":"https://github.com/ardatan/graphql-mesh","question":"Is GraphQL Mesh open source?","confidence":0.99}]` |
| deployment.options | `{"self_hosted":true}` | `{"cloud":true,"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | Apollo helps organizations build a unified GraphQL layer that combines multiple APIs and services, enabling better integration for AI systems and applications. | An open-source framework that integrates diverse data sources—REST APIs, databases, gRPC services, and other formats—into a cohesive GraphQL schema. Enables unified querying across your entire API landscape without intermediaries. |
| features.capabilities | `{"role":"gateway","caching":true,"language":"API-agnostic (supports any GraphQL API regardless of implementation language)","federation":true,"managed_cloud":true,"self_hostable":true,"subscriptions":true,"auth_directives":true,"schema_approach":"introspection","type_generation":true,"db_introspection":false}` | `{"role":"gateway","caching":true,"language":"TypeScript/JavaScript","federation":true,"self_hostable":true,"subscriptions":true,"auth_directives":true,"schema_approach":"introspection","type_generation":true,"db_introspection":true}` |
| integrations.count | 4 | 13 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"Apollo Connectors"},{"name":"Apollo MCP Server"},{"name":"GraphQL APIs"},{"name":"REST APIs"}]` | `[{"name":"GraphQL"},{"name":"OpenAPI"},{"name":"gRPC"},{"name":"JSON Schema"},{"name":"SOAP"},{"name":"OData"},{"name":"Thrift"},{"name":"SQLite"},{"name":"MySQL"},{"name":"Neo4j"},{"name":"PostgreSQL"},{"name":"MongoDB"},{"name":"Hive","native":true},{"name":"Apollo GraphOS","native":true},{"name":"CloudFlare Workers","native":true}]` |
| language.primary | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| license.spdx | MIT | MIT |
| market.availability | `{"hqCountry":"US","primaryMarkets":["US"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | - |
| platform.support | `{"ios":true,"web":true}` | `{"cli":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"hybrid","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Free","summary":"Forever free, no credit card required","features":["GraphOS platform","Any GraphQL API support","Self-hosted Router","GraphQL Federation","Response Caching","Schema Proposals","SSO","Audit logging"],"minSeats":3,"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":0,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"For students or hobbyists learning GraphQL","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"developers":"Up to 3","data_retention":"1 day","router_rate_limit":"60 requests per minute"}},{"free":false,"name":"Developer","summary":"$5 per million requests, billed monthly with volume discounts. $50 credit on signup.","features":["GraphOS platform","Any GraphQL API support","Self-hosted Router","GraphQL Federation","Response Caching","Schema Proposals","SSO","Audit logging"],"minSeats":10,"commitment":"monthly","components":[{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"million_requests"},"kind":"metered","amount":5,"currency":"USD"}],"description":"For small teams operating production GraphQL APIs","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"developers":"Up to 10","data_retention":"7 days"}},{"free":false,"name":"Standard","summary":"Custom pricing","features":["GraphOS platform","Any GraphQL API support","Self-hosted Router","GraphQL Federation","Response Caching","Schema Proposals","SSO","Audit logging"],"minSeats":30,"description":"For scaling a GraphQL platform across multiple teams","contactSales":true,"includedLimits":{"developers":"Up to 30","data_retention":"90 days"}},{"free":false,"name":"Enterprise","summary":"Custom pricing","features":["GraphOS platform","Any GraphQL API support","Self-hosted Router","GraphQL Federation","Response Caching","Schema Proposals","SSO","Audit logging"],"description":"For large-scale GraphQL initiatives","contactSales":true,"includedLimits":{"developers":"Unlimited","data_retention":"18 months"}}],"addOns":[{"name":"Premium Support Packages"},{"name":"Professional Services Packages"}],"summary":"From $5 per million requests. Free tier with no credit card required.","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://www.apollographql.com/pricing","retrievedAt":"2026-08-14T21:31:14.928Z","startingPrice":{"amount":5,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month"]}` | `{"type":"open_source","sourceUrl":"https://www.graphql-mesh.com/","retrievedAt":"2026-08-03T21:32:50.033Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | - |
| pricing.model | freemium | open_source |
| pricing.price_level | free | free |
| pricing.transparent | yes | - |
| release.cadence_days | - | 4 |
| release.history | 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| `[{"url":"https://github.com/ardatan/graphql-mesh/releases/tag/release-1791815218678","date":"2026-10-12T14:26:59Z","type":"stable","version":"release-1791815218678"},{"url":"https://github.com/ardatan/graphql-mesh/releases/tag/release-1791812507972","date":"2026-10-12T13:41:48Z","type":"stable","version":"release-1791812507972"},{"url":"https://github.com/ardatan/graphql-mesh/releases/tag/release-1788526304945","date":"2026-09-04T12:51:45Z","type":"stable","version":"release-1788526304945"},{"url":"https://github.com/ardatan/graphql-mesh/releases/tag/release-1787592564418","date":"2026-08-24T17:29:25Z","type":"stable","version":"release-1787592564418"},{"url":"https://github.com/ardatan/graphql-mesh/releases/tag/release-1787237191899","date":"2026-08-20T14:46:32Z","type":"stable","version":"release-1787237191899"},{"url":"https://github.com/ardatan/graphql-mesh/releases/tag/release-1786983719923","date":"2026-08-17T16:22:00Z","type":"stable","version":"release-1786983719923"},{"url":"https://github.com/ardatan/graphql-mesh/releases/tag/release-1786744190314","date":"2026-08-14T21:49:50Z","type":"stable","version":"release-1786744190314"},{"url":"https://github.com/ardatan/graphql-mesh/releases/tag/release-1786718829013","date":"2026-08-14T14:47:09Z","type":"stable","version":"release-1786718829013"},{"url":"https://github.com/ardatan/graphql-mesh/releases/tag/release-1786094925629","date":"2026-08-07T09:28:46Z","type":"stable","version":"release-1786094925629"},{"url":"https://github.com/ardatan/graphql-mesh/releases/tag/release-1785696133272","date":"2026-08-02T18:42:13Z","type":"stable","version":"release-1785696133272"},{"url":"https://github.com/ardatan/graphql-mesh/releases/tag/release-1785502342058","date":"2026-07-31T12:52:22Z","type":"stable","version":"release-1785502342058"},{"url":"https://github.com/ardatan/graphql-mesh/releases/tag/release-1781190542732","date":"2026-06-11T15:09:04Z","type":"stable","version":"release-1781190542732"},{"url":"https://github.com/ardatan/graphql-mesh/releases/tag/release-1777567793194","date":"2026-04-30T16:49:53Z","type":"stable","version":"release-1777567793194"},{"url":"https://github.com/ardatan/graphql-mesh/releases/tag/release-1776962898651","date":"2026-04-23T16:48:19Z","type":"stable","version":"release-1776962898651"},{"url":"https://github.com/ardatan/graphql-mesh/releases/tag/release-1776251230412","date":"2026-04-15T11:07:10Z","type":"stable","version":"release-1776251230412"},{"url":"https://github.com/ardatan/graphql-mesh/releases/tag/release-1776170598394","date":"2026-04-14T12:43:18Z","type":"stable","version":"release-1776170598394"},{"url":"https://github.com/ardatan/graphql-mesh/releases/tag/release-1775745444059","date":"2026-04-09T14:37:24Z","type":"stable","version":"release-1775745444059"},{"url":"https://github.com/ardatan/graphql-mesh/releases/tag/release-1775735183163","date":"2026-04-09T11:46:23Z","type":"stable","version":"release-1775735183163"},{"url":"https://github.com/ardatan/graphql-mesh/releases/tag/release-1775246671340","date":"2026-04-03T20:04:31Z","type":"stable","version":"release-1775246671340"},{"url":"https://github.com/ardatan/graphql-mesh/releases/tag/release-1775240479993","date":"2026-04-03T18:21:20Z","type":"stable","version":"release-1775240479993"}]` |
| reliability.status_page | yes | - |
| security.gdpr | yes | - |
| security.scorecard | 6 | - |
| security.trust_center | https://www.apollographql.com/trust | - |
| security.vulnerabilities | `{"count":5,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=npm&package_name=apollo-server-core&per_page=100","last_12m":1,"max_severity":"MODERATE"}` | `{"count":1,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=npm&package_name=%40graphql-mesh%2Fcli&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":"MODERATE"}` |

## Capabilities (GraphQL Tools)

| Capability | Apollo GraphQL | GraphQL Mesh |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| Role | Gateway / federation | Gateway / federation |
| Primary language | API-agnostic (supports any GraphQL API regardless of implementation language) | TypeScript/JavaScript |
| **Modelling** |  |  |
| Schema approach | DB introspection | DB introspection |
| **Scale** |  |  |
| Federation / subgraph composition | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Realtime** |  |  |
| Real-time subscriptions | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Performance** |  |  |
| Response / edge caching | ✓ | ✓ |
| **DX** |  |  |
| Typed code generation | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Automation** |  |  |
| Generates API from a database | ✗ | ✓ |
| **Security** |  |  |
| Built-in authz / permissions | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Official hosted offering | ✓ | - |
| Self-hostable | ✓ | ✓ |

*Source: vioscaleAI. Generated 2026-10-16T23:25:11.277Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*