API Gateway HTTP API versus ALB

13 Mar 2026

Learn how API Gateway HTTP API differs from ALB.

	API Gateway HTTP API	ALB
Type	REST API	REST API
HTTPS/TLS	✅	✅
Backends	✅ Lambda ✅ Public endpoint ✅ Private endpoint ⚠️ AWS Service APIs	✅ Lambda ❌ Public endpoint ✅ Private endpoint ❌ AWS Service APIs
Costs	💰	💰💰
Maturity	⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Authentication	✅ IAM ❌ API Key ✅ OpenID Connect ❌ SAML ❌ Social ✅ Custom	❌ IAM ❌ API Key ✅ OpenID Connect ✅ SAML ✅ Social ❌ Custom
Tenant-based Throttling	❌	❌
Request Validation	❌	❌
Req./Res. Transformation	❌	❌
Endpoints	✅ Public ❌ Private	✅ Public ✅ Private
WAF	❌	✅

Further reading