API Gateway REST API versus API Gateway HTTP API

23 Oct 2025

Learn how API Gateway REST API differs from API Gateway HTTP API.

	API Gateway REST API	API Gateway HTTP API
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