Zuplo

Zuplo is an API management platform with API Gateway, AI Gateway, and MCP Gateway products. Its API security controls include API keys, JWT, Basic Auth, mTLS, bot detection, rate limiting, and schema validation. OpenAPI supports documentation and cataloging, and every plan includes a hosted developer portal that can use the customer's domain. The AI Gateway routes requests to providers including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and Mistral, and offers semantic caching, prompt-injection protection, secret masking, and spending budgets. MCP Gateway is included on every plan for authenticating, routing, and governing MCP servers. Listed logging integrations include AWS CloudWatch, Datadog, Dynatrace, New Relic, Google Cloud Logging, Loki, Splunk, Sumo Logic, and VMware Log Insight. Zuplo says SOC 2 Type II, audit logs, and policy-enforcement evidence are built into the platform. It says gateways deploy to more than 300 edge locations, with self-hosted or dedicated deployment available. The Free plan is free for up to 100K requests monthly. Builder costs $25 a month and includes 100K requests; additional requests cost $100 per 100K.

Zuplo suits teams managing APIs that need gateway controls, documentation, or a developer portal. Teams needing custom request volumes, deployment choices, or premium support can review the Enterprise options with Zuplo.

Free includes 100,000 requests per month, two account members, five environments, 100 consumers or API keys, and two projects or services. Builder includes 100,000 requests and charges 100 USD for each additional 100,000 requests; its listed limits include two custom domains, 10 environments, and 1,000 consumers or API keys.

Zuplo is an API management platform for teams building and operating APIs, including those managing AI or MCP traffic. It suits teams that want gateway controls and a hosted developer portal together. Its free plan is a low-risk starting point; Builder’s request overage charge deserves close attention as traffic grows.

Overview

Zuplo combines API gateways with OpenAPI documentation and cataloging, plus a hosted developer portal that can use a customer’s domain. That breadth suits teams creating an API program and a branded place for developers to work with it. If documentation alone is the goal, the wider gateway platform may be more than the job requires.

Key features

Gateway security covers API keys, JWT, Basic Auth, mTLS, bot detection, rate limiting and schema validation. This gives teams several ways to control access and traffic within the gateway. Zuplo also states that SOC 2 Type II, audit logs and policy enforcement evidence are built into the platform, which may suit organizations with compliance obligations.

The AI Gateway routes requests among OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and Mistral, with semantic caching, prompt injection protection, secret masking and spending budgets. The MCP Gateway is included on every plan and handles authentication, routing and governance for MCP servers. These capabilities make Zuplo relevant to teams managing those traffic types alongside conventional APIs.

Deployment spans more than 300 edge locations, with self-hosted or dedicated deployment also available. GitOps with GitHub is supported on Free and Builder; Enterprise adds GitLab, Bitbucket and Azure DevOps. Logging integrations include AWS CloudWatch, Datadog, Dynatrace, New Relic, Google Cloud Logging, Loki, Splunk, Sumo Logic and VMware Log Insight. The range is useful for teams fitting gateway operations into existing workflows and logging systems.

Pricing

Zuplo uses a freemium model, with Free and Builder both including 100K monthly requests. That shared allowance makes Free a sensible place to start, while the paid plan’s price does not buy a larger included request quota.

Free’s two-member cap and lower environment and consumer allowances make it better suited to a small team or early deployment. Builder raises those caps and adds custom domains, but the $100 charge per extra 100K requests can quickly matter for higher-volume services. Both plans include the 14-day Analytics trial; the page describes basic usage analytics. Enterprise is the option for custom capacity, identity controls or a defined SLA, with support options including 24x7x365 premium support as an add-on. A free trial is available.

Platforms

Zuplo is listed for API, Linux, self-hosted and web environments. Hosted portal deployment is included, while dedicated or self-hosted gateway deployment is available for Enterprise.

Who it's for

Zuplo is a strong fit for API teams that need gateway security, OpenAPI-based cataloging and a hosted developer portal, especially when they also need to route or govern AI and MCP traffic. Smaller teams can begin on Free, but should account for its two account members and 100K monthly request ceiling. Teams with predictable traffic above that ceiling should model Builder’s overage charge before committing. Organizations requiring custom volume, SSO/RBAC or a higher SLA should consider Enterprise.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Security controls span authentication, bot detection, rate limiting and schema validation, keeping several API protections within one platform.
• Pros: The hosted developer portal is included on every plan and supports a customer domain, avoiding a separate portal plan charge.
• Pros: AI and MCP gateway capabilities extend the platform to teams governing those request paths as well as conventional APIs.
• Cons: Builder includes the same 100K monthly requests as Free, then charges $100 per additional 100K, so its $25 entry price can understate the cost at scale.
• Cons: Free is limited to two account members and five environments, which may constrain larger teams or more involved deployments.
• Cons: The Analytics trial lasts 14 days on both Free and Builder, limiting the included period for evaluating analytics.

Alternatives

Moesif is a freemium alternative whose Free plan is automatically applied after a 14-day trial; its Growth trial includes 10,000,000 events, making it worth considering when that event allowance suits your evaluation.

Revenium offers an Observe plan with 100,000 transactions per month, seven days of data retention, one user and community support without an SLA. It may fit readers prioritizing that defined transaction allowance and support arrangement.

Gravitee API Gateway has a free Apache 2.0 Community Edition and a $2,500/m Planet plan. It is an alternative for readers comparing a community edition or that paid plan.

Sentinel EMS is a paid alternative with a free trial.

Lago offers a free, AGPLv3-licensed, self-hosted Open Source plan, making it an option for readers seeking that licensing and deployment model.

Stigg has a free forever Build plan with 10,000 managed entities, 5M usage events per month and 1K events per second, for teams whose requirements align with those allowances.

Tyk API Management lists a flat-rate Professional plan with unlimited API gateways, APIs and monthly requests; its pricing details are not shown.

For readers comparing adjacent categories, see API Monetization Software, API Developer Portal Software and API Marketplace Software.

Verdict

Choose Zuplo if your team wants API security, documentation, a hosted developer portal and options for governing AI or MCP traffic in one platform. Its broad gateway capabilities and free hosted portal are the strongest reasons to start there. Look elsewhere if Builder’s $100 per additional 100K requests makes your expected traffic costly, or if you need a narrower tool focused on documentation alone.

Zuplo combines API gateways, security controls, documentation, and a hosted developer portal. Free and Builder both include 100K monthly requests, so teams should account for the listed additional-request charge when evaluating Builder.