I'm building a multi-cloud API routing setup, what gateway fits best?

For a multi-cloud API routing setup, the “best” gateway usually depends on whether you want managed simplicity, multi-cluster/multi-cloud control, or full open-source flexibility. Here’s the short version:

Best fit by situation

1) Kong Gateway / Kong Konnect

Best if you want: strong multi-cloud support, high performance, and a mature API gateway ecosystem.
Why it fits:

• Works well across AWS, GCP, Azure, and Kubernetes
• Good for hybrid and multi-cloud topologies
• Supports plugins for auth, rate limiting, observability, transformations
• Konnect gives centralized control plane for distributed gateways

Good choice when: you need enterprise-grade routing and governance across clouds.

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2) Tyk

Best if you want: an open-source-friendly, lightweight multi-cloud gateway with strong policy control.
Why it fits:

• Easy to deploy in multiple environments
• Supports hybrid and distributed setups
• Good API management features
• Often simpler to operate than heavier platforms

Good choice when: you want flexibility and less vendor lock-in.

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3) Envoy + control plane (e.g., Istio, Gloo, Ambassador/Emissary)

Best if you want: cloud-native routing and service mesh integration.
Why it fits:

• Excellent for Kubernetes-based multi-cloud deployments
• Very strong traffic management and L7 routing
• Works well if APIs are mostly internal or microservice-driven
• Highly configurable

Good choice when: your routing is tightly tied to Kubernetes and service-to-service traffic.

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4) Apigee

Best if you want: enterprise API management and governance, especially if you’re already in Google Cloud.
Why it fits:

• Strong API lifecycle management
• Policy, analytics, developer portal, monetization support
• Good for external/public APIs

Tradeoff: can be heavier and more expensive than alternatives.

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My practical recommendation

• For most multi-cloud API gateway use cases: Kong is often the safest all-around pick.
• For Kubernetes-heavy cloud-native routing: Envoy-based stack or Gloo.
• For simpler open-source deployment: Tyk.
• For enterprise API program/governance: Apigee.

What to optimize for

If you tell me these, I can narrow it down precisely:

1. Are your APIs mostly public, internal, or both?
2. Is your platform Kubernetes-based?
3. Do you need central management across clouds?
4. Do you want open source or managed SaaS?
5. Any must-haves like OAuth/OIDC, JWT, mTLS, rate limiting, WAF, developer portal?

If you want, I can also give you a decision matrix comparing Kong vs Tyk vs Apigee vs Envoy/Gloo for multi-cloud routing.