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Save Money with REST API Caching in API Gateway for Repeated Requests
Cut API Gateway Costs Instantly with One Setting
If your API is handling a high volume of repetitive requests, especially GETs, chances are you are spending more than you need on backend compute like Lambda or DynamoDB.
A simple tip for this is to enable caching on your API Gateway endpoints.
API Gateway caching stores the responses to requests at the edge, so when the same request comes in again, the cache serves the response directly, without invoking Lambda, no DynamoDB. Meaning no extra costs.
Let’s say your endpoint “/products/top-selling” gets hit thousands of times per hour.
Without caching, each request triggers your backend logic.
With caching, you pay a flat rate for the cache (based on size), and all those repeated calls are served instantly.
The cost savings are real:
You eliminate backend charges for cacheable requests.
Your response time improves (typically from ~100ms to <10ms).
You reduce load on Lambda, databases, or downstream services, which also helps with throttling limits and scaling costs.
💡 Pro tip: You can configure cache key parameters and TTL (Time to Live) to balance freshness vs. savings.
For example, a 60-second TTL on a frequently accessed endpoint can save thousands of Lambda invocations per day; with barely any impact on user experience.
The Bottom line: If you’re not caching your read-heavy API endpoints, you’re probably overspending in cloud costs.
My recommendation: Take 10 minutes today to audit your API Gateway endpoints and see which ones could benefit from caching.
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