Technology Comparison

REST vs GraphQL - Which Should You Use?

Comparing REST and GraphQL for your next project. Honest analysis of performance, ecosystem, and suitability for Australian businesses.

150+

Integrations Available

2 weeks

Prototype Delivery

3 months

Post-Launch Support

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Our Development Capabilities

Custom-built solutions for your specific business needs.

Cloud-Native Architecture

Applications designed for scalability and reliability on modern cloud infrastructure. Auto-scaling, CDN, and edge deployment.

Headless CMS Integration

Decouple your content management from your frontend for flexibility, performance, and better developer experience.

API Development and Integration

RESTful and GraphQL APIs that connect your systems seamlessly. Custom integrations with 150+ business tools.

Progressive Web Apps

Web applications that feel native on mobile devices. Offline support, push notifications, and app-like performance.

Quick Comparison

Side-by-side comparison to help you decide.

Criterion	REST	GraphQL
Data fetching model	Fixed endpoints return fixed shapes - client takes what the server gives	Client specifies exactly which fields it needs - no over/under-fetching
Over-fetching problem	Common - /users returns all user fields even if you only need the name	Eliminated - query only requested fields travel the wire
Multiple resource aggregation	Requires multiple round-trips or bespoke aggregation endpoints	Single query fetches related resources in one network call
Caching	HTTP cache headers work at URL level - GET requests cache naturally	POST-based by default; HTTP caching requires persisted queries or CDN config
Schema and documentation	OpenAPI/Swagger is the standard; many teams neglect it	Schema is introspectable and first-class - documentation is automatic
Error handling	HTTP status codes carry semantic meaning (200, 404, 422, 500)	HTTP 200 even for errors - errors are in the response body; less standard

Our Verdict

Choose REST for most APIs, especially public-facing or third-party-integrated APIs where HTTP caching, standard status codes, and broad client compatibility matter. Choose GraphQL if you have a complex, multi-entity data graph consumed by multiple frontends (web and mobile) that need different field subsets, or if over-fetching is genuinely causing performance problems. The most common mistake is adopting GraphQL for its perceived sophistication and then discovering that caching, error handling, and rate limiting are significantly harder than with REST. GraphQL is the right answer for the right problem - do not reach for it by default.

Choose REST when:

✓ Building a public API consumed by third-party developers
✓ Simple resource CRUD where HTTP caching and standard status codes are sufficient
✓ Your team does not need the data graph flexibility GraphQL provides

Choose GraphQL when:

✓ Multiple frontends (web, iOS, Android) that each need different field subsets
✓ Complex domain with many related entities frequently queried together
✓ Frontend teams want to own their data requirements without backend API changes
✓ Real-time subscriptions are a core requirement (GraphQL subscriptions via WebSocket)

Frequently Asked Questions

Pricing depends on what you need - a simple web app costs less than a complex system with multiple integrations. We provide fixed-price proposals after a free discovery session.

Our core stack is Next.js, React, and TypeScript, but we select technology based on your project needs. We have experience with Python, Node.js, PostgreSQL, and all major cloud platforms.

Yes, our team has experience with both REST and GraphQL. We choose the right tool based on your project needs and recommend accordingly during our free assessment.

It depends on your project requirements. REST and GraphQL each have strengths. Our detailed comparison above covers the trade-offs to help you decide.

Yes. Every project includes 3 months of post-launch support covering bug fixes, performance tuning, and minor feature additions. We also offer ongoing retainer plans.

Timelines depend on scope, but most projects go from kickoff to launch in 4-8 weeks. A working prototype is ready within the first 2 weeks for early feedback.

We specialise in integration. Whether it is your CRM, accounting software, or industry-specific tools, we connect your new application to your existing systems.