microservices api gateway versus direct client to service communication

hey everyone, been thinking about how we structure communication between clients and our microservices. the common advice is to use an api gateway, but is it always the best path? direct client-to-service communication seems simpler initially, especially for smaller projects. it avoids an extra hop. however, it can quickly become a mess with cross-cutting concerns like authentication, rate limiting, and logging needing to be handled in every service. what's your experience? when do you find an api gateway indispensable, and when is direct communication more practical? are there hybrid approaches you've found successful