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Databases · head to head

Apache Solr vs Kong Gateway

Apache Solr logo

Apache Solr

Databases

Enterprise search platform built on Apache Lucene

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kong Gateway logo

Kong Gateway

APIs

Open-source and cloud API gateway for managing microservices traffic

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Apache Solr xML-heavy configuration and a developer experience that feels dated beside newer engines; Kong Gateway the free open-source gateway lacks the analytics, portals, and support of the paid Konnect tiers.
  • They diverge on capability: Apache Solr covers Lucene-based indexing, Kong Gateway covers API request routing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apache Solr and Kong Gateway actually diverge.

Attributes where Apache Solr and Kong Gateway differ
AttributeApache SolrKong Gateway
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feefreemium
PlatformsLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hostedweb, linux, api
CategoryDatabasesAPIs
FoundedUnknown2017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Apache Solr

  • Lucene-based indexing
  • Faceted search
  • SolrCloud
  • Schema control

Only in Kong Gateway

  • API request routing
  • Plugin ecosystem
  • Developer portals
  • AI Gateway
  • Analytics and observability
  • SSO and audit logs

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Apache Solr

  • Library, archive and catalogue search where faceting is centralnot Kong Gateway
  • Long-lived enterprise deployments valuing stability over noveltynot Kong Gateway
  • Search requiring precise, explicitly configured relevance tuningnot Kong Gateway

Kong Gateway

  • Routing and securing traffic across microservicesnot Apache Solr
  • Publishing internal or external developer portalsnot Apache Solr
  • Managing rate limits and authentication at the API edgenot Apache Solr
  • Gateway-level routing to multiple LLM providersnot Apache Solr

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Apache Solr

  • XML-heavy configuration and a developer experience that feels dated beside newer engines
  • SolrCloud depends on ZooKeeper, adding a component Elasticsearch removed years ago
  • Smaller mindshare now, so newer tutorials, hiring and integrations favour Elasticsearch
  • Considerably heavier than a purpose-built application search engine

Kong Gateway

  • The free open-source gateway lacks the analytics, portals, and support of the paid Konnect tiers.
  • Plus tier caps API requests at 1M/month before incurring per-million overage charges.
  • Enterprise pricing is custom and not published, making budgeting harder without sales contact.
  • Configuration and plugin management can require significant operational expertise to run at scale.

Pricing, plan by plan

Apache Solr

Free
  • Apache SolrFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

Kong Gateway

Free
  • Free TrialFree
    • 30-day enterprise functionality trial
    • Unlimited gateways
    • 30-day analytics retention
  • Plus$undefined/month
    • Up to 5 serverless, 2 hybrid, 2 dedicated cloud gateways
    • 1M API requests/month included
    • Up to 2 developer portals
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited hybrid and dedicated cloud gateways
    • Unlimited developer portals
    • SSO and audit logs

Which should you pick?

Choose Apache Solr if

  • You need lucene-based indexing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
  • You also want faceted search.
Apache Solr review

Choose Kong Gateway if

  • You need api request routing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, linux, api.
  • You also want plugin ecosystem.
Kong Gateway review

Questions people ask

Is Apache Solr or Kong Gateway better?
Neither clearly leads. Apache Solr starts at Free and Kong Gateway at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apache Solr or Kong Gateway?
Apache Solr starts at Free and Kong Gateway at Free.
Does Apache Solr or Kong Gateway run on more platforms?
Apache Solr runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted. Kong Gateway runs on web, linux, api.
Can I use Apache Solr for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Apache Solr best used for?
Apache Solr is most often used for library, archive and catalogue search where faceting is central, long-lived enterprise deployments valuing stability over novelty, search requiring precise, explicitly configured relevance tuning. Of those, library, archive and catalogue search where faceting is central and long-lived enterprise deployments valuing stability over novelty are not what Kong Gateway is typically brought in for.
What can Apache Solr do that Kong Gateway cannot?
Apache Solr covers Lucene-based indexing, Faceted search, SolrCloud, Schema control. Kong Gateway covers API request routing, Plugin ecosystem, Developer portals, AI Gateway.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apache Solr: Is Apache Solr free?

Yes, open source under the Apache Software Foundation.

Kong Gateway: Is Kong Gateway free?

Kong's core gateway is open source and free to self-host. Kong Konnect, the managed cloud platform, offers a 30-day free trial before moving to paid Plus or custom Enterprise pricing.

Source
Apache Solr: Solr or Elasticsearch?

Both are built on Lucene. Elasticsearch has the larger ecosystem and a friendlier API; Solr is very mature and strong on faceted search, and remains common in library and catalogue systems.

Kong Gateway: How is usage metered on the Plus plan?

The Plus plan includes 1M API requests per month, with additional usage billed at $200 per extra 1 million requests up to a 10M/month cap, plus per-gateway and per-LLM-model charges.

Source
Apache Solr: Is Solr still maintained?

Yes, actively, as a top-level Apache project.

Kong Gateway: What support is included?

Plus includes email support with a 2-business-day SLA, while Enterprise adds dedicated success managers and professional services.

Source
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