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Spreadsheets · head to head

APITable vs Kong Gateway

APITable logo

APITable

Spreadsheets

Open source spreadsheet database with an API first design and an embeddable widget system

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: APITable records are held in the product own schema rather than as native database tables, so the practical row ceiling is a product limit and large tables should be load tested before commitment.; Kong Gateway the free open-source gateway lacks the analytics, portals, and support of the paid Konnect tiers.
  • They diverge on capability: APITable covers API first design, Kong Gateway covers API request routing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which APITable and Kong Gateway actually diverge.

Attributes where APITable and Kong Gateway differ
AttributeAPITableKong Gateway
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feefreemium
PlatformsWeb, Linuxweb, linux, api
CategorySpreadsheetsAPIs
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 APITable

  • API first design
  • Widget SDK
  • Embeddable views
  • Multiple view types
  • Linked records and formulas
  • Self hosting
  • Real time collaboration

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.

APITable

  • Embedding an editable table view inside a product you are building, rather than sending users to another toolnot Kong Gateway
  • An internal platform where tables are read and written mostly by code through the API and only occasionally by peoplenot Kong Gateway
  • A self hosted replacement for a per seat spreadsheet database where seat count is the cost drivernot Kong Gateway
  • Building a custom dashboard widget that sits beside the data instead of in a separate reporting toolnot Kong Gateway

Kong Gateway

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

Where each one falls short

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

APITable

  • Records are held in the product own schema rather than as native database tables, so the practical row ceiling is a product limit and large tables should be load tested before commitment.
  • The hosted free tier caps records per space, so evaluating on the cloud version gives a misleading picture of what the software can do when self hosted.
  • Automation is thin compared with the commercial alternatives, and most real workflows end up in an external automation tool.
  • The self hosted deployment is heavier than a single container, so running it properly means managing several services rather than one.
  • Documentation and community activity are uneven in English, and finding an answer to an operational problem can take longer than the problem itself deserves.

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

APITable

Free
  • Self hosted open sourceFree
    • No licence fee
    • No product record cap on self hosted deployments
    • Docker and Kubernetes deployment

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 APITable if

  • You need api first design.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux.
  • You also want widget sdk.
APITable 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 APITable or Kong Gateway better?
Neither clearly leads. APITable 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, APITable or Kong Gateway?
APITable starts at Free and Kong Gateway at Free.
Does APITable or Kong Gateway run on more platforms?
APITable runs on Web, Linux. Kong Gateway runs on web, linux, api.
Can I use APITable for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is APITable best used for?
APITable is most often used for embedding an editable table view inside a product you are building, rather than sending users to another tool, an internal platform where tables are read and written mostly by code through the api and only occasionally by people, a self hosted replacement for a per seat spreadsheet database where seat count is the cost driver, building a custom dashboard widget that sits beside the data instead of in a separate reporting tool. Of those, embedding an editable table view inside a product you are building, rather than sending users to another tool and an internal platform where tables are read and written mostly by code through the api and only occasionally by people are not what Kong Gateway is typically brought in for.
What can APITable do that Kong Gateway cannot?
APITable covers API first design, Widget SDK, Embeddable views, Multiple view types. Kong Gateway covers API request routing, Plugin ecosystem, Developer portals, AI Gateway.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

APITable: What is the record limit?

The self hosted edition has no product cap, but performance is bounded by the internal schema rather than by your database. Test at your expected size.

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
APITable: Can I embed it in my own product?

Yes, and that is the main reason to choose it. Views embed and the widget SDK extends them.

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
APITable: Is the hosted version representative?

No. Its free tier caps records per space, which is a commercial limit rather than a technical one.

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
APITable: How hard is self hosting?

Harder than a single container. Plan for several services and someone to keep them running.

APITable: Does it do automations?

Lightly. Expect to pair it with an external automation tool for anything multi step.

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