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APIs · head to head

Backbase vs Kong Gateway

Backbase logo

Backbase

APIs

Digital and AI-native engagement banking platform for customer-facing banking experiences

From
On request
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

  • Only Kong Gateway has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Backbase pricing scales with assets under management and AI API calls, meaning cost grows as the bank itself grows and adopts more AI features, which is a less predictable cost curve than a flat per-seat model.; Kong Gateway the free open-source gateway lacks the analytics, portals, and support of the paid Konnect tiers.
  • They diverge on capability: Backbase covers Digital banking front end, Kong Gateway covers API request routing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Backbase and Kong Gateway differ
AttributeBackbaseKong Gateway
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Androidweb, linux, api
FoundedUnknown2017

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (APIs).

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 Backbase

  • Digital banking front end
  • Digital onboarding
  • Customer engagement workflows
  • AI-native banking OS positioning
  • Core-agnostic integration
  • Small business banking modules

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.

Backbase

  • An established bank wanting to modernise its digital customer experience without replacing its core banking systemnot Kong Gateway
  • A credit union wanting purpose-built digital onboarding and servicing workflowsnot Kong Gateway
  • A newer bank wanting an engagement layer built for AI-driven interaction from the outsetnot Kong Gateway
  • A bank consolidating several separate digital banking front ends into one platform across retail and business bankingnot Kong Gateway

Kong Gateway

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

Where each one falls short

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

Backbase

  • Pricing scales with assets under management and AI API calls, meaning cost grows as the bank itself grows and adopts more AI features, which is a less predictable cost curve than a flat per-seat model.
  • It sits above, not instead of, a core banking system, so adopting it does not reduce a bank's overall vendor count or technology complexity; it adds a specialised layer.
  • As with any customer-facing banking platform, an outage or performance issue directly affects the bank's customers, so the operational stakes of vendor reliability are high.
  • Implementation for a large bank spans multiple modules and integration points, and realistic timelines run well beyond a simple software rollout.
  • Pricing opacity means a bank cannot benchmark Backbase against competing engagement banking platforms without engaging each vendor's own sales process separately.

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

Backbase

On request
  • Backbase$undefined/year
    • Pricing scales with users, modules, assets under management and AI API calls
    • Custom quote required, not published

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 Backbase if

  • You need digital banking front end.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want digital onboarding.
Backbase 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 Backbase or Kong Gateway better?
Neither clearly leads. Backbase starts at On request and Kong Gateway at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Backbase or Kong Gateway?
Kong Gateway has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Backbase and Free for Kong Gateway.
Does Backbase or Kong Gateway run on more platforms?
Backbase runs on Web, iOS, Android. Kong Gateway runs on web, linux, api.
Can I use Kong Gateway for free?
Yes. Kong Gateway has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Backbase starts at On request.
What is Backbase best used for?
Backbase is most often used for an established bank wanting to modernise its digital customer experience without replacing its core banking system, a credit union wanting purpose-built digital onboarding and servicing workflows, a newer bank wanting an engagement layer built for ai-driven interaction from the outset, a bank consolidating several separate digital banking front ends into one platform across retail and business banking. Of those, an established bank wanting to modernise its digital customer experience without replacing its core banking system and a credit union wanting purpose-built digital onboarding and servicing workflows are not what Kong Gateway is typically brought in for.
What can Backbase do that Kong Gateway cannot?
Backbase covers Digital banking front end, Digital onboarding, Customer engagement workflows, AI-native banking OS positioning. Kong Gateway covers API request routing, Plugin ecosystem, Developer portals, AI Gateway.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Backbase: Does Backbase replace our core banking system?

No, it is a customer engagement layer that sits above and integrates with an existing core banking system.

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
Backbase: How does pricing work?

It scales with factors including number of users, modules implemented, assets under management and AI API calls; exact numbers require a quote.

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
Backbase: Is it suited to business as well as retail banking?

Yes, it includes modules specifically for small business banking engagement alongside retail.

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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