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Brightspot vs Kong

Brightspot logo

Brightspot

News

The headless CMS for digital publishers and media companies

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kong logo

Kong

APIs

Cloud-native API gateway and service connectivity platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Kong has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Brightspot pricing is not published and requires a demo; Kong the Plus plan includes 1M API requests a month and charges $200 a month for each additional million
  • They diverge on capability: Brightspot covers Headless CMS, Kong covers API Gateway.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Brightspot and Kong actually diverge.

Attributes where Brightspot and Kong differ
AttributeBrightspotKong
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Mobile, HeadlessLinux, Docker, Kubernetes
CategoryNewsAPIs
Founded20062010

Identical on both: 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 Brightspot

  • Headless CMS
  • API-first architecture
  • Content modeling
  • Publishing workflow
  • Asset management
  • Content versioning
  • User permissions
  • Scheduling

Only in Kong

  • API Gateway
  • Authentication & Authorization
  • Rate Limiting
  • Kubernetes
  • Consul
  • Eureka
  • PostgreSQL
  • Linux support

What people use each for

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

Brightspot

  • Headless or hybrid CMS for large editorial operationsnot Kong
  • Publishing across web, apps and syndication from one content storenot Kong
  • Content operations for newsrooms and broadcastersnot Kong
  • Managing large media libraries alongside articlesnot Kong

Kong

  • API gateway management and routingnot Brightspot
  • API development and testingnot Brightspot
  • Enterprise API security and governancenot Brightspot

Where each one falls short

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

Brightspot

  • Pricing is not published and requires a demo
  • Aimed at enterprise media and publishing organisations rather than smaller sites

Kong

  • The Plus plan includes 1M API requests a month and charges $200 a month for each additional million
  • Plus is capped at 10M requests a month, so growth past that forces an Enterprise contract
  • Plus limits published APIs to 20 and includes one Developer Portal, with a second at $200 a month
  • SSO and audit logging are Enterprise only
  • Enterprise pricing is custom and billed annually

Pricing, plan by plan

Brightspot

On request
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Headless CMS
    • Multi-site management
    • Omnichannel publishing

Kong

Free
  • Kong Konnect Free TrialFree
    • 30-day free trial
    • Full enterprise functionality
    • Unlimited gateways
  • Kong Konnect Plus$null/month
    • Per gateway pricing billed monthly
    • Up to 5 Serverless Gateways, 2 Hybrid, 2 Dedicated Cloud Gateways
    • 1M API requests included per month
  • Kong Insomnia EssentialsFree
    • Unlimited projects and CLI access
    • Up to 3 Git Sync users
    • 1,000 mock server requests per month
  • Kong Insomnia Pro$12/month
    • Unlimited users with Git Sync access
    • Unlimited organizations
    • RBAC

Which should you pick?

Choose Brightspot if

  • You need headless cms.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Headless.
  • You also want api-first architecture.
Brightspot review

Choose Kong if

  • You need api gateway.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want authentication & authorization.
Kong review

Questions people ask

Is Brightspot or Kong better?
Neither clearly leads. Brightspot starts at On request and Kong at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Brightspot or Kong?
Kong has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Brightspot and Free for Kong.
Does Brightspot or Kong run on more platforms?
Brightspot runs on Web, Mobile, Headless. Kong runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.
Can I use Kong for free?
Yes. Kong has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Brightspot starts at On request.
What is Brightspot best used for?
Brightspot is most often used for headless or hybrid cms for large editorial operations, publishing across web, apps and syndication from one content store, content operations for newsrooms and broadcasters, managing large media libraries alongside articles. Of those, headless or hybrid cms for large editorial operations and publishing across web, apps and syndication from one content store are not what Kong is typically brought in for.
What can Brightspot do that Kong cannot?
Brightspot covers Headless CMS, API-first architecture, Content modeling, Publishing workflow. Kong covers API Gateway, Authentication & Authorization, Rate Limiting, Kubernetes.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Brightspot: How does Brightspot structure its pricing?

Brightspot uses a flexible, modular pricing approach with the philosophy 'Pay for value as you grow' and 'No bundles, no waste'. The site offers modular add-ons for capabilities like experimentation, security, cloud options, and developer support.

Source
Kong: Does Kong offer a free trial?

Yes, Kong Konnect offers a 30-day free trial with full enterprise functionality, unlimited gateways, and no credit card required.

Source
Brightspot: Are specific pricing amounts published online?

No. Brightspot does not publish specific pricing tiers or dollar amounts. The company invites users to 'Talk to an expert' or 'Request a demo' to discuss pricing, indicating that costs are customized per organization.

Source
Kong: How much does Kong Insomnia Pro cost?

Kong Insomnia Pro is $12 per user per month with 15% savings available for annual billing.

Source
Kong: What are Kong Konnect Plus API request limits?

Kong Konnect Plus includes 1M API requests per month; additional requests cost $200 per 1M (maximum 10M per month).

Source
Kong: What is included in Kong Insomnia Enterprise?

Kong Insomnia Enterprise is $45 per user per month with SSO, SCIM, vault integrations, unlimited mock server requests, and Konnect integration.

Source
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