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Technology · head to head

Eclipse vs Kong Gateway

Eclipse logo

Eclipse

Technology

The Eclipse Foundation - home to a global community

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: Eclipse high memory consumption and CPU usage, especially with multiple plugins installed; Kong Gateway the free open-source gateway lacks the analytics, portals, and support of the paid Konnect tiers.
  • They diverge on capability: Eclipse covers Java development environment, Kong Gateway covers API request routing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Eclipse and Kong Gateway differ
AttributeEclipseKong Gateway
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linuxweb, linux, api
CategoryTechnologyAPIs
Founded20012017

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 Eclipse

  • Java development environment
  • Extensible plugin architecture
  • Integrated debugger
  • Code refactoring
  • Version control integration
  • Build automation
  • Multi-language support
  • Rich client platform

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.

Eclipse

  • Java application developmentnot Kong Gateway
  • Enterprise software developmentnot Kong Gateway
  • Web application developmentnot Kong Gateway
  • Plugin developmentnot Kong Gateway
  • Educational programmingnot Kong Gateway

Kong Gateway

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

Where each one falls short

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

Eclipse

  • High memory consumption and CPU usage, especially with multiple plugins installed
  • Slow startup times and performance degradation with large projects or many open editors
  • Requires configuration of eclipse.ini file to optimize heap sizes for adequate performance
  • User interface considered outdated compared to modern IDE alternatives
  • User base fell from 39% of Java developers in 2024 to 28% in 2025, indicating market decline

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

Eclipse

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Eclipse review.

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 Eclipse if

  • You need java development environment.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want extensible plugin architecture.
Eclipse 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 Eclipse or Kong Gateway better?
Neither clearly leads. Eclipse 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, Eclipse or Kong Gateway?
Eclipse starts at Free and Kong Gateway at Free.
Does Eclipse or Kong Gateway run on more platforms?
Eclipse runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Kong Gateway runs on web, linux, api.
Can I use Eclipse for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Eclipse best used for?
Eclipse is most often used for java application development, enterprise software development, web application development, plugin development. Of those, java application development and enterprise software development are not what Kong Gateway is typically brought in for.
What can Eclipse do that Kong Gateway cannot?
Eclipse covers Java development environment, Extensible plugin architecture, Integrated debugger, Code refactoring. Kong Gateway covers API request routing, Plugin ecosystem, Developer portals, AI Gateway.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Eclipse: How much does Eclipse IDE cost?

Eclipse IDE is completely free and open-source, released under the Eclipse Public License 2.0.

Source
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
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
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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