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Mobile Development · head to head

Fastlane vs Kong Gateway

Fastlane logo

Fastlane

Mobile Development

Open-source automation for building, testing, and releasing iOS and Android apps.

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: Fastlane requires command-line and Ruby familiarity to configure and maintain Fastfiles.; Kong Gateway the free open-source gateway lacks the analytics, portals, and support of the paid Konnect tiers.
  • They diverge on capability: Fastlane covers Screenshot automation, 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 Fastlane and Kong Gateway actually diverge.

Attributes where Fastlane and Kong Gateway differ
AttributeFastlaneKong Gateway
Pricing modelopen-sourcefreemium
Platformsios, androidweb, linux, api
CategoryMobile DevelopmentAPIs
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 Fastlane

  • Screenshot automation
  • Beta distribution
  • App store publishing
  • Code signing management
  • CI/CD integration

Only in Kong Gateway

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

Both cover

  • Plugin ecosystem

What people use each for

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

Fastlane

  • Automating iOS and Android release pipelinesnot Kong Gateway
  • Generating localized app store screenshotsnot Kong Gateway
  • Distributing beta builds to testersnot Kong Gateway
  • Managing code signing across a teamnot Kong Gateway
  • Integrating mobile releases into CI/CDnot Kong Gateway

Kong Gateway

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

Where each one falls short

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

Fastlane

  • Requires command-line and Ruby familiarity to configure and maintain Fastfiles.
  • No hosted UI or dashboard; it is a local/CI toolkit rather than a managed service.
  • Community-maintained plugins vary in quality and maintenance status.
  • No built-in analytics or crash reporting; it must be paired with other tools for those needs.

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

Fastlane

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Fastlane 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 Fastlane if

  • You need screenshot automation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on ios, android.
  • You also want beta distribution.
Fastlane 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 developer portals.
Kong Gateway review

Questions people ask

Is Fastlane or Kong Gateway better?
Neither clearly leads. Fastlane 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, Fastlane or Kong Gateway?
Fastlane starts at Free and Kong Gateway at Free.
Does Fastlane or Kong Gateway run on more platforms?
Fastlane runs on ios, android. Kong Gateway runs on web, linux, api.
Can I use Fastlane for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Fastlane best used for?
Fastlane is most often used for automating ios and android release pipelines, generating localized app store screenshots, distributing beta builds to testers, managing code signing across a team. Of those, automating ios and android release pipelines and generating localized app store screenshots are not what Kong Gateway is typically brought in for.
What can Fastlane do that Kong Gateway cannot?
Fastlane covers Screenshot automation, Beta distribution, App store publishing, Code signing management. Kong Gateway covers API request routing, Developer portals, AI Gateway, Analytics and observability. Both handle Plugin ecosystem.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Fastlane: Is fastlane a free tool, and what is the licensing model?

Fastlane is open source and free to use. It is an open source platform aimed at simplifying Android and iOS deployment with contributions from over 700 community members.

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
Fastlane: Does fastlane charge for support or commercial use?

The fastlane website does not mention pricing for support, training, or commercial services. Users are directed to documentation for getting started rather than a purchasing process.

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
Fastlane: Can fastlane be used in commercial projects?

Yes, fastlane is an open source project. Commercial use is not addressed as a limitation on the website.

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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