Softwr

APIs · head to head

HTTPie vs Kong

HTTPie logo

HTTPie

APIs

Command-line HTTP client with intuitive interface and syntax

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kong logo

Kong

APIs

Cloud-native API gateway and service connectivity platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: HTTPie the desktop application is in public beta rather than a finished release; Kong the Plus plan includes 1M API requests a month and charges $200 a month for each additional million
  • They diverge on capability: HTTPie covers REST Client, Kong covers API Gateway.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HTTPie and Kong actually diverge.

Attributes where HTTPie and Kong differ
AttributeHTTPieKong
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
PlatformsLinux, MacOS, Windows, WebLinux, Docker, Kubernetes
Founded20122010

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 HTTPie

  • REST Client
  • JSON support
  • Colored output
  • CI/CD
  • Shell scripting
  • Automation
  • MacOS support
  • Windows support

Only in Kong

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

Both cover

  • Linux support

What people use each for

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

HTTPie

  • Sending and inspecting HTTP requests from the terminalnot Kong
  • A readable alternative to curl for API debuggingnot Kong
  • Testing APIs through a graphical clientnot Kong
  • Installing through apt, brew or pip in a development environmentnot Kong

Kong

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

Where each one falls short

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

HTTPie

  • The desktop application is in public beta rather than a finished release
  • Pricing for the desktop and web products is not published, while the terminal client is free and open source
  • The graphical versions are newer than the CLI, so parity between them is not guaranteed

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

HTTPie

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full HTTPie CLI
    • Community support
  • HTTPie for Web$10/monthly
    • Web interface
    • Cloud storage
    • Team collaboration

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 HTTPie if

  • You need rest client.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, MacOS, Windows, Web.
  • You also want json support.
HTTPie 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 HTTPie or Kong better?
Neither clearly leads. HTTPie starts at Free and Kong at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HTTPie or Kong?
HTTPie starts at Free and Kong at Free.
Does HTTPie or Kong run on more platforms?
HTTPie runs on Linux, MacOS, Windows, Web. Kong runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.
Can I use HTTPie for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is HTTPie best used for?
HTTPie is most often used for sending and inspecting http requests from the terminal, a readable alternative to curl for api debugging, testing apis through a graphical client, installing through apt, brew or pip in a development environment. Of those, sending and inspecting http requests from the terminal and a readable alternative to curl for api debugging are not what Kong is typically brought in for.
What can HTTPie do that Kong cannot?
HTTPie covers REST Client, JSON support, Colored output, CI/CD. Kong covers API Gateway, Authentication & Authorization, Rate Limiting, Kubernetes. Both handle Linux support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

HTTPie: Is HTTPie free?

HTTPie for Terminal is open source and free. The Desktop and Web versions are in public beta, and their pricing model is not disclosed.

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
HTTPie: Can I use HTTPie for commercial purposes?

HTTPie Terminal is open source, but check the specific license (likely MIT, Apache, or GPL) to confirm commercial use is permitted in your jurisdiction.

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
HTTPie: What is HTTPie Desktop and how much does it cost?

HTTPie Desktop is an API testing client in public beta. Pricing is not disclosed on the website.

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
HTTPie: Is there an HTTPie AI version?

Yes, HTTPie AI is mentioned as a product, but details about functionality and pricing are not provided on the main page.

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
Share

Related pages

More on HTTPie

More on Kong

Keep looking

Other head to heads