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APIs · head to head

Kong Gateway vs MuleSoft Anypoint

Kong Gateway logo

Kong Gateway

APIs

Open-source and cloud API gateway for managing microservices traffic

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
MuleSoft Anypoint logo

MuleSoft Anypoint

APIs

Integration platform enabling API-led connectivity and end-to-end integration across systems

From
$2000/monthly
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: Kong Gateway the free open-source gateway lacks the analytics, portals, and support of the paid Konnect tiers.; MuleSoft Anypoint listed on UK G-Cloud at £69,200 per unit per year for the MuleSoft Anypoint Platform (Public Sector), via reseller Open Answers Limited
  • They diverge on capability: Kong Gateway covers API request routing, MuleSoft Anypoint covers Integration Flows.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kong Gateway and MuleSoft Anypoint actually diverge.

Attributes where Kong Gateway and MuleSoft Anypoint differ
AttributeKong GatewayMuleSoft Anypoint
Starting priceFree$2000/monthly
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Platformsweb, linux, apiCloud, Hybrid, On-premise
Founded20172006

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 Kong Gateway

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

Only in MuleSoft Anypoint

  • Integration Flows
  • API Gateway
  • Data Transformation
  • 500+ pre-built connectors
  • Custom connectors
  • Webhooks
  • API management
  • Cloud support

What people use each for

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

Kong Gateway

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

MuleSoft Anypoint

  • API Developmentnot Kong Gateway
  • API Gatewaynot Kong Gateway
  • API Testingnot Kong Gateway
  • API Documentationnot Kong Gateway
  • Microservicesnot Kong Gateway

Where each one falls short

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

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.

MuleSoft Anypoint

  • Listed on UK G-Cloud at £69,200 per unit per year for the MuleSoft Anypoint Platform (Public Sector), via reseller Open Answers Limited

Pricing, plan by plan

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

MuleSoft Anypoint

$2000/monthly
  • Integration Developer$2000/monthly
    • API design
    • Integration flows
    • Connectors
  • Professional$5000/monthly
    • Advanced features
    • Priority support
    • SLA
  • Enterprise$undefined/monthly
    • Custom solutions
    • Dedicated support
    • Premium SLA

Which should you pick?

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

Choose MuleSoft Anypoint if

  • You need integration flows.
  • You work on Cloud, Hybrid, On-premise.
  • You also want api gateway.
MuleSoft Anypoint review

Questions people ask

Is Kong Gateway or MuleSoft Anypoint better?
Neither clearly leads. Kong Gateway starts at Free and MuleSoft Anypoint at $2000/monthly, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kong Gateway or MuleSoft Anypoint?
Kong Gateway has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Kong Gateway and $2000/monthly for MuleSoft Anypoint.
Does Kong Gateway or MuleSoft Anypoint run on more platforms?
Kong Gateway runs on web, linux, api. MuleSoft Anypoint runs on Cloud, Hybrid, On-premise.
Can I use Kong Gateway for free?
Yes. Kong Gateway has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. MuleSoft Anypoint starts at $2000/monthly.
What is Kong Gateway best used for?
Kong Gateway is most often used for routing and securing traffic across microservices, publishing internal or external developer portals, managing rate limits and authentication at the api edge, gateway-level routing to multiple llm providers. Of those, routing and securing traffic across microservices and publishing internal or external developer portals are not what MuleSoft Anypoint is typically brought in for.
What can Kong Gateway do that MuleSoft Anypoint cannot?
Kong Gateway covers API request routing, Plugin ecosystem, Developer portals, AI Gateway. MuleSoft Anypoint covers Integration Flows, API Gateway, Data Transformation, 500+ pre-built connectors.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
MuleSoft Anypoint: How much does MuleSoft Anypoint Platform cost?

MuleSoft does not publish pricing on its main website. The vendor offers a free 30-day trial of Anypoint Platform without requiring a credit card. Custom pricing is available through direct sales contact based on implementation scope and usage.

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
MuleSoft Anypoint: What is included in MuleSoft's free trial?

MuleSoft Anypoint Platform provides a free 30-day trial with no credit card required. The trial includes full access to the platform for building APIs, integrations, and automations. Customers can request a call to discuss migration from legacy systems.

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
MuleSoft Anypoint: What professional services are available with MuleSoft?

MuleSoft offers professional services including tailored consulting guidance based on customer learnings, partner support through 300+ solution providers, and training courses with certifications. Strategic recommendations and priority support are available for certain tiers.

Source
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