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APIs · head to head

Kong Gateway vs Tuum

Kong Gateway logo

Kong Gateway

APIs

Open-source and cloud API gateway for managing microservices traffic

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tuum logo

Tuum

APIs

Modular core banking platform from Estonia, formerly branded Modularbank

From
On request
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.; Tuum it is a smaller, younger company than Mambu, so it has fewer live reference deployments and a shorter track record to evaluate risk against.
  • They diverge on capability: Kong Gateway covers API request routing, Tuum covers Modular product structure.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Kong Gateway and Tuum differ
AttributeKong GatewayTuum
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo
Platformsweb, linux, apiWeb, API
Founded2017Unknown

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 Tuum

  • Modular product structure
  • Low-code integration middleware
  • Cloud-agnostic deployment
  • Multi-currency real-time accounts
  • Cards and lending modules
  • Faster migration timeline

What people use each for

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

Kong Gateway

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

Tuum

  • A bank wanting to migrate specific banking products to the cloud within months rather than replacing its entire core at oncenot Kong Gateway
  • A fintech in the DACH region or Middle East wanting a European core banking vendor with regional expansion focusnot Kong Gateway
  • An institution wanting low-code middleware to connect new modules to an existing legacy core rather than a full rebuildnot Kong Gateway
  • A company researching "Modularbank" that needs to confirm it is the same company now branded Tuumnot 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.

Tuum

  • It is a smaller, younger company than Mambu, so it has fewer live reference deployments and a shorter track record to evaluate risk against.
  • The 2022-era rebrand from Modularbank to Tuum means older funding records, case studies and press coverage appear under a different name, complicating due diligence for anyone unaware of the change.
  • Pricing is entirely unpublished, requiring a sales conversation to budget against competing composable core vendors.
  • Its geographic expansion into DACH and the Middle East is comparatively recent, so support depth and local regulatory expertise in those markets are less proven than in its home Baltic and Nordic base.
  • As with any core banking platform, choosing Tuum is a multi-year infrastructure commitment; switching cores after implementation is a major undertaking regardless of how modular the initial adoption was.

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

Tuum

On request
  • Tuum$undefined/year
    • Subscription and module-based pricing, not published
    • Custom quote required via sales

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 Tuum if

  • You need modular product structure.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want low-code integration middleware.
Tuum review

Questions people ask

Is Kong Gateway or Tuum better?
Neither clearly leads. Kong Gateway starts at Free and Tuum at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kong Gateway or Tuum?
Kong Gateway has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Kong Gateway and On request for Tuum.
Does Kong Gateway or Tuum run on more platforms?
Kong Gateway runs on web, linux, api. Tuum runs on Web, API.
Can I use Kong Gateway for free?
Yes. Kong Gateway has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Tuum starts at On request.
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 Tuum is typically brought in for.
What can Kong Gateway do that Tuum cannot?
Kong Gateway covers API request routing, Plugin ecosystem, Developer portals, AI Gateway. Tuum covers Modular product structure, Low-code integration middleware, Cloud-agnostic deployment, Multi-currency real-time accounts.

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
Tuum: Is Tuum the same company as Modularbank?

Yes, Modularbank rebranded to Tuum; it is the same company and platform.

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
Tuum: Where is it strongest geographically?

Its base is Estonia and the Nordic and Baltic region, with newer expansion into DACH and the Middle East.

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
Tuum: Is pricing published?

No, subscription and module pricing require a sales conversation.

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