API Management · head to head
Kong vs AWS API Gateway
Kong
API Management
Cloud-native API gateway and service connectivity platform
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
AWS API Gateway
API Management
Fully managed API gateway service for creating and managing APIs at scale
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Kong the Plus plan includes 1M API requests a month and charges $200 a month for each additional million; AWS API Gateway rEST APIs cost $3.50 per million calls against $1.00 for HTTP APIs, so the older and more featureful type is three and a half times dearer
- They diverge on capability: Kong covers API Gateway, AWS API Gateway covers REST APIs.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Kong and AWS API Gateway actually diverge.
| Attribute | Kong | AWS API Gateway |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | open-source | usage-based |
| Platforms | Linux, Docker, Kubernetes | AWS Cloud |
| Category | API Management | Unknown |
| Founded | 2010 | 2006 |
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 Kong
- API Gateway
- Authentication & Authorization
- Rate Limiting
- Kubernetes
- Consul
- Eureka
- PostgreSQL
- Linux support
Only in AWS API Gateway
- REST APIs
- WebSocket APIs
- HTTP APIs
- Lambda
- EC2
- DynamoDB
- CloudWatch
- IAM
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Kong
- Running an API gateway in front of internal and public servicesnot AWS API Gateway
- Publishing and governing APIs through a developer portalnot AWS API Gateway
AWS API Gateway
- Fronting Lambda functions with an HTTP endpointnot Kong
- REST and HTTP API management with throttling and keysnot Kong
- WebSocket APIs for real-time clientsnot Kong
- Private APIs reachable only inside a VPCnot Kong
- Publishing a developer portal for API consumersnot Kong
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
AWS API Gateway
- REST APIs cost $3.50 per million calls against $1.00 for HTTP APIs, so the older and more featureful type is three and a half times dearer
- Data transfer out is charged at $0.09 per GB on top of request pricing
- WebSocket APIs bill connection minutes as well as messages, at $0.25 per million minutes
- Private APIs avoid data transfer charges but incur AWS PrivateLink costs instead
- The developer portal is $125 a month, with additional portal products at $12.50 each
- The free tier lasts 12 months rather than being ongoing
Pricing, plan by plan
Kong
Free- CommunityFree
- Core API gateway
- Community support
- Enterprise$undefined/monthly
- Advanced features
- Priority support
- SLA
AWS API Gateway
Free- Free TierFree
- 1M requests per month
- Basic API management
- Pay-as-you-go$3.5/per 1M requests
- Unlimited requests
- HTTP APIs
- REST APIs
Which should you pick?
Choose Kong if
- You need api gateway.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.
- You also want authentication & authorization.
Choose AWS API Gateway if
- You need rest apis.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on AWS Cloud.
- You also want websocket apis.
Questions people ask
- Is Kong or AWS API Gateway better?
- Neither clearly leads. Kong starts at Free and AWS API Gateway at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Kong or AWS API Gateway?
- Kong starts at Free and AWS API Gateway at Free.
- Does Kong or AWS API Gateway run on more platforms?
- Kong runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes. AWS API Gateway runs on AWS Cloud.
- Can I use Kong for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Kong best used for?
- Kong is most often used for running an api gateway in front of internal and public services, publishing and governing apis through a developer portal. Of those, running an api gateway in front of internal and public services and publishing and governing apis through a developer portal are not what AWS API Gateway is typically brought in for.
- What can Kong do that AWS API Gateway cannot?
- Kong covers API Gateway, Authentication & Authorization, Rate Limiting, Kubernetes. AWS API Gateway covers REST APIs, WebSocket APIs, HTTP APIs, Lambda.