Softwr

APIs · head to head

Kong vs Nintex

Kong logo

Kong

APIs

Cloud-native API gateway and service connectivity platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Nintex logo

Nintex

Automation Integration

The work automation platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; Nintex no published pricing on website; requires direct sales contact
  • They diverge on capability: Kong covers API Gateway, Nintex covers Workflow builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kong and Nintex actually diverge.

Attributes where Kong and Nintex differ
AttributeKongNintex
PlatformsLinux, Docker, KubernetesWeb, Mobile
CategoryAPIsAutomation Integration
Founded20102006

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), 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 Nintex

  • Workflow builder
  • Process mining
  • Task automation
  • Case management
  • Mobile access
  • Analytics
  • Monitoring
  • 300+ apps

What people use each for

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

Kong

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

Nintex

  • Business process automation and workflow managementnot Kong
  • Document generation and digital signature collectionnot Kong
  • Salesforce and enterprise integrationnot 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

Nintex

  • No published pricing on website; requires direct sales contact
  • Free trials available but no trial duration specified
  • Multiple product lines (Cloud, K2, Salesforce) complicate pricing assessment

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Nintex

Free
  • StarterFree
    • Limited workflows
    • Community support
  • Professional$500/month
    • Advanced workflows
    • Email support
  • Enterprise$2000/month
    • Unlimited workflows
    • Dedicated support

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.
Kong review

Choose Nintex if

  • You need workflow builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want process mining.
Nintex review

Questions people ask

Is Kong or Nintex better?
Neither clearly leads. Kong starts at Free and Nintex at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kong or Nintex?
Kong starts at Free and Nintex at Free.
Does Kong or Nintex run on more platforms?
Kong runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes. Nintex runs on Web, Mobile.
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 api gateway management and routing, api development and testing, enterprise api security and governance. Of those, api gateway management and routing and api development and testing are not what Nintex is typically brought in for.
What can Kong do that Nintex cannot?
Kong covers API Gateway, Authentication & Authorization, Rate Limiting, Kubernetes. Nintex covers Workflow builder, Process mining, Task automation, Case management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Nintex: Is Nintex free?

Nintex offers 30-day free trials for Workflow and Apps, plus free trials for Process Manager, eSign, and DocGen. No permanent free tier is advertised on their website.

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
Nintex: What is Nintex pricing?

Nintex does not publish pricing on their public website. Pricing varies by product (Cloud Automation, K2, Salesforce) and deployment model. Contact their sales team via nintex.com or request a demo to obtain pricing quotes.

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
Nintex: How long are Nintex free trials?

Nintex offers 30-day free trials for Workflow and Apps products. Process Manager, eSign, and DocGen trials are available, though exact durations are not specified on the trial 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
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