Softwr

APIs · head to head

Kong vs Paw

Kong logo

Kong

APIs

Cloud-native API gateway and service connectivity platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Paw logo

Paw

APIs

Full-featured REST client for macOS with powerful scripting and testing

From
$99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Kong has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Kong the Plus plan includes 1M API requests a month and charges $200 a month for each additional million; Paw no specific pricing amounts published for subscription tiers
  • They diverge on capability: Kong covers API Gateway, Paw covers REST Client.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kong and Paw actually diverge.

Attributes where Kong and Paw differ
AttributeKongPaw
Starting priceFree$99/one-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Docker, KubernetesMacOS
Founded20102013

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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

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

Only in Paw

  • REST Client
  • Scripting
  • Dynamic Values
  • Slack
  • GitHub
  • Custom extensions
  • MacOS support

What people use each for

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

Kong

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

Paw

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

Paw

  • No specific pricing amounts published for subscription tiers
  • Individual and volume licensing requires direct contact
  • Limited details on team subscription pricing

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

Paw

$99/one-time
  • Standard$99/one-time
    • Full REST client
    • Advanced scripting
    • Extensions
  • Annual License$49/yearly
    • All features
    • Updates
    • Priority 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 Paw if

  • You need rest client.
  • You work on MacOS.
  • You also want scripting.
Paw review

Questions people ask

Is Kong or Paw better?
Neither clearly leads. Kong starts at Free and Paw at $99/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kong or Paw?
Kong has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Kong and $99/one-time for Paw.
Does Kong or Paw run on more platforms?
Kong runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes. Paw runs on MacOS.
Can I use Kong for free?
Yes. Kong has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Paw starts at $99/one-time.
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 Paw is typically brought in for.
What can Kong do that Paw cannot?
Kong covers API Gateway, Authentication & Authorization, Rate Limiting, Kubernetes. Paw covers REST Client, Scripting, Dynamic Values, Slack.

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
Paw: How much does RapidAPI for Mac (Paw) cost?

Paw offers a free tier for personal and professional use. Paid subscription plans are available on monthly and yearly billing, but specific pricing amounts are not disclosed and require direct contact with RapidAPI.

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
Paw: Is there a free version of Paw?

Yes, RapidAPI for Mac (Paw) is free for both personal and professional use.

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
Paw: What features are included in the free version of Paw?

The free tier includes HTTP client capabilities for API testing, API documentation, personal sync across devices, and support for Swagger, RAML, and API Blueprint formats.

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
Paw: What additional features do Paw team subscriptions include?

Team subscription plans include all personal features plus collaborative tools, team project access, synchronized workflows with safe data merges, and real-time notifications and updates.

Source
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