Softwr

Software · head to head

Kong vs Paw

Kong logo

Kong

Software

Cloud-native API gateway and service connectivity platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Paw logo

Paw

Software

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 now distributed as RapidAPI for Mac; the vendor's own page states it is "exclusively built for macOS" and requires macOS 10.15+, with no Windows or Linux client
  • They diverge on capability: Kong covers API Gateway, Paw covers REST Client.

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
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Docker, KubernetesMacOS
Founded20102013

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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

  • Running an API gateway in front of internal and public servicesnot Paw
  • Publishing and governing APIs through a developer portalnot 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

  • Now distributed as RapidAPI for Mac; the vendor's own page states it is "exclusively built for macOS" and requires macOS 10.15+, with no Windows or Linux client

Pricing, plan by plan

Kong

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Core API gateway
    • Community support
  • Enterprise$undefined/monthly
    • Advanced features
    • Priority support
    • SLA

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 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 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.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Kong

More on Paw

Keep looking

Other head to heads