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APIs · head to head

Kong vs Read the Docs

Kong logo

Kong

APIs

Cloud-native API gateway and service connectivity platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Read the Docs logo

Read the Docs

Documentation

Documentation hosting with versioning built for open source

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; Read the Docs build configuration is finicky, and build failures on dependency changes are a common frustration
  • They diverge on capability: Kong covers API Gateway, Read the Docs covers Build on commit.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kong and Read the Docs actually diverge.

Attributes where Kong and Read the Docs differ
AttributeKongRead the Docs
Pricing modelsubscriptionFree for open source; paid business plans for private documentation
PlatformsLinux, Docker, KubernetesWeb, Cloud
CategoryAPIsDocumentation
Founded2010Unknown

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 Read the Docs

  • Build on commit
  • Version by branch and tag
  • Pull request previews
  • Free for open source

What people use each for

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

Kong

  • API gateway management and routingnot Read the Docs
  • API development and testingnot Read the Docs
  • Enterprise API security and governancenot Read the Docs

Read the Docs

  • Open-source projects needing free hosted versioned documentationnot Kong
  • Teams wanting docs rebuilt automatically on every commitnot Kong
  • Reviewing documentation changes in a pull request before mergenot 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

Read the Docs

  • Build configuration is finicky, and build failures on dependency changes are a common frustration
  • Default themes are recognisable and dated, so sites look alike unless customised
  • Private documentation requires a paid business plan
  • Build times on large projects are slow enough to interrupt a review cycle

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

Read the Docs

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Core functionality
    • Public projects

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 Read the Docs if

  • You need build on commit.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want version by branch and tag.
Read the Docs review

Questions people ask

Is Kong or Read the Docs better?
Neither clearly leads. Kong starts at Free and Read the Docs at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kong or Read the Docs?
Kong starts at Free and Read the Docs at Free.
Does Kong or Read the Docs run on more platforms?
Kong runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes. Read the Docs runs on Web, 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 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 Read the Docs is typically brought in for.
What can Kong do that Read the Docs cannot?
Kong covers API Gateway, Authentication & Authorization, Rate Limiting, Kubernetes. Read the Docs covers Build on commit, Version by branch and tag, Pull request previews, Free for open source.

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
Read the Docs: Is Read the Docs free?

Free for open-source public projects. Private documentation requires a paid business plan.

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
Read the Docs: What does it build from?

Most commonly Sphinx or MkDocs sources kept in your repository.

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
Read the Docs: How does versioning work?

It maps branches and tags to documentation versions, so several releases are served side by side without manual work.

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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