Softwr

APIs · head to head

Kong vs Redash

Kong logo

Kong

APIs

Cloud-native API gateway and service connectivity platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Redash logo

Redash

Spreadsheets

Connect and visualize your data

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; Redash pricing model not disclosed on dedicated pricing page
  • They diverge on capability: Kong covers API Gateway, Redash covers SQL Query Editor.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kong and Redash actually diverge.

Attributes where Kong and Redash differ
AttributeKongRedash
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
PlatformsLinux, Docker, KubernetesWeb, Self-hosted, Cloud
CategoryAPIsSpreadsheets
Founded20102013

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
  • Linux support
  • Docker support

Only in Redash

  • SQL Query Editor
  • Multiple Data Sources
  • Visualizations
  • Dashboards
  • Alerts
  • MySQL
  • BigQuery
  • Redshift

Both cover

  • PostgreSQL

What people use each for

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

Kong

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

Redash

  • Data visualization and business intelligence for analyticsnot Kong
  • Query result sharing and collaborative dashboard creationnot 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

Redash

  • Pricing model not disclosed on dedicated pricing page
  • Open-source offering may require self-hosting technical expertise
  • Managed hosting or commercial support pricing not published

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

Redash

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full Features
    • Self-hosted
    • Community Support
  • Cloud$49/month
    • Managed Hosting
    • Automatic Updates
    • 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 Redash if

  • You need sql query editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted, Cloud.
  • You also want multiple data sources.
Redash review

Questions people ask

Is Kong or Redash better?
Neither clearly leads. Kong starts at Free and Redash at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kong or Redash?
Kong starts at Free and Redash at Free.
Does Kong or Redash run on more platforms?
Kong runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes. Redash runs on Web, Self-hosted, 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 Redash is typically brought in for.
What can Kong do that Redash cannot?
Kong covers API Gateway, Authentication & Authorization, Rate Limiting, Kubernetes. Redash covers SQL Query Editor, Multiple Data Sources, Visualizations, Dashboards. Both handle PostgreSQL.

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
Redash: What is Redash's pricing?

Redash is a popular open-source project with no pricing tiers listed on the pricing page. The project emphasizes no vendor lock-in and community contribution. Paid managed hosting or commercial support options may be available but are not published on this page.

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
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
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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