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APIs · head to head

Kong vs Serverless Framework

Kong logo

Kong

APIs

Cloud-native API gateway and service connectivity platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Serverless Framework logo

Serverless Framework

Cloud

Build and deploy serverless applications on AWS Lambda

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; Serverless Framework exclusive to AWS Lambda - no support for other cloud providers
  • They diverge on capability: Kong covers API Gateway, Serverless Framework covers YAML configuration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kong and Serverless Framework actually diverge.

Attributes where Kong and Serverless Framework differ
AttributeKongServerless Framework
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsLinux, Docker, KubernetesAWS Lambda, AWS API Gateway, AWS CloudFormation
CategoryAPIsCloud
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 Serverless Framework

  • YAML configuration
  • Single command deployment
  • Extensible plugin ecosystem
  • Multi-language support
  • Unified dashboard
  • Built-in metrics and alerts

What people use each for

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

Kong

  • API gateway management and routingnot Serverless Framework
  • API development and testingnot Serverless Framework
  • Enterprise API security and governancenot Serverless Framework

Serverless Framework

  • Deploying APIs and microservices to AWS Lambdanot Kong
  • Building event-driven applications with serverless functionsnot Kong
  • Managing multi-language serverless projectsnot 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

Serverless Framework

  • Exclusive to AWS Lambda - no support for other cloud providers
  • Paid tier requires credit system that can be confusing for budgeting
  • Plugin ecosystem quality varies significantly

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

Serverless Framework

Free
  • FreeFree
    • For organizations with under $2M annual revenue
    • All Framework features included
  • Pay-As-You-Go$4/credit
    • 1 credit = 1 Service Instance or 50K Traces or 4M Metrics
    • Standard rate for larger organizations
  • Reserved Credits$1/credit
    • Discounts up to 74% off (1-year), 77% off (2-year), 80% off (3-year)
    • Additional 10% off for upfront payment

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 Serverless Framework if

  • You need yaml configuration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on AWS Lambda, AWS API Gateway, AWS CloudFormation.
  • You also want single command deployment.
Serverless Framework review

Questions people ask

Is Kong or Serverless Framework better?
Neither clearly leads. Kong starts at Free and Serverless Framework at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kong or Serverless Framework?
Kong starts at Free and Serverless Framework at Free.
Does Kong or Serverless Framework run on more platforms?
Kong runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes. Serverless Framework runs on AWS Lambda, AWS API Gateway, AWS CloudFormation.
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 Serverless Framework is typically brought in for.
What can Kong do that Serverless Framework cannot?
Kong covers API Gateway, Authentication & Authorization, Rate Limiting, Kubernetes. Serverless Framework covers YAML configuration, Single command deployment, Extensible plugin ecosystem, Multi-language support.

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
Serverless Framework: When do I have to pay for Serverless Framework?

The Serverless Framework CLI v4+ is free for organizations earning under $2 million annually. Organizations earning more must purchase credits at $4 per credit standard rate or reserved credits starting at $1 per credit with volume discounts.

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
Serverless Framework: What cloud providers does Serverless Framework support?

Serverless Framework is exclusive to AWS Lambda. It does not support other cloud providers like Azure or Google Cloud.

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
Serverless Framework: What does one credit cover?

One credit equals 1 Service Instance, 50,000 Traces, or 4 Million Metrics.

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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