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APIs · head to head

Kong vs Splunk Enterprise Security

Kong logo

Kong

APIs

Cloud-native API gateway and service connectivity platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Splunk Enterprise Security logo

Splunk Enterprise Security

Cybersecurity

The platform for operational intelligence

From
On request
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; Splunk Enterprise Security splunk Enterprise Security is licensed separately from the Splunk platform, so a SIEM deployment needs both
  • They diverge on capability: Kong covers API Gateway, Splunk Enterprise Security covers Security monitoring.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kong and Splunk Enterprise Security actually diverge.

Attributes where Kong and Splunk Enterprise Security differ
AttributeKongSplunk Enterprise Security
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Docker, KubernetesWeb, Api
CategoryAPIsCybersecurity
Founded20102003

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Splunk Enterprise Security

  • Security monitoring
  • Incident review
  • Risk-based alerting
  • Threat intelligence
  • Investigation workbench
  • MITRE ATT&CK mapping
  • Automated response
  • Compliance reporting

What people use each for

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

Kong

  • API gateway management and routingnot Splunk Enterprise Security
  • API development and testingnot Splunk Enterprise Security
  • Enterprise API security and governancenot Splunk Enterprise Security

Splunk Enterprise Security

  • Running a security operations centre on Splunk indexed log datanot Kong
  • Correlation searches, risk based alerting and incident investigationnot Kong
  • Compliance reporting from pooled security telemetrynot 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

Splunk Enterprise Security

  • Splunk Enterprise Security is licensed separately from the Splunk platform, so a SIEM deployment needs both
  • Splunk publishes no rate for Enterprise Security and directs buyers to contact a pricing expert
  • UEBA, SOAR and automated threat analysis require the Premier edition rather than Essentials
  • The platform underneath can be billed by ingest volume, workload or activity, so the total cost depends on a pricing model chosen at contract time rather than a list price

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

Splunk Enterprise Security

On request
  • Workload PricingFree
    • Pay per compute
    • Flexible scaling
    • All features
  • Ingest PricingFree
    • Pay per GB ingested
    • Predictable costs
    • All features
  • Entity PricingFree
    • Pay per monitored entity
    • Security focused
    • All features

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 Splunk Enterprise Security if

  • You need security monitoring.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want incident review.
Splunk Enterprise Security review

Questions people ask

Is Kong or Splunk Enterprise Security better?
Neither clearly leads. Kong starts at Free and Splunk Enterprise Security at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kong or Splunk Enterprise Security?
Kong has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Kong and On request for Splunk Enterprise Security.
Does Kong or Splunk Enterprise Security run on more platforms?
Kong runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes. Splunk Enterprise Security runs on Web, Api.
Can I use Kong for free?
Yes. Kong has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Splunk Enterprise Security starts at On request.
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 Splunk Enterprise Security is typically brought in for.
What can Kong do that Splunk Enterprise Security cannot?
Kong covers API Gateway, Authentication & Authorization, Rate Limiting, Kubernetes. Splunk Enterprise Security covers Security monitoring, Incident review, Risk-based alerting, Threat intelligence.

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
Splunk Enterprise Security: How much does Splunk Enterprise Security cost?

Splunk Enterprise Security pricing is not published. The product is available in Essentials Edition with threat detection, investigation, and response capabilities, and Premier Edition with UEBA, SOAR, and Automated Threat Analysis. Customers must contact Splunk sales for pricing quotes on either edition.

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
Splunk Enterprise Security: What editions of Splunk Enterprise Security are available?

Splunk Enterprise Security offers Essentials Edition with threat detection, investigation, and response capabilities, and Premier Edition which adds UEBA (User and Entity Behavior Analytics), SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation and Response), and Automated Threat Analysis.

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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