Softwr

API Management · head to head

Kong vs Stoplight

Kong logo

Kong

API Management

Cloud-native API gateway and service connectivity platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Stoplight logo

Stoplight

API Management

API design, documentation, and governance platform

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; Stoplight the free plan allows one project and one user
  • They diverge on capability: Kong covers API Gateway, Stoplight covers API Design.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kong and Stoplight actually diverge.

Attributes where Kong and Stoplight differ
AttributeKongStoplight
Pricing modelopen-sourcefreemium
PlatformsLinux, Docker, KubernetesWeb, Cloud
Founded20102014

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (API Management).

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 Stoplight

  • API Design
  • API Documentation
  • Governance
  • GitHub
  • GitLab
  • Jenkins
  • Azure DevOps
  • Web 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 Stoplight
  • Publishing and governing APIs through a developer portalnot Stoplight

Stoplight

  • Designing and documenting OpenAPI specifications visuallynot Kong
  • Serving interactive API docs and instant mock servers from a specnot 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

Stoplight

  • The free plan allows one project and one user
  • Private projects, multi branch support and custom domains start at the Startup plan, $113 a month billed annually
  • SSO and shared style guides are Pro Team only, at $362 a month billed annually
  • Seats beyond each plan's allowance are $11 to $27 each per month depending on tier and billing period

Pricing, plan by plan

Kong

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

Stoplight

Free
  • FreeFree
    • API design
    • Documentation
    • Community support
  • Pro$75/monthly
    • Governance
    • Advanced testing
    • Team collaboration
  • Enterprise$undefined/monthly
    • Custom deployment
    • SLA
    • 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 Stoplight if

  • You need api design.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want api documentation.
Stoplight review

Questions people ask

Is Kong or Stoplight better?
Neither clearly leads. Kong starts at Free and Stoplight at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kong or Stoplight?
Kong starts at Free and Stoplight at Free.
Does Kong or Stoplight run on more platforms?
Kong runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes. Stoplight 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 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 Stoplight is typically brought in for.
What can Kong do that Stoplight cannot?
Kong covers API Gateway, Authentication & Authorization, Rate Limiting, Kubernetes. Stoplight covers API Design, API Documentation, Governance, GitHub.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Kong

More on Stoplight

Keep looking

Other head to heads