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API Management · head to head

Kong vs Strapi

Kong logo

Kong

API Management

Cloud-native API gateway and service connectivity platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Strapi logo

Strapi

API Management

Headless CMS with REST and GraphQL APIs

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; Strapi cloud pricing is per project, not per account, so a second project doubles the bill
  • They diverge on capability: Kong covers API Gateway, Strapi covers REST API.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kong and Strapi actually diverge.

Attributes where Kong and Strapi differ
AttributeKongStrapi
PlatformsLinux, Docker, KubernetesNode.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker
Founded20102015

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (open-source), 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
  • Linux support
  • Kubernetes support

Only in Strapi

  • REST API
  • GraphQL API
  • Content management
  • MySQL
  • MongoDB
  • AWS
  • Webhooks
  • Node.js support

Both cover

  • PostgreSQL
  • Docker 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 Strapi
  • Publishing and governing APIs through a developer portalnot Strapi

Strapi

  • Running a self hosted headless CMS with a REST or GraphQL APInot Kong
  • Giving editors a content admin panel over a custom content modelnot 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

Strapi

  • Cloud pricing is per project, not per account, so a second project doubles the bill
  • Starter at $35 a month allows 100,000 API requests, and overage is $1.50 per 25,000
  • Extra bandwidth is $30 per 100 GB and extra asset storage $0.60 per GB
  • Backups start at the Pro plan, weekly, and only become daily at Business
  • An uptime SLA is Business only, at $450 a month per project
  • Additional environments cost $60 a month on Pro and $300 a month on Business

Pricing, plan by plan

Kong

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

Strapi

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Self-hosted Strapi
    • Community support
  • Pro$99/monthly
    • Cloud hosting
    • Advanced features
    • Priority support
  • Business$undefined/monthly
    • Enterprise features
    • Custom SLA
    • Dedicated 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 Strapi if

  • You need rest api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Node.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker.
  • You also want graphql api.
Strapi review

Questions people ask

Is Kong or Strapi better?
Neither clearly leads. Kong starts at Free and Strapi at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kong or Strapi?
Kong starts at Free and Strapi at Free.
Does Kong or Strapi run on more platforms?
Kong runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes. Strapi runs on Node.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker.
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 Strapi is typically brought in for.
What can Kong do that Strapi cannot?
Kong covers API Gateway, Authentication & Authorization, Rate Limiting, Kubernetes. Strapi covers REST API, GraphQL API, Content management, MySQL. Both handle PostgreSQL, Docker support.
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