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API Management · head to head

Kong vs Swagger/OpenAPI

Kong logo

Kong

API Management

Cloud-native API gateway and service connectivity platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

Swagger/OpenAPI

API Management

API specification and documentation framework using OpenAPI standard

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; Swagger/OpenAPI the OpenAPI Specification itself is licensed under Apache License 2.0 and free to use; SwaggerHub is a separate paid tool built on top of it
  • They diverge on capability: Kong covers API Gateway, Swagger/OpenAPI covers OpenAPI Specification.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kong and Swagger/OpenAPI actually diverge.

Attributes where Kong and Swagger/OpenAPI differ
AttributeKongSwagger/OpenAPI
Pricing modelopen-sourcefreemium
PlatformsLinux, Docker, KubernetesWeb, CLI, Desktop
Founded20102001

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 Swagger/OpenAPI

  • OpenAPI Specification
  • Interactive Documentation
  • Code Generation
  • GitHub
  • GitLab
  • Jenkins
  • IDE plugins
  • 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 Swagger/OpenAPI
  • Publishing and governing APIs through a developer portalnot Swagger/OpenAPI

Swagger/OpenAPI

  • API Developmentnot Kong
  • API Gatewaynot Kong
  • API Testingnot Kong
  • API Documentationnot Kong
  • Microservicesnot 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

Swagger/OpenAPI

  • The OpenAPI Specification itself is licensed under Apache License 2.0 and free to use; SwaggerHub is a separate paid tool built on top of it

Pricing, plan by plan

Kong

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

Swagger/OpenAPI

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • OpenAPI specification
    • Community tools
  • SwaggerHub FreeFree
    • Cloud editor
    • API mocking
    • API testing
  • SwaggerHub Pro$75/monthly
    • Team collaboration
    • Advanced mocking
    • Analytics

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 Swagger/OpenAPI if

  • You need openapi specification.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, CLI, Desktop.
  • You also want interactive documentation.
Swagger/OpenAPI review

Questions people ask

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