Softwr

APIs · head to head

Kong vs Teable

Kong logo

Kong

APIs

Cloud-native API gateway and service connectivity platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Teable logo

Teable

Spreadsheets

Spreadsheet interface over real PostgreSQL tables, so the data stays queryable by anything that speaks SQL

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; Teable the automation builder is far less capable than the established commercial alternatives, so multi step workflows usually end up in an external tool that must be paid for and maintained separately.
  • They diverge on capability: Kong covers API Gateway, Teable covers PostgreSQL native storage.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kong and Teable actually diverge.

Attributes where Kong and Teable differ
AttributeKongTeable
Pricing modelsubscriptionOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsLinux, Docker, KubernetesWeb, Linux
CategoryAPIsSpreadsheets
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 Teable

  • PostgreSQL native storage
  • Multiple views
  • Linked records and rollups
  • Generated REST API
  • Real time collaboration
  • Self hosting via Docker
  • Field level permissions

What people use each for

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

Kong

  • API gateway management and routingnot Teable
  • API development and testingnot Teable
  • Enterprise API security and governancenot Teable

Teable

  • A team that has hit the record ceiling of a hosted spreadsheet database and does not want to move to raw SQLnot Kong
  • Operational data that a business intelligence tool must also read directly, without an export or a sync jobnot Kong
  • A regulated or data resident organisation that needs the underlying database inside its own infrastructurenot Kong
  • An internal tool where a grid interface and a REST API over the same table are both requirednot 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

Teable

  • The automation builder is far less capable than the established commercial alternatives, so multi step workflows usually end up in an external tool that must be paid for and maintained separately.
  • Self hosting moves PostgreSQL backups, version upgrades, connection pooling and capacity planning onto your team, and the licence saving disappears if that time is costed honestly.
  • The integration catalogue is small, so connecting to a common business system often means writing against the REST API rather than installing a connector.
  • The project is young relative to the products it replaces, and interface and API changes still arrive at a pace that requires reading release notes before upgrading.
  • Storing every table as a real PostgreSQL table means schema changes are real migrations, so a careless field type change on a large table can lock it far longer than a spreadsheet user would expect.

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

Teable

Free
  • Self hosted open sourceFree
    • No licence fee
    • Unlimited rows subject to your PostgreSQL capacity
    • Docker deployment

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 Teable if

  • You need postgresql native storage.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux.
  • You also want multiple views.
Teable review

Questions people ask

Is Kong or Teable better?
Neither clearly leads. Kong starts at Free and Teable at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kong or Teable?
Kong starts at Free and Teable at Free.
Does Kong or Teable run on more platforms?
Kong runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes. Teable runs on Web, Linux.
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 Teable is typically brought in for.
What can Kong do that Teable cannot?
Kong covers API Gateway, Authentication & Authorization, Rate Limiting, Kubernetes. Teable covers PostgreSQL native storage, Multiple views, Linked records and rollups, Generated REST API.

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
Teable: How many rows can it actually hold?

As many as your PostgreSQL instance can serve. There is no product imposed record limit on the self hosted edition, which is the main reason to choose it.

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
Teable: Can I query the data with SQL directly?

Yes. Tables are real PostgreSQL tables, so any SQL client or reporting tool can read them.

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
Teable: Is self hosting genuinely free?

The licence is. The database server, backups and the engineer maintaining them are not.

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
Teable: Does it replace Airtable feature for feature?

No. Views and field types are close; automations, apps and the integration catalogue are not.

Teable: What happens to my data if the project stops?

It remains in a standard PostgreSQL database that you control, which is a materially better exit than a proprietary export format.

Share

Related pages

More on Kong

More on Teable

Keep looking

Other head to heads