Softwr

APIs · head to head

Kong vs ToolJet

Kong logo

Kong

APIs

Cloud-native API gateway and service connectivity platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ToolJet logo

ToolJet

No-Code

Open-source low-code platform for building internal tools and business apps

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; ToolJet free and Pro tiers cap end users at 50, which may be too low for apps needing broad internal distribution.
  • They diverge on capability: Kong covers API Gateway, ToolJet covers Drag-and-drop app builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kong and ToolJet actually diverge.

Attributes where Kong and ToolJet differ
AttributeKongToolJet
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
PlatformsLinux, Docker, Kubernetesweb, api, linux, windows, mac
CategoryAPIsNo-Code
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 ToolJet

  • Drag-and-drop app builder
  • AI-assisted generation
  • Database and API connectors
  • Self-hosted and air-gapped deployment
  • Multi-instance deployments
  • Dedicated support manager

What people use each for

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

Kong

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

ToolJet

  • Building internal admin dashboards and appsnot Kong
  • Self-hosted or air-gapped internal tool deploymentnot Kong
  • AI-assisted rapid app prototypingnot Kong
  • Connecting multiple data sources into one appnot 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

ToolJet

  • Free and Pro tiers cap end users at 50, which may be too low for apps needing broad internal distribution.
  • Enterprise pricing starts at a steep $3,000/month, a large jump from the $199/month Team plan.
  • AI credits reset monthly and do not roll over, penalizing uneven month-to-month usage.
  • Smaller integration and community ecosystem than more established players like Retool.

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

ToolJet

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 builders
    • 50 end users
    • 2 apps
  • Pro$79/month
    • Unlimited builders (per-builder pricing)
    • 50 end users
    • 5 apps
  • Team$199/month
    • Unlimited builders (per-builder pricing)
    • 100 end users
    • Unlimited apps
  • Enterprise$3000/month
    • Unlimited end users
    • Custom AI credits
    • Dedicated support manager

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 ToolJet if

  • You need drag-and-drop app builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api, linux, windows, mac.
  • You also want ai-assisted generation.
ToolJet review

Questions people ask

Is Kong or ToolJet better?
Neither clearly leads. Kong starts at Free and ToolJet at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kong or ToolJet?
Kong starts at Free and ToolJet at Free.
Does Kong or ToolJet run on more platforms?
Kong runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes. ToolJet runs on web, api, linux, windows, mac.
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 ToolJet is typically brought in for.
What can Kong do that ToolJet cannot?
Kong covers API Gateway, Authentication & Authorization, Rate Limiting, Kubernetes. ToolJet covers Drag-and-drop app builder, AI-assisted generation, Database and API connectors, Self-hosted and air-gapped deployment.

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
ToolJet: What happens if I run out of AI credits?

Users can continue using all other ToolJet features as normal and can contact support to purchase additional AI credits when the monthly allotment runs out.

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
ToolJet: Do unused AI credits roll over?

No, AI credits reset every month and unused credits do not carry over, which ToolJet says helps maintain consistent service quality.

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
ToolJet: Can ToolJet be deployed on-premise?

Yes, both the community and enterprise editions support on-premise and air-gapped deployments, typically completed in under 30 minutes.

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
ToolJet: Is there a free trial for paid plans?

ToolJet offers a 14-day free trial for both its business and enterprise editions.

Source
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