Kong Gateway Review: Pros, Cons, Features, and Pricing
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Kong Gateway is an API tool that sits between your clients and backend services, handling traffic routing, authentication, rate limiting, and plugin-based extensibility at the gateway layer. It's worth considering if you're managing APIs across multiple services or environments and need a gateway that isn't locked to a single cloud provider. If you're already deep in AWS, you might default to AWS API Gateway—but Kong Gateway gives you more flexibility across hybrid and multi-cloud setups, plus a plugin ecosystem that lets you extend functionality without touching your underlying services.
Kong Gateway Evaluation Summary
4.4/5
- From $25/month
- 30-day free trial
Why Trust Our Software Recommendations
6,700+
Reviews
20
Industry experts
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Evaluation factors
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Years
Our team has been testing and reviewing software since 2012. As tech leaders ourselves, we know how difficult—and important—it is to choose the right software.
For this guide, we evaluated tools using hands-on testing and independent research, scoring tools using our selection criteria.
Our reviews reflect our human editorial judgment, not a sales pitch.
Expert reviewers:
- Paulo Gardini MiguelTech Director
Tim FisherVP of AI
Gabriel RosasTech Lead & Software Architect
Christhian GruhnTech Lead & Platform Architect
Kong Gateway Overview
In my opinion, Kong stands out for its solid API management and scalability, making it a valuable choice for enterprises handling large-scale microservices and Kubernetes clusters. While its onboarding and customer support are commendable, its pricing might not suit smaller businesses. Compared to other platforms, Kong excels in flexibility and integration capabilities but may lag in intuitive user interfaces. It's best for tech-driven enterprises and teams needing a reliable and scalable microservices management solution.
Pros
- You can manage APIs efficiently with Kong's strong API management capabilities and low latency.
- Kong scales well to handle large microservices architectures.
- Your team will appreciate its flexibility in integration with various tools within the expansive ecosystem.
Cons
- Your team might find the user interface less intuitive compared to others.
- You may experience slower response times from customer support.
- It could take a bit longer to fully onboard and utilize all features.
Is Kong Gateway Right For Your Needs?
Who Would be a Good Fit for Kong Gateway?
Kong is a great fit for tech-driven enterprises and large teams that manage extensive API networks. If your business relies heavily on microservices, Kong's scalability and strong API management capabilities will serve you well. Teams in industries such as e-commerce and SaaS, where efficient API handling is crucial, will find Kong particularly beneficial. It helps your team maintain performance while managing complex architectures and orchestration.
- E-Commerce GiantsKong helps you efficiently manage a high volume of API requests.
- SaaS ProvidersYour team can scale microservices easily with Kong's flexible architecture.
- Large EnterprisesKong supports complex API networks, helping your IT department maintain performance.
- Tech-Driven TeamsKong offers flexibility, making it ideal for your team's varied tool integrations.
- API-Heavy IndustriesKong's strong API management capabilities handle your extensive API calls.
- DevOps DepartmentsKong aids your team in efficiently managing and monitoring microservices.
Who Would be a Bad Fit for Kong Gateway?
Kong might not be the best choice for small businesses or startups with limited budgets and simpler API needs. If your team doesn't require advanced API management functionalities, Kong's features might be more than you need and might not justify the cost. Industries with minimal API interactions or departments that prioritize ease of use over advanced capabilities might find Kong unnecessarily complex.
- Small StartupsYour small team might find Kong's advanced features and cost overwhelming for basic needs.
- Budget-Conscious FirmsIf budget constraints are tight, Kong's pricing may not align with your financial plans.
- Non-Tech IndustriesKong's complex functionalities might be excessive for teams with minimal API use.
- Simple API NeedsYour team won't benefit from Kong if your API interactions are straightforward and minimal.
- Ease-Of-Use PrioritiesIf your team prioritizes simplicity, Kong's interface could be a hindrance.
- Limited IT ResourcesWithout a dedicated IT team, Kong's setup and management might be challenging for you.
Our Review Methodology
How We Test & Score Tools
We’ve spent years building, refining, and improving our software testing and scoring system. The rubric is designed to capture the nuances of software selection and what makes a tool effective, focusing on critical aspects of the decision-making process.
Below, you can see exactly how our testing and scoring works across seven criteria. It allows us to provide an unbiased evaluation of the software based on core functionality, standout features, ease of use, onboarding, customer support, integrations, customer reviews, and value for money.
Core Functionality (25% of final scoring)
The starting point of our evaluation is always the core functionality of the tool. Does it have the basic features and functions that a user would expect to see? Are any of those core features locked to higher-tiered pricing plans? At its core, we expect a tool to stand up against the baseline capabilities of its competitors.
Standout Features (25% of final scoring)
Next, we evaluate uncommon standout features that go above and beyond the core functionality typically found in tools of its kind. A high score reflects specialized or unique features that make the product faster, more efficient, or offer additional value to the user.
We also evaluate how easy it is to integrate with other tools typically found in the tech stack to expand the functionality and utility of the software. Tools offering plentiful native integrations, 3rd party connections, and API access to build custom integrations score best.
Ease of Use (10% of final scoring)
We consider how quick and easy it is to execute the tasks defined in the core functionality using the tool. High scoring software is well designed, intuitive to use, offers mobile apps, provides templates, and makes relatively complex tasks seem simple.
Onboarding (10% of final scoring)
We know how important rapid team adoption is for a new platform, so we evaluate how easy it is to learn and use a tool with minimal training. We evaluate how quickly a team member can get set up and start using the tool with no experience. High scoring solutions indicate little or no support is required.
Customer Support (10% of final scoring)
We review how quick and easy it is to get unstuck and find help by phone, live chat, or knowledge base. Tools and companies that provide real-time support score best, while chatbots score worst.
Customer Reviews (10% of final scoring)
Beyond our own testing and evaluation, we consider the net promoter score from current and past customers. We review their likelihood, given the option, to choose the tool again for the core functionality. A high scoring software reflects a high net promoter score from current or past customers.
Value for Money (10% of final scoring)
Lastly, in consideration of all the other criteria, we review the average price of entry level plans against the core features and consider the value of the other evaluation criteria. Software that delivers more, for less, will score higher.
Core Features
API Gateway: Kong's API Gateway manages API traffic efficiently, ensuring high performance and security. Your team can use it to route, secure, and manage API requests seamlessly. It also supports modern protocols such as gRPC and GraphQL.
Service Mesh: This feature offers your team visibility and control over service interactions, managing the data plane and control plane effectively. It enhances security and simplifies communication between microservices.
Load Balancing: Kong's load balancing distributes incoming traffic to maintain your system's reliability. It ensures that no single server gets overwhelmed.
Rate Limiting: With rate limiting, you can control the number of requests to your APIs. This helps prevent abuse and maintains service quality.
Monitoring and Analytics: You get insights into API performance with Kong's monitoring tools, providing deep observability. They help your team identify issues at any specific endpoint and optimize API usage.
Security Features: Kong provides robust API security measures, including authentication and encryption. You can protect your APIs from unauthorized access and data breaches.
Ease of Use
Kong is relatively user-friendly, but it might take your team some time to get accustomed to its interface. While it offers powerful features, the complexity can be a hurdle for newcomers. Some users find the learning curve steep, especially if they're not familiar with microservices management. However, once you get past the initial setup, Kong's robust capabilities and flexible configuration options make it a valuable tool for your team's API management needs.
Integrations
Kong integrates with AWS, Datadog, Prometheus, Grafana, Splunk, New Relic, Elasticsearch, Zipkin, OpenTracing, and Syslog. Kong also provides an API and connects with third-party integration tools, including Docker, Microsoft products, and Istio.
Kong Gateway Specs
- Access Management: Yes
- API: Yes
- Batch Permissions & Access: No
- Custom Reports: Yes
- Data Export: No
- Data Import: No
- Developer Tools: Yes
- Development: Yes
- External Integrations: No
- History/Version Control: No
- Multi-User: No
- Notifications: Yes
- Password & Access Management: No
- Software Integration: No
- Workflow Management: Yes
