Apiary vs Kong: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Apiary and Kong side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Apiary
Design and document APIs before you code
Best for you if:
- • You want API documentation
Kong
Route, secure, and observe APIs with a scalable platform
Best for you if:
- • You want high performance
| At a Glance | Kong | |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free plan, paid from $99/mo, billed monthly Team plan | Free plan |
Category | API Tools Documentation | API Tools DevOps |
Rating | 4.3/5 G2 4.3 23 reviews | 4.2/5 G2 4.4 · Trustpilot 3.4 349 reviews |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Watch out for | Potential for higher costs with increased traffic inspection needs. | n/a |
Choose Apiary or Kong?
Choose Apiary if
- You want API documentation
- You want good for design
Choose Kong if
- You want high performance
- You want extensible plugins
In-Depth Analysis
Apiary
Design and document APIs before you code
Apiary's pricing is fair for individual developers with its generous Free tier.
Watch out
Potential for higher costs with increased traffic inspection needs.
Strengths
- Pro: API documentation
- Pro: Good for design
- Pro: Active development
- Pro: Oracle owned
- Pro: Good features
Weaknesses
- Con: Declining relevance
- Con: Better alternatives exist
- Con: Learning curve
- Con: Feature gaps
- Con: Support varies
Key features
Kong
Route, secure, and observe APIs with a scalable platform
Kong's pricing is very generous, offering a fully functional open-source 'Free' tier.
Strengths
- Pro: High performance
- Pro: Extensible plugins
- Pro: Open source
Weaknesses
- Con: Complex setup
- Con: Enterprise features paid
Key features
Plans and prices: Apiary vs Kong
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Apiary |
| apiary.io/pricing read Oct 6, 2026 |
| Kong |
| konghq.com/pricing read Oct 11, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Apiary pricing and Kong pricing.
Key Takeaways
Apiary
- Choose if you want design and document APIs before you code
Kong
- Choose if you want route, secure, and observe APIs with a scalable platform
What the data shows
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.
- User ratings are within 0.2 points (4.3/5 from 23 reviews for Apiary, 4.2/5 from 349 reviews for Kong).
- Apiary starts at $99/mo, billed monthly; Kong has no public paid plan price on file.
- Both have a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Apiary and Kong compare in 2026?
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair. User ratings are within 0.2 points (4.3/5 from 23 reviews for Apiary, 4.2/5 from 349 reviews for Kong). Apiary starts at $99/mo, billed monthly; Kong has no public paid plan price on file. Both have a free plan.
What are Apiary and Kong used for?
Apiary: Design and document APIs before you code. Kong: Route, secure, and observe APIs with a scalable platform.
What does Apiary cost vs Kong?
Apiary's cheapest paid plan is Team at $99/mo, billed monthly; it also has a free plan. Kong has no public paid-plan price on file. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 11, 2026.
What's the main difference between Apiary and Kong?
Apiary's main strength: API documentation. Kong's main strength: high performance.