AWS API Gateway 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 AWS API Gateway and Kong side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, AWS API Gateway leads on higher user rating and a free plan. We do not name an overall 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:
AWS API Gateway
Build, secure, and scale APIs with REST, HTTP, and WebSocket support
Best for you if:
- • You want a free tier before you commit
Kong
Route, secure, and observe APIs with a scalable platform
Best for you if:
- • You want high performance
| At a Glance | AWS API Gateway | Kong |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free plan | Not published |
Category | API Tools Cloud & Infrastructure | API Tools DevOps |
Rating | 4.4/5 G2 4.3 · Capterra 4.7 156 reviews | 4.2/5 G2 4.4 · Trustpilot 3.4 349 reviews |
Free plan | Yes | No |
Watch out for | REST caching is hourly by cache size (example: 1.6 GB at $0.038/hr). | n/a |
Choose AWS API Gateway or Kong?
Choose AWS API Gateway if
- You want a free tier before you commit
- You want fully managed, no infrastructure to maintain
- You want native integration with Lambda, DynamoDB, and other AWS services
Choose Kong if
- You want high performance
- You want extensible plugins
In-Depth Analysis
AWS API Gateway
Build, secure, and scale APIs with REST, HTTP, and WebSocket support
API Gateway is usage-priced.
Watch out
REST caching is hourly by cache size (example: 1.6 GB at $0.038/hr).
Strengths
- Pro: Fully managed, no infrastructure to maintain
- Pro: Native integration with Lambda, DynamoDB, and other AWS services
- Pro: Free tier includes 1M API calls/month for 12 months
- Pro: HTTP APIs offer significant cost savings for simple use cases
- Pro: Global edge network reduces latency
Weaknesses
- Con: Vendor lock-in to AWS ecosystem
- Con: Pricing complexity across REST vs HTTP vs WebSocket
- Con: 29-second timeout limit on API calls
- Con: Cold start latency when paired with Lambda
- Con: REST API pricing ($3.50/M) is expensive at scale
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: AWS API Gateway vs Kong
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| AWS API Gateway |
| aws.amazon.com/api-gateway/pricing read Sep 30, 2026 |
| Kong |
| konghq.com/pricing read Nov 2, 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 AWS API Gateway pricing and Kong pricing.
Key Takeaways
AWS API Gateway
- Higher user rating: 4.4/5 vs 4.2/5
- Has a free plan
Kong
- Choose if you want route, secure, and observe APIs with a scalable platform
What the data shows
On the data below, AWS API Gateway leads on higher user rating and a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- AWS API Gateway has the higher user rating (4.4/5 from 156 reviews for AWS API Gateway, 4.2/5 from 349 reviews for Kong).
- Only AWS API Gateway has 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 AWS API Gateway and Kong compare in 2026?
On the data below, AWS API Gateway leads on higher user rating and a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. AWS API Gateway has the higher user rating (4.4/5 from 156 reviews for AWS API Gateway, 4.2/5 from 349 reviews for Kong). Only AWS API Gateway has a free plan.
What are AWS API Gateway and Kong used for?
AWS API Gateway: Build, secure, and scale APIs with REST, HTTP, and WebSocket support. Kong: Route, secure, and observe APIs with a scalable platform.
What does AWS API Gateway cost vs Kong?
AWS API Gateway has no public paid-plan price on file. Kong has no public paid-plan price on file. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Nov 2, 2026.
What's the main difference between AWS API Gateway and Kong?
AWS API Gateway's main strength: fully managed, no infrastructure to maintain. Kong's main strength: high performance.