Azure API Management 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 Azure API Management and Kong side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, Azure API Management leads on 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:
Azure API Management
Secure, govern, and scale REST, GraphQL, WebSocket, and AI APIs
Best for you if:
- • You want unified management of traditional APIs and AI endpoints in a single platform
Kong
Route, secure, and observe APIs with a scalable platform
Best for you if:
- • You want high performance
| At a Glance | Azure API Management | Kong |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free plan, paid from $50/mo, billed monthly Developer plan | Not published |
Category | API Tools DevOps | API Tools DevOps |
Rating | 4.2/5 G2 4.2 32 reviews | 4.2/5 G2 4.4 · Trustpilot 3.4 349 reviews |
Free plan | No | No |
Watch out for | Overage fees for Basic/Standard v2 tiers | n/a |
Choose Azure API Management or Kong?
Choose Azure API Management if
- You want unified management of traditional APIs and AI endpoints in a single platform
- You want enterprise-grade security with built-in OWASP and Defender threat protection
Choose Kong if
- You want high performance
- You want extensible plugins
In-Depth Analysis
Azure API Management
Secure, govern, and scale REST, GraphQL, WebSocket, and AI APIs
Azure API Management offers a fair pricing model, especially with its generous free tier for consumption.
Watch out
Overage fees for Basic/Standard v2 tiers
Strengths
- Pro: Unified management of traditional APIs and AI endpoints in a single platform
- Pro: Enterprise-grade security with built-in OWASP and Defender threat protection
- Pro: Hybrid and multi-cloud support with self-hosted gateway options
- Pro: Massive proven scale handling 2 million APIs and 3 trillion monthly requests
- Pro: AI-assisted policy authoring reduces manual configuration
Weaknesses
- Con: No free tier available making it expensive for small teams
- Con: Consumption-based pricing is opaque and hard to predict
- Con: Steep learning curve for policy authoring and federated deployments
- Con: Self-hosted gateway adds significant operational responsibility
- Con: Tight coupling to the Azure ecosystem limits portability
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: Azure API Management vs Kong
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Azure API Management |
| azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/api-m… read Oct 3, 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 Azure API Management pricing and Kong pricing.
Key Takeaways
Azure API Management
- 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, Azure API Management leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- User ratings are within 0.2 points (4.2/5 from 32 reviews for Azure API Management, 4.2/5 from 349 reviews for Kong).
- Azure API Management starts at $50/mo, billed monthly; Kong has no public paid plan price on file.
- Only Azure API Management 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 Azure API Management and Kong compare in 2026?
On the data below, Azure API Management leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. User ratings are within 0.2 points (4.2/5 from 32 reviews for Azure API Management, 4.2/5 from 349 reviews for Kong). Azure API Management starts at $50/mo, billed monthly; Kong has no public paid plan price on file. Only Azure API Management has a free plan.
What are Azure API Management and Kong used for?
Azure API Management: Secure, govern, and scale REST, GraphQL, WebSocket, and AI APIs. Kong: Route, secure, and observe APIs with a scalable platform.
What does Azure API Management cost vs Kong?
Azure API Management's cheapest paid plan is Developer at $50/mo, billed monthly. 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 Azure API Management and Kong?
Azure API Management's main strength: unified management of traditional APIs and AI endpoints in a single platform. Kong's main strength: high performance.