Apache APISIX vs Kong

Struggling to choose between Apache APISIX and Kong? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Apache APISIX is a Network & Admin solution with tags like apigateway, microservices, opensource, loadbalancing, authentication, ratelimiting.

It boasts features such as Dynamic upstream routing, Dynamic load balancing, Plugin system, Customizable authentication, Granular access control, Real-time metrics, Distributed tracing and pros including High performance, Flexible and extensible, Easy to deploy and configure, Open source and free, Active community support.

On the other hand, Kong is a Development product tagged with api, microservices, gateway.

Its standout features include API Gateway, Service Mesh, Traffic routing, Security, Monitoring, Load balancing, Authentication, Rate limiting, Transformations, Caching, Logging, and it shines with pros like Open source, Scalable, Extensible via plugins, Supports multiple protocols, Easy integration, Active community.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Apache APISIX

Apache APISIX

Apache APISIX is an open-source, high-performance API gateway that helps organizations manage traffic to their APIs and microservices. It handles routing, load balancing, authentication, rate limiting and more.

Categories:
Network & Admin Api Management
apigateway microservices opensource loadbalancing authentication ratelimiting

Apache APISIX Features

  1. Dynamic upstream routing
  2. Dynamic load balancing
  3. Plugin system
  4. Customizable authentication
  5. Granular access control
  6. Real-time metrics
  7. Distributed tracing

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

High performance

Flexible and extensible

Easy to deploy and configure

Open source and free

Active community support

Cons

Steep learning curve

Requires expertise to manage and scale

Limited documentation and guides

Not many third-party integrations yet

Kong

Kong

Kong is an open-source API gateway and service mesh designed for managing APIs and microservices. It provides functionality like traffic routing, security, monitoring and more to help developers manage complex architectures.

Categories:
Development Api Management
api microservices gateway

Kong Features

  1. API Gateway
  2. Service Mesh
  3. Traffic routing
  4. Security
  5. Monitoring
  6. Load balancing
  7. Authentication
  8. Rate limiting
  9. Transformations
  10. Caching
  11. Logging

Pricing

  • Open Source
  • Commercial License

Pros

Open source

Scalable

Extensible via plugins

Supports multiple protocols

Easy integration

Active community

Cons

Steep learning curve

Complex configurations

No GUI

Limited documentation

Upgrades can be difficult