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Are you a CTO whose grand API adoption plans keep slipping because Kong’s getting in the way? Or maybe you’re an API architect shaking your head as you try to wrestle with the bugs, while the rest of the team files support tickets and prays for clean deployments. Amidst this situation, there is some good news: you’re not the only one feeling the pinch.
According to recent G2 reviews and Reddit, plenty of users are bumping up against similar roadblocks. Some of the common pain points are:
- Poor pricing structure
- Limited role-based account control features
- Delays in bug fixes
- Concerns regarding the recent feature locks
In this blog, we will go through exactly what you are looking for – The top alternatives for Kong’s API management platform. Here’s the list of tools we’ll be exploring in this blog:
- DigitalAPI
- Mulesoft Anypoint Platform
- WSO2
- Azure
- 3scale
- Postman
- Apigee
- Boomi
Factors to consider while choosing a Kong alternative
While browsing for your Kong alternative, don’t get sidetracked by shiny new features. Try to find a system that has the features you want while still working with your existing system. Here’s what you’ll want to weigh as you compare:
1. Cost and Budget
Let’s be real, some Kong alternatives offer premium features with an interface that makes you feel like you’re inside a nice car. But, if you are scaling quickly, the costs can also add up quickly, if you are not looking out for costs like:
- Add-on pricing
- Per-API call rates
- Hidden platform fees
Budget for the amount you ideally want to spend as you scale.
2. Scalability
Speaking about scalability, the Kong alternative you pick should scale along with business demand without anxiety about breaking, lagging, or bottlenecking. Try to evaluate the horizontal and vertical scaling support, traffic burst handling, and how easy it is to add regions or environments.
3. Security
Your API gateway is the front door to your digital assets, so basic authentication and SSL certificates won't cut it anymore. When evaluating Kong alternatives, dig deeper into what security actually looks like day-to-day.
You'll want platforms that handle OAuth 2.0/2.1, OpenID Connect, and granular RBAC without making your team jump through hoops. Look for built-in Web Application Firewall (WAF) capabilities, adaptive rate limiting that actually stops bad actors, and centralized secrets management.
4. API Analytics
If you cannot answer “Which consumer is hammering my API?” in under 30 seconds, the tool is not helping. Modern alternatives should deliver clear usage reports, access logs, trend analysis, and anomaly alerts out of the box. Bonus points if reporting is baked into dashboards you might actually enjoy using.
The top 8 Kong alternatives for 2025
Let’s take a deeper look at the Kong alternatives we had listed above.
1. DigitalAPI
DigitalAPI’s API management platform creates a single source of truth for your entire API ecosystem while also offering its native gateway, Helix. It integrates with all the popular gateways like Apigee, SAP, AWS, and even Kong, preventing any vendor lock-in and helping you manage the full API lifecycle, from design to governance and growth. It supports internal control, external marketplaces, all while providing real-time insights into API activity.
Key Features:
- Consolidated view of your entire digital content estate.
- Integrate with multiple API gateways.
- Delete duplicated APIs using AI
- Enterprise-grade security with automated linting, OWASP checks, and policy enforcement.
- 360° view of your APIs with real-time analytics on security, traffic, performance, and business usage.
With DigitalAPI, implementing Fintech Onboarding and API monetization has been a game-changer for our business. Also, the seamless integration of billing, usage tracking, and tiered pricing allowed us to cater to different customer segments effortlessly.” - Sovdeep Das, Sr. Director, Product Management @Fiserv
Best for: DigitalAPI is ideal for start-ups embarking on their API journey, and enterprises seeking top-tier features and dedicated support.
Here’s how DigitalAPI helped a bank streamlined 11.7k+ internal APIs.
2. Mulesoft Anypoint Platform
MuleSoft’s Anypoint Platform is all about providing a single environment to connect, manage, and monitor APIs across the enterprise. It’s built to handle complex, large-scale integration needs, letting companies tie together everything from modern SaaS apps to legacy systems.
Some of its key use cases include orchestrating microservices, supporting multi-cloud strategies, and bridging disparate systems under one management umbrella. MuleSoft also puts a lot of emphasis on reusability and governance.
Key Features:
- API gateway for traffic control, policy enforcement, and security monitoring.
- Pre-built connectors to accelerate integration.
- Built-in analytics and monitoring for visibility.
- Granular access controls.
Pricing: Mulesoft Anypoint does custom pricing based on your needs. Contact their team for more info.
Best For: Companies tackling intricate integration challenges
3. WSO2
WSO2 is an open-source API management platform designed to handle the entire API lifecycle. It supports multiple API formats, including REST, SOAP, and GraphQL, offering significant flexibility to suit varied enterprise needs.
Businesses can deploy WSO2 on-premises, in the cloud, or via hybrid environments, making it adaptable to diverse infrastructure strategies. It also provides a developer portal for publishing, documenting, and testing APIs.
Key Features:
- Full API lifecycle management.
- Support for REST, SOAP, and GraphQL API formats.
- API governance features for enforcing standards and policies.
- Flexible deployment options.
Pricing: WSO2 has not listed its pricing publicly. Contact their team for more info.
Best For: Organizations that prioritize control and customizability within an open-source framework.
4. Azure
Azure API Management is Microsoft’s API management platform that helps organizations create, secure, and monitor APIs across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Its hybrid deployment options allow managing APIs on-premises, in Azure, or both, supporting diverse infrastructure needs.
It also provides a customizable developer portal that streamlines onboarding and documentation for API consumers.
Key Features:
- API gateway for traffic routing, security enforcement, and rate limiting.
- Fully customizable developer portal for API documentation.
- Real-time monitoring and analytics dashboards.
- Self-hosted gateway for on-premises environments.
Pricing: They charge you for the features and tools you use. The pricing differs based on your needs, but is mostly based on the “pay-as-you-go” model and usage limits.
Best For: Companies invested in the Microsoft Azure ecosystem and would love seamless integration with other Azure services.
5. Red Hat 3scale API Management
3Scale is Red Hat’s API management platform that helps organizations securely share and control APIs across hybrid and cloud environments. Its architecture is designed to optimize performance and scalability while providing a smooth API management experience.
It is part of the Red Hat Integration group of products, meaning it can seamlessly integrate with other Red Hat offerings.
Key Features:
- Developer portal for publishing and documentation.
- Integration with Red Hat OpenShift for API hosting.
- Monetization support to enable paid API usage models.
- Comprehensive API traffic control.
Pricing: Red Hat does not publicly provide its pricing. Contact their team for more info.
Best For: Teams looking for a solution that supports diverse deployment needs and API monetization.
6. Postman
Postman is one of the most widely used API tools, favored especially for its robust API testing and development capabilities. It allows developers to easily build, test, and document APIs by sending HTTP requests and managing headers, parameters, and payloads.
The platform’s collaboration workspaces streamline teamwork by letting users share collections and environments seamlessly. Postman also supports creating mock servers to simulate API responses, making it a practical solution for teams focused on API quality, testing, and documentation.
Key Features:
- API client for crafting and sending HTTP requests.
- Collaborative workspaces for team sharing and version control.
- Mock servers to simulate API endpoints and test responses.
- Support for multiple HTTP request methods.
Pricing:
Best For: Companies that prefer simple pricing that makes it easy to predict future costs while scaling.
7. Apigee
Apigee, part of Google Cloud, stands out as an enterprise-grade API management platform designed to help organizations build, secure, and scale their APIs with confidence. The solution provides reliable ways to control API traffic and enforces security and governance across services.
The platform places a strong emphasis on analytics, developer engagement, and monetization, giving teams the tools they need to optimize both API performance and business models.
Key Features:
- API gateway and proxy.
- Easy integration with Google Cloud.
- Customizable developer portals.
- OAuth and JWT authentication for secure API access.
Pricing:
Best For: Enterprises needing scalable, secure APIs across hybrid clouds.
8. Boomi
Boomi is built on Boomi’s low-code integration platform. It streamlines the creation, securing, deployment, and monitoring of APIs while giving teams visibility and control over their entire API landscape.
Boomi also emphasizes automation and AI-powered insights to help teams reduce overhead and accelerate innovation.
Key Features:
- An extensive library of pre-built connectors for integrations.
- Single runtime engine that supports flexible deployments.
- Centralized monitoring dashboard.
- Visual integration designer for building APIs.
Pricing: Red Hat does not publicly provide its pricing. Contact their team for more info.
Best For: Enterprises tackling complex, distributed digital ecosystems.
Frequently asked questions
1. What are some reasons to consider Kong alternatives?
Many users in G2 and Reddit highlight a few recurring challenges with Kong that lead them to explore other options. Pricing is often cited as a major concern, especially for high API volumes, making it less predictable and more expensive than competitors.
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) features are considered limited by some, which can complicate managing permissions in larger or multi-tenant environments. Delays in bug fixes and slow product updates frustrate teams needing quick resolutions.
Additionally, recent moves to lock certain features or changes in product packaging have raised worries about vendor lock-in and flexibility. Altogether, these issues drive organizations to seek more cost-effective, responsive, and transparent API management platforms.
2. What are some factors to consider while looking for Kong alternatives?
Cost and Budget:
- Watch out for add-on pricing, per-API call rates, and hidden fees as you scale.
- Set a realistic budget based on both current needs and future growth.
Scalability:
- Make sure your chosen platform can handle surges and steady growth without bottlenecks.
- Evaluate options for easy horizontal and vertical scaling, and adding new regions.
Security:
- Go beyond basic authentication: prioritize platforms with granular RBAC, strong OAuth support, and built-in WAF.
- Centralized secrets management and adaptive rate limiting are must-haves for keeping threats out.
API Analytics:
- Choose tools that give instant visibility into who’s using your APIs and how.
- Look for built-in dashboards with clear usage reports, access logs, and real-time alerts.
3. What is the best Kong alternative?
DigitalAPI’s API management platform is the best Kong alternative. It acts as a single source of truth for your entire API ecosystem and also gives you its own native gateway, Helix, to design and deploy your APIs. It helps you manage the entire lifecycle of your APIs and integrates with multiple gateways in a single tool.
The platform also comes with enterprise-grade security like automated linting, OWASP checks, and policy enforcement. You also get a 360° view of your APIs with real-time analytics on security, traffic, performance, and business usage.
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