--- title: "Kong API Gateway Alternative — Zuplo" description: "Kong alternative for teams who want managed API management without Kubernetes or Lua plugin specialists. SOC 2, sub-20s deploys. Trusted by Blockdaemon." canonicalUrl: "https://zuplo.com/api-gateways/kong-alternative-zuplo" pageType: "comparison" competitor: "Kong API Gateway" subtitle: "Skip the Kubernetes, the Lua plugins, and the consumption-pricing surprises." --- # Zuplo vs Kong API Gateway _Skip the Kubernetes, the Lua plugins, and the consumption-pricing surprises._ > Kong alternative for teams who want managed API management without Kubernetes or Lua plugin specialists. SOC 2, sub-20s deploys. Trusted by Blockdaemon. ## Why Teams Move Away from Kong API Gateway ### Kubernetes operator burden PostgreSQL (Cassandra removed in 3.4), data-plane clusters, Redis for distributed limits, upgrade paths. Konnect manages the control plane — hybrid data planes stay yours to run unless you pay extra for Dedicated Cloud Gateways. ### Plugin-language fragmentation Lua, Go, Python, or JavaScript plugins via a proprietary PDK. Every custom integration carries a specialist hire and its own release cycle. ### AI Gateway is a plugin, not a product AI capabilities arrive as Gateway plugins — the AI plugin suite landed in 2024 and MCP support in late 2025, packaged within the AI Gateway offering. Token economics, semantic caching, and agent identity are layered on as plugins. ### Opaque consumption pricing Konnect Plus bills per gateway per month plus metered API-request and bandwidth overages; advanced AI and MCP plugins are gated to enterprise tiers, and Enterprise contracts are negotiated and unlisted. Procurement forecasting is hard. ## About Kong API Gateway Kong is a widely deployed API management platform with multiple products for cloud-native and microservices-based applications. Kong Gateway is an open-source API gateway known for its high performance and extensibility via a Lua-based plugin ecosystem. Kong Konnect is the managed SaaS offering that adds a control plane, developer portal, analytics, and centralized management. Kong also offers Kong Mesh and Kong Ingress Controller for Kubernetes-based architectures. Kong remains a strong choice for teams that want to operate the data plane themselves; for teams that want managed, modern API management with a focused operating model, Zuplo removes the Kubernetes and plugin-lifecycle burden. ## Why Choose Zuplo Zuplo is the best Kong alternative for teams that want managed, modern API management without Kubernetes operator burden or plugin-language fragmentation. Zuplo delivers edge-native architecture across 300+ global locations, TypeScript programmability, GitOps workflows with sub-20-second deploys, and a unified AI Gateway with MCP support. Zuplo is backed by SOC 2 Type II certification, managed dedicated deployment on AWS, Azure, GCP, or Akamai, and regulated customers including Blockdaemon, Duck Creek Payments, and Finsolutia across blockchain infrastructure, insurance, and financial services. ## Feature Comparison ### Compliance and Audit Readiness _First-class compliance controls in a managed gateway vs. compliance split between Konnect and customer-operated data planes._ - **Zuplo** — SOC 2 Type II audited annually, third-party penetration test reports under NDA, audit logs across the control plane, GDPR-aligned data processing. - **Kong API Gateway** — Konnect maintains SOC 2 Type II and a PCI DSS Report on Compliance. Self-hosted Kong inherits compliance from the customer's deployment environment. ### Enterprise Identity (SSO + RBAC) _Direct SAML/SCIM with Microsoft Entra ID and project-level RBAC vs. plugin-based identity in the open-source path._ - **Zuplo** — SAML SSO and SCIM provisioning that work directly with Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD), plus RBAC across organizations, projects, and environments — available on Enterprise. Zuplo's OpenID JWT policy also validates Entra ID tokens at the edge. - **Kong API Gateway** — Konnect supports SSO and RBAC. Self-hosted Kong identity depends on configured plugins (LDAP, OIDC, etc.) and customer infrastructure. ### Managed Dedicated Deployment _Managed dedicated across major clouds vs. Konnect Dedicated Cloud Gateways or self-managed Kubernetes._ - **Zuplo** — Single-tenant managed deployment on AWS, Azure, GCP, Akamai, or any major cloud with up to a 30-minute response SLA on Enterprise. Self-hosted on Kubernetes also supported. - **Kong API Gateway** — Konnect Dedicated Cloud Gateways available in select regions. Self-hosted runs on customer-operated infrastructure, typically Kubernetes plus PostgreSQL. ### AI Gateway and MCP Support _Integrated AI Gateway and MCP Gateway vs. plugin-based AI features._ - **Zuplo** — Purpose-built AI Gateway integrated into the platform with model routing, semantic caching, prompt injection protection, budget and token controls. Dedicated MCP Gateway product. - **Kong API Gateway** — AI plugin suite available since 2024; MCP support added in late 2025. Plugin-based approach with MCP delivered through the AI Gateway as paid enterprise plugins. ### Operational Simplicity _Zero-ops managed gateway vs. database and Kubernetes operations._ - **Zuplo** — Fully managed and auto-scaled across 300+ edge locations. Zero database, cluster, or upgrade operations. - **Kong API Gateway** — Self-hosted Kong requires PostgreSQL (or DB-less config management), data plane cluster management, and upgrade pathing. Konnect hybrid mode still leaves data-plane operations with you; fully managed gateways cost extra and are capped by plan. ### Developer Experience _TypeScript and Git as source of truth vs. multi-language plugins and decK config sync._ - **Zuplo** — TypeScript-based programmability with the full npm ecosystem. PR-level preview environments, Git as source of truth. - **Kong API Gateway** — Lua, Go, Python, or JavaScript plugins with the Kong PDK. cURL-based Admin API and YAML declarative configuration via decK CLI. ### Global Edge Performance _300+ edge PoPs by default vs. customer-managed regional clusters._ - **Zuplo** — V8 isolate runtime across 300+ edge locations with near-zero cold starts. Requests processed at the nearest PoP automatically. - **Kong API Gateway** — Self-hosted in customer infrastructure or Konnect Cloud regional deployment. Global distribution requires multi-region cluster management. ### Developer Portal _Built-in OpenAPI-driven portal vs. paid Konnect tiers._ - **Zuplo** — Auto-generated from OpenAPI spec with self-serve API key management and interactive docs — included on all plans, including Free. API monetization is available in beta. - **Kong API Gateway** — Available in Konnect (paid tiers) by publishing uploaded OpenAPI or AsyncAPI specs. Not included in open-source Gateway. ### Rate Limiting _Distributed edge rate limiting vs. Redis-backed plugin requiring customer infrastructure._ - **Zuplo** — Programmable per-user, per-key, and per-API rate limits with TypeScript logic — distributed as a single zone across all edge locations. - **Kong API Gateway** — Plugin-based rate limiting backed by Redis. Distributed rate limiting requires customer-managed Redis infrastructure. ### Gateway Testing _Built-in test runner with per-PR deployments vs. testing through the separate Insomnia product._ - **Zuplo** — First-party `zuplo test` runner included on every plan. Tests are plain TypeScript with fetch and Node's built-in `node:assert` — nothing extra to install — in your repo next to your routes and policies. The identical suite runs against local dev, the preview deployment of every PR, and production by changing only `--endpoint`. - **Kong API Gateway** — Kong Gateway runs locally in DB-less mode, and Insomnia's `inso run test` runs JavaScript tests with chai in CI against a chosen environment. But the tests are authored in the Insomnia app and live in its document model — a separate product, not files beside your gateway config — and no automatic per-PR gateway is documented. ### GitOps and CI/CD _Git as source of truth with preview environments vs. database-driven config sync._ - **Zuplo** — Git-native — repo is the single source of truth. Every push deploys, every PR gets a live preview environment. - **Kong API Gateway** — decK CLI for declarative config sync. In database mode, the database is the source of truth; DB-less mode supports Git-based config but trades off the Admin API. No native preview environments. ### Authentication _Built-in identity with self-service consumer flows vs. plugin-based authentication._ - **Zuplo** — Built-in API key and JWT management with unlimited keys and self-service key management for API consumers. - **Kong API Gateway** — Plugins for API keys, JWTs, HMAC, LDAP, OpenID Connect — broad protocol coverage with plugin-based composition. ## FAQ **How does Zuplo handle SOC 2, SSO, and audit logs for regulated customers?** Zuplo is SOC 2 Type II audited annually with reports available under NDA. Enterprise includes SAML SSO, SCIM provisioning, RBAC across organizations and projects, and audit logs across the control plane. Zuplo also supports GDPR-aligned data processing, and annual third-party penetration testing — all included at the Enterprise tier rather than as add-ons. **Can Zuplo deploy on dedicated infrastructure inside our cloud?** Yes. Zuplo Enterprise offers managed dedicated single-tenant deployment on AWS, Azure, GCP, Akamai, or any major cloud. Self-hosted on Kubernetes is also supported when full data residency and operational ownership are required. **How does Zuplo's AI Gateway compare to Kong's?** Zuplo's AI Gateway is built into the platform from day one with multi-provider model routing, semantic caching, prompt injection protection, budget and token controls, auto-failover, and a dedicated MCP Gateway product. Kong delivers AI capabilities as Gateway plugins — the open-source AI plugin suite arrived in 2024, and MCP support followed in late 2025 as enterprise-tier plugins within the AI Gateway. Zuplo's architectural integration is the difference for teams running AI surfaces at scale. **How does the migration from Kong to Zuplo work?** OpenAPI specs and route definitions import directly. Most Kong built-in plugins (rate limiting, auth, transforms) map to Zuplo policies; custom Lua becomes short TypeScript custom code. Consumers and API keys migrate programmatically via the Zuplo Developer API. Teams running primarily on built-in plugins often complete migration in days; full enterprise replatforms take 4–10 weeks. Zuplo's professional services team supports architecture review, plugin mapping, and cut-over planning. **Can I use Zuplo without managing Kubernetes?** Yes. Zuplo is fully managed — no Kubernetes, PostgreSQL, or Redis to operate. The managed edge runs across 300+ locations, and Enterprise customers can choose managed dedicated deployment on AWS, Azure, GCP, or Akamai. Self-hosting on Kubernetes is available when it's required, but it's not a default. **How does data residency compare?** Zuplo Enterprise supports data residency through managed dedicated single-tenant deployment in your chosen cloud region (AWS, Azure, GCP, or Akamai), or via self-hosted on your own Kubernetes infrastructure. Kong self-hosted gives full control over data location at the cost of operational overhead; Konnect offers EU control plane and Dedicated Cloud Gateways in select EU regions. **Why choose Zuplo over Kong?** Teams choose Zuplo over Kong for five reasons: (1) Zuplo is fully managed with zero infrastructure — no Postgres, Redis, or Kubernetes clusters to operate. (2) Zuplo uses TypeScript for gateway logic instead of Lua, making policies accessible to your entire team. (3) Zuplo deploys globally to 300+ edge locations in under 20 seconds through GitOps, with automatic preview environments for every pull request. (4) Zuplo includes a developer portal with self-serve API key management on every plan including free — Kong's developer portal requires a paid Konnect subscription. (5) Zuplo's AI Gateway and MCP Gateway are built into the platform, while Kong's AI and MCP features are plugin-based add-ons.