Which is better, Bandwidth or Kong?

Kong edges out Bandwidth based on user ratings across 102 reviews. That said, the best pick depends on your workflow — Bandwidth may be a stronger fit for specific team sizes or use cases. Review the full comparison to decide.

What are the main differences between Bandwidth and Kong?

Key differences between Bandwidth and Kong include pricing (Bandwidth starts at undisclosed vs Kong at $250). Use the Spotsaas comparison table to evaluate each dimension before deciding.

Do both Bandwidth and Kong offer a Free trial?

Yes, both Bandwidth and Kong offer a Free Trial.

Who are the typical users of Bandwidth?

Bandwidth is designed for Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business.

Who are the typical users of Kong?

Kong is designed for Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business.

What is the starting price of Bandwidth and Kong?

The starting price of Kong is $250/Month. Pricing for Bandwidth is unavailable.

What are the best alternatives to Bandwidth?

Some top alternatives to Bandwidth include 3scale, API Fortress, Fireapis, LinkApi, ChaseData CCaaS.

What are the best alternatives to Kong?

Some top alternatives to Kong include Akana Platform, 3scale, Apigee Edge, WSO2 API Manager, Tyk API Management Platform.

Bandwidth vs Kong Comparison

Last updated: May 18, 2026

Bandwidth

4.0(354 reviews)

Starting at Contact for pricing

Free Trial
Large Enterprises
Medium Business

API Management software is an integration layer that simplifies the API lifecycle. It helps enterprises keep internal and external developers and partners in sync with a centralized developer portal, management framework…

View Pricing Read Reviews

Kong

4.2(102 reviews)

Starting at $250 /Month

Free Trial
Large Enterprises
Medium Business

Kong is API management software, that allows Web and Mobile applications to access data, content and functions published by 3rd party providers. Kong works with any Public or Private API as well as any type of data sourc…

View Pricing Read Reviews

Kong leads on user satisfaction with a 4.2-star rating across 102 reviews.

SpotSaaS Analysis

BandwidthKong

The core difference lies in Bandwidth's focus on streamlined API management for telecom enterprises, while Kong offers a highly customizable solution aimed at developers and technical teams. Ideal buyers for Bandwidth are medium to large telecom businesses, whereas Kong is best suited for enterprises with a strong developer focus seeking flexibility.

- Best for telecom enterprises - Centralized API lifecycle management - Simple, streamlined portal - Responsive support - Medium to large business focus - Ideal for teams needing swift changes

- Flexible, extensible API management - Strong developer focus - Highly customizable API gateway - Plugin-oriented architecture - Medium to large business focus - Ideal for API developers and DevOps teams

Bandwidth vs Kong — at a glance

Feature	Bandwidth	Kong
Rating	4.0 / 5	4.2 / 5
Reviews	354	102
Starting price	Contact for pricing	$250 /Month
Free trial	Yes	Yes
Free version	No	No
Best for	Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business	Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business
Category	API Management Software	API Management Software
Platforms	SaaS/Web/Cloud	SaaS/Web/Cloud
API	Available	Available
Support modes	24/7 (Live rep), Business Hours, Online	Online
Certifications	SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, ISO 27001	SOC 2, GDPR, ISO 27001
Data residency	Global	Global

Key differences between Bandwidth and Kong

Pricing: Kong starts at $250 /Month. Bandwidth pricing is not publicly listed.
User satisfaction: Kong scores higher with a 4.2-star average.
Deployment: Bandwidth supports SaaS/Web/Cloud; Kong supports SaaS/Web/Cloud.

Bandwidth vs Kong — find the better fit before you commit.

Which tool fits your team best

Which is actually cheaper for your team size

Where each product wins, per real buyers

Most API Management Software tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.

Biggest differences

Features

Pricing

Buying details

Security

Buyer feedback

Integrations

Product tour

Other options

	Bandwidth (190) Talk to an expert Talk to an expert	Kong (15) Talk to an expert Talk to an expert

Free PDF comparison

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Biggest differences

Affiliate Disclosure

Start here before you go deeper into features.

Bandwidth

Best for telecom enterprises needing easy API management and responsive support.

Choose if

You are a medium or large telecom business requiring centralized API lifecycle management.
Your team values a simple, streamlined portal allowing swift changes without IT delays.
You need outstanding, well-documented APIs supported by a dedicated, quick-response team.

Consider alternatives if

Your operations depend on extensive rural area coverage beyond Bandwidth’s service reach.
You require T.38 fax or vfax capabilities, which Bandwidth does not support.

Kong

Best for enterprises needing flexible, extensible API management with strong developer focus.

Choose if

You require a highly customizable API gateway with plugin-oriented architecture.
Your team consists of API developers, DevOps, or technical product managers.
You operate a medium to large enterprise with complex microservices architectures.

Consider alternatives if

Your team includes non-technical users needing an intuitive, user-friendly UI.
You are a small business lacking dedicated API development resources.

Bandwidth: Best for telecom enterprises needing easy API management and responsive support. Kong: Best for enterprises needing flexible, extensible API management with strong developer focus.

Description	API Management software is an integration layer that simplifies the API lifecycle. It helps enterprises keep internal and external developers and partners in sync with a centralized ... Read More about Bandwidth	Kong is API management software, that allows Web and Mobile applications to access data, content and functions published by 3rd party providers. Kong works with any Public or Private API as ... Read More about Kong
Entry Level Pricing	Not Available	Starts from $250
Free Trial Availability	Free Trial available	Free Trial available
Spotsaas Score What's this? ↗	9.2/10	9.3/10
User Ratings Based on verified Spotsaas reviews	4 (354)	4.2 (102)
Best Company Size	Medium BusinessLarge Enterprises	Medium BusinessLarge Enterprises
	Get pricing help	Get pricing help

Software Demo

Demo

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How do Bandwidth and Kong Compare on Features?

Total Features	7 Features	10 Features
Unique Features	No unique features	No unique features
	Get Quote	Get Quote

Compare Bandwidth and Kong on pricing

Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.

Pricing Option
Starting From	Not Available	$250
Pricing Plans	Not Available	Not Available
Pricing Page
	View detailed pricing	View detailed pricing

Other Details

Organization Types supported	Large Enterprises Medium Business Small Business Individuals Freelancers	Large Enterprises Medium Business Small Business Individuals Freelancers
Platforms Supported	Browser Based (Cloud) Mobile - Android Installed - Windows Installed - Mac Mobile - iOS Browser Based (Cloud)	Browser Based (Cloud) Mobile - Android Installed - Windows Installed - Mac Mobile - iOS Browser Based (Cloud)
Modes of support	24/7 (Live rep) Business Hours Online	24/7 (Live rep) Business Hours Online
API Support	Available	Available
	Get help choosing	Get help choosing

Security & Compliance

Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.

SOC 2	✓ Yes	✓ Yes
HIPAA	✓ Yes	—
GDPR	✓ Yes	✓ Yes
ISO 27001	✓ Yes	✓ Yes
Single Sign-On (SSO)	✓ Yes	✓ Yes
Multi-Factor Auth (MFA)	✓ Yes	✓ Yes
Data Encryption	✓ Yes	✓ Yes
Audit Logs	✓ Yes	✓ Yes
Data Residency	🌐 Global	🌐 Global

Bandwidth User Reviews & Rating Comparison

User Ratings	4 (based on 354 reviews)	4.2 (based on 102 reviews)
Rating Distribution	150 39 1 0 0	6 7 1 0 1
Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI	Buyer sentiment Overall positive sentiment highlights Bandwidth's ease of use, responsive support, and reliable API performance, with some concerns about feature limitations and rural coverage. What buyers like Ease of use Customer support responsiveness API functionality Common complaints Portal responsiveness Feature limitations	Buyer sentiment Overall positive sentiment highlights Kong's flexibility, strong community support, and extensibility, tempered by concerns over usability and interface performance. What buyers like Flexibility and versatility Community and documentation support Plugin architecture and extensibility Common complaints Complex and slow interface Lack of user-friendly UI for non-developers
Pros and Cons	Quick and responsive customer support with a dedicated team Easy-to-use portal enabling swift changes without IT intermediaries Outstanding, well-documented API functionality Portal responsiveness issues and inability to open links or DIDs in new tabs Lack of T.38 fax support limiting certain functionalities	Highly flexible and versatile with plugin-oriented architecture Strong documentation and active developer community Open source with built-in plugins enhancing extensibility Interface can be slow and intimidating for novice users Limited plugin development support for Python, Ruby, and JavaScript
Positive Reviews	No reviews available for the product	No reviews available for the product
	Read reviews	Read reviews

List of Customers

Customers	Google Rover Skype	Expedia Verifone WeWork

Media and Screenshots

Screenshots	1 Screenshots	2 Screenshots
Videos	2 Videos	1 Videos

Top Alternatives to Bandwidth and Kong in 2026

Alternatives	3scale 3.9 API Fortress 4 Fireapis	Akana Platform 4 3scale 3.9 Apigee Edge 4.1

Frequently asked questions

Which is better, Bandwidth or Kong?: Kong edges out the other on user ratings (4.2 vs 4.0). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
Do Bandwidth and Kong offer a free trial?: Yes, both Bandwidth and Kong offer a free trial.
What is the starting price of Bandwidth vs Kong?: Bandwidth starts at Contact for pricing. Kong starts at $250 /Month.
What are the top alternatives to Bandwidth?: Top alternatives to Bandwidth include 3scale, API Fortress, Fireapis, LinkApi, ChaseData CCaaS.
What are the top alternatives to Kong?: Top alternatives to Kong include Akana Platform, 3scale, Apigee Edge, WSO2 API Manager, Tyk API Management Platform.

Bandwidth vs Kong Comparison

Bandwidth

Kong

Bandwidth vs Kong — at a glance

Key differences between Bandwidth and Kong

Bandwidth vs Kong — find the better fit before you commit.

Bandwidth

Kong

Download this Bandwidth vs Kong comparison

Biggest differences

Description

Entry Level Pricing

Free Trial Availability

Spotsaas Score

User Ratings

Best Company Size

Software Demo

Demo

Get shortlist help from a software advisor

How big is your team?

How do Bandwidth and Kong Compare on Features?

Compare Bandwidth and Kong on pricing

Other Details

Organization Types supported

Platforms Supported

Modes of support

API Support

Security & Compliance

Bandwidth User Reviews & Rating Comparison

List of Customers

Customers

Media and Screenshots

Screenshots

Videos

Top Alternatives to Bandwidth and Kong in 2026

Related Blogs and Articles for Api Management Software

Frequently asked questions