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F5 AI Gateway vs Kong Comparison

Last updated:

F5 AI Gateway

Starting at Contact for pricing

  • Small Business
  • Medium Business

F5 AI Gateway inspects and routes prompts and model responses in front of self-hosted and vendor-hosted models, applying rate limits, request and response filtering, and policy for sensitive data before traffic reaches a…

Kong

3.9(15 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…

Kong leads on user satisfaction with a 3.9-star rating across 15 reviews.

F5 AI Gateway vs Kong — at a glance

FeatureF5 AI GatewayKong
Rating—3.9 / 5
Reviews—15
Starting priceContact for pricing$250 /Month
Free trial No Yes
Free version No No
Best forSmall Business, Medium Business, Large EnterprisesLarge Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business
CategoryAI GatewaysAPI Management Software
PlatformsSaaS/Web/CloudSaaS/Web/Cloud
APIAvailableAvailable
Support modesOnlineOnline
Certifications—SOC 2, GDPR, ISO 27001
Data residency—Global

Key differences between F5 AI Gateway and Kong

  • Pricing: Kong starts at $250 /Month. F5 AI Gateway pricing is not publicly listed.
  • Free trial: Kong offers a free trial; F5 AI Gateway does not.
  • Target audience: F5 AI Gateway is built for Small Business and Medium Business, while Kong targets Large Enterprises and Medium Business.
  • Deployment: F5 AI Gateway supports SaaS/Web/Cloud; Kong supports SaaS/Web/Cloud.

F5 AI Gateway vs Kong — find the better fit before you commit.

01

Which tool fits your team best

02

Which is actually cheaper for your team size

03

Where each product wins, per real buyers

Most AI Gateways 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.

F5 AI Gateway logo
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Kong - API Management Software
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Talk to an expert

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F5 AI Gateway vs Kong: Biggest differences

Start here before you go deeper into features.

F5 AI Gateway

Best for

Small Business, Medium Business, Large Enterprises

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.

F5 AI Gateway typically suits Small Business and Medium Business. Kong tends to fit Large Enterprises and Medium Business better. The right choice depends on your team size, workflow, and whether a free trial matters.

Description

F5 AI Gateway inspects and routes prompts and model responses in front of self-hosted and vendor-hosted models, applying rate limits, request and response filtering, and policy for ... Read More about F5 AI Gateway

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

  • No free trial
  • Free Trial available

SpotScore

What's this? ↗

Not Available

9.3/10

User Ratings

Based on verified Spotsaas reviews

3.87

(15)

Best Company Size

—
Medium BusinessLarge Enterprises
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Software Demo

Demo

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How do F5 AI Gateway and Kong Compare on Features?

Total Features

4 Features

17 Features

Unique Features

No unique features

No unique features

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Get Quote

Compare F5 AI Gateway 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

      • Enterprise

        • Quoted by F5 sales

        • Self-hosted and hybrid deployment

        • Prompt and response policy

      • Not Available

      Pricing Page

      Pricing information not available

      Kong pricing

      F5 AI Gateway vs Kong: 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

      F5 AI Gateway vs Kong Security & Compliance

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

      SOC 2

      —
      ✓ Yes

      GDPR

      —
      ✓ Yes

      ISO 27001

      —
      ✓ Yes

      Single Sign-On (SSO)

      —
      ✓ Yes

      Multi-Factor Auth (MFA)

      —
      ✓ Yes

      Data Encryption

      —
      ✓ Yes

      Audit Logs

      —
      ✓ Yes

      Data Residency

      —
      🌐 Global

      F5 AI Gateway User Reviews & Rating Comparison

      User Ratings

      No reviews available for the product

      Rating Distribution

      No reviews available for this product

      6

      7

      1

      0

      1

      Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI

      No expert review available for this product

      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

      No pros or cons available for this product

      • 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

      Used F5 AI Gateway or Kong? Tell buyers what actually differs.

      F5 AI Gateway and Kong Customers

      Customers

      No Customers information available.

      Expedia

      Expedia

      Verifone

      Verifone

      WeWork

      WeWork

      Media and Screenshots

      Screenshots

      No screenshots available.

      Automatic Alerts

      2 Screenshots

      Videos

      No videos available.

      video-0

      1 Videos

      Top Alternatives to F5 AI Gateway and Kong in 2026

      Alternatives

      No Alternative products available.

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      Search by product name to compare pricing, fit, and buyer feedback in one view.

      Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].

      Frequently asked questions

      Which is better, F5 AI Gateway or Kong?
      Kong edges out the other on user ratings (3.9 vs 0.0). That said, the best pick depends on your use case, so use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
      Do F5 AI Gateway and Kong offer a free trial?
      Kong offers a free trial. F5 AI Gateway does not.
      What is the starting price of F5 AI Gateway vs Kong?
      F5 AI Gateway starts at Contact for pricing. Kong starts at $250 /Month.
      What are the top alternatives to Kong?
      Top alternatives to Kong include DreamFactory, Dell Boomi API Management, Apigee Edge, Akana Platform, MuleSoft Anypoint Platform.