Which is better, Kong or 3scale?

Kong edges out 3scale based on user ratings across 102 reviews. That said, the best pick depends on your workflow — 3scale may be a stronger fit for specific team sizes or use cases. Review the full comparison to decide.

What are the main differences between Kong and 3scale?

Key differences between Kong and 3scale include pricing (Kong starts at $250 vs 3scale at $750). Use the Spotsaas comparison table to evaluate each dimension before deciding.

Do both Kong and 3scale offer a Free trial?

Yes, both Kong and 3scale offer a Free Trial.

Who are the typical users of Kong?

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

Who are the typical users of 3scale?

3scale is designed for Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business.

What is the starting price of Kong and 3scale?

Pricing for Kong starts at $250/Month, whereas 3scale starts at $750/Month.

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.

What are the best alternatives to 3scale?

Some top alternatives to 3scale include Akana Platform, Apigee Edge, IBM API Connect, Kong, MuleSoft Anypoint Platform.

Kong vs 3scale Comparison

Last updated: May 22, 2026

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

3scale

3.9(10 reviews)

Starting at $750 /Month

Free Trial
Large Enterprises
Medium Business

3scale API Management Software enables businesses to easily manage APIs, providing a complete toolset for publishing, managing and monetizing APIs. 3scale provides a complete toolset for publishing, managing and monetizi…

View Pricing Read Reviews

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

SpotSaaS Analysis

Kong3scale

The core difference between Kong and 3scale lies in Kong's focus on customizable API gateway solutions for developers, while 3scale offers a comprehensive API lifecycle management and monetization platform. Kong is ideal for teams with strong technical expertise, whereas 3scale suits organizations looking for a complete API management solution with monetization capabilities.

- Best for enterprises needing flexible API management - Highly customizable with plugin-oriented architecture - Ideal for API developers and DevOps teams - Suitable for medium to large businesses - Focuses on extensibility and developer engagement - Price: $250

- Best for comprehensive API management and monetization - Offers full API lifecycle toolset - Ideal for medium to large enterprises - Designed for organizations with dedicated API product managers - Focuses on publishing, management, and monetization - Price: $750

Kong vs 3scale — at a glance

Feature	Kong	3scale
Rating	4.2 / 5	3.9 / 5
Reviews	102	10
Starting price	$250 /Month	$750 /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	—
Support modes	Online	Business Hours, Online
Certifications	SOC 2, GDPR, ISO 27001	SOC 2, GDPR, ISO 27001
Data residency	Global	Global

Key differences between Kong and 3scale

Pricing: Kong starts at $250 /Month, while 3scale starts at $750 /Month.
User satisfaction: Kong scores higher with a 4.2-star average.
Deployment: Kong supports SaaS/Web/Cloud; 3scale supports SaaS/Web/Cloud.

Kong vs 3scale — 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

	Kong (15) Talk to an expert Talk to an expert	3scale (2) Talk to an expert Talk to an expert

Biggest differences

Affiliate Disclosure

Start here before you go deeper into features.

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.

3scale

Best for medium to large enterprises needing comprehensive API management and monetization.

Choose if

You require a full API lifecycle toolset including publishing, management, and monetization.
Your organization is medium-sized or larger with dedicated API product managers and developer teams.
You want flexible subscription options and a free trial to evaluate before committing.

Consider alternatives if

You are a startup or very small business with limited API management needs.
You need highly customizable or niche API management features or simpler setup.

Kong: Best for enterprises needing flexible, extensible API management with strong developer focus. 3scale: Best for medium to large enterprises needing comprehensive API management and monetization.

Description	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	3scale API Management Software enables businesses to easily manage APIs, providing a complete toolset for publishing, managing and monetizing APIs. 3scale provides a complete toolset for ... Read More about 3scale
Entry Level Pricing	Starts from $250	Starts from $750
Free Trial Availability	Free Trial available	Free Trial available
Spotsaas Score What's this? ↗	9.3/10	8.7/10
User Ratings Based on verified Spotsaas reviews	4.2 (102)	3.9 (10)
Best Company Size	Medium BusinessLarge Enterprises	Medium BusinessLarge Enterprises
	Get pricing help	Get pricing help

Software Demo

Demo

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Share your priorities, budget, and team needs, and we’ll help you narrow the options and understand the tradeoffs before you talk to vendors.

How do Kong and 3scale Compare on Features?

Total Features	10 Features	9 Features
Unique Features	No unique features	No unique features
	Get Quote	Get Quote

Compare Kong and 3scale 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	$250	$750
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	Not Available
	Get help choosing	Get help choosing

Security & Compliance

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

SOC 2	✓ Yes	✓ 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

Kong User Reviews & Rating Comparison

User Ratings	4.2 (based on 102 reviews)	3.9 (based on 10 reviews)
Rating Distribution	6 7 1 0 1	1 0 1 0 0
Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI	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	Buyer sentiment User sentiment is mixed with appreciation for comprehensive features but concerns about pricing transparency and complexity. What buyers like Feature completeness Flexibility Support for monetization Common complaints Pricing opacity Complexity of setup
Pros and Cons	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	Comprehensive API management toolset covering publishing, management, and monetization Supports multiple business sizes from medium to large enterprises Offers free trial allowing evaluation before purchase Limited publicly available pricing information complicates budgeting Relatively low rating (3.9) with few reviews indicating mixed user satisfaction
Positive Reviews	No reviews available for the product	No reviews available for the product
	Read reviews	Read reviews

List of Customers

Customers	Expedia Verifone WeWork	No Customers information available.

Media and Screenshots

Screenshots	2 Screenshots	No screenshots available.
Videos	1 Videos	1 Videos

Top Alternatives to Kong and 3scale in 2026

Alternatives	Akana Platform 4 3scale 3.9 Apigee Edge 4.1	Akana Platform 4 Apigee Edge 4.1 IBM API Connect 3.2

Frequently asked questions

Which is better, Kong or 3scale?: Kong edges out the other on user ratings (4.2 vs 3.9). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
Do Kong and 3scale offer a free trial?: Yes, both Kong and 3scale offer a free trial.
What is the starting price of Kong vs 3scale?: Kong starts at $250 /Month. 3scale starts at $750 /Month.
What are the top alternatives to Kong?: Top alternatives to Kong include Akana Platform, 3scale, Apigee Edge, WSO2 API Manager, Tyk API Management Platform.
What are the top alternatives to 3scale?: Top alternatives to 3scale include Akana Platform, Apigee Edge, IBM API Connect, Kong, MuleSoft Anypoint Platform.

Kong vs 3scale Comparison

Kong

3scale

Kong vs 3scale — at a glance

Key differences between Kong and 3scale

Kong vs 3scale — find the better fit before you commit.

Kong

3scale

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 do Kong and 3scale Compare on Features?

Compare Kong and 3scale on pricing

Other Details

Organization Types supported

Platforms Supported

Modes of support

API Support

Security & Compliance

Kong User Reviews & Rating Comparison

List of Customers

Customers

Media and Screenshots

Screenshots

Videos

Top Alternatives to Kong and 3scale in 2026

Related Blogs and Articles for Api Management Software

Frequently asked questions