Kong vs Zuplo: API Gateways Comparison (2026)

Kong and Zuplo both offer API Gateway solutions with free tiers, but they differ significantly in their feature sets, pricing models, and target audiences. Kong provides a more comprehensive API management platform with extensive integrations and enterprise-grade features, while Zuplo focuses on a fully managed, edge-native gateway with a pay-per-request model.

AI Citation Scorecard

How often each is cited by major AI engines when buyers ask api gateways questions. Last 90 days across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, and Copilot.

Kong leads overall — 100% cited vs Zuplo 0% across 10 probes.

ChatGPT

KongLeads

1 / 1 probes

100%

Excellent

Zuplo

0 / 1 probes

Invisible

Perplexity

KongLeads

1 / 1 probes

100%

Excellent

Zuplo

0 / 1 probes

Invisible

Gemini

KongLeads

1 / 1 probes

100%

Excellent

Zuplo

0 / 1 probes

Invisible

Claude

KongLeads

1 / 1 probes

100%

Excellent

Zuplo

0 / 1 probes

Invisible

Copilot

KongLeads

1 / 1 probes

100%

Excellent

Zuplo

0 / 1 probes

Invisible

Scale:NoneLowFairStrongExcellent

Probes run hourly; each (engine × query) combo retests every ~3 days.

Pricing

Kong

Starting price

$12/user/month

Free tier

Yes

konghq.com ↗

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Zuplo

Starting price

$25/month

Free tier

Yes

zuplo.com ↗

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Key Features

Kong

✓API, protocol, and service support
✓Unlimited agents for agent-to-agent traffic
✓AI Observability with token-level tracking
✓Advanced analytics for up to 1M API requests
✓Developer portal support for 2 portals
✓Enterprise-grade security controls
✓Email support during trial
✓Unlimited access to plugins

Zuplo

✓Fully managed API gateway
✓100K requests/month free
✓Pay per request pricing
✓Edge-native and multi-cloud access

When to choose Kong

Kong is preferable for organizations requiring comprehensive API management with a broad range of features, extensive integrations, and enterprise-grade security. Its support for unlimited agents, advanced analytics up to 1M requests, and developer portal support for two portals cater to larger-scale and more complex API infrastructures. The availability of unlimited access to plugins also offers greater flexibility and customization.

When to choose Zuplo

Zuplo is a strong choice for users looking for a fully managed, edge-native API gateway with a simple pay-per-request pricing model and no per-seat fees. Its quick deployment time (under 60 seconds) and free tier accommodating 100K requests/month make it suitable for projects prioritizing ease of use, cost-effectiveness based on usage, and rapid setup, especially for those not requiring a vast array of integrations or advanced features beyond the core gateway functionalities.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the key differences in core features between Kong and Zuplo?

Kong offers extensive API, protocol, and service support, unlimited agents for agent-to-agent traffic, AI Observability with token-level tracking, advanced analytics for up to 1M API requests, and developer portal support for 2 portals. Zuplo provides a fully managed API gateway, 100K requests/month free, pay-per-request pricing, and edge-native and multi-cloud access.

How do the pricing models of Kong and Zuplo compare?

Kong's starting price is $12/user/month, with a free tier. Zuplo's starting price is $25/month, also with a free tier that includes 100K requests/month. Zuplo uses a pay-per-request pricing model. Kong's pricing structure can be complex, and some features are only available in higher plans, with custom pricing for enterprise. Zuplo also has custom pricing for enterprise, but emphasizes no per-seat fees.

What are the differences in integrations offered by Kong and Zuplo?

Kong lists integrations with AWS, Azure, GCP, Git, Slack, Zendesk, Hashicorp, and SOC2. Zuplo does not list specific integrations.

What kind of support is offered by each platform?

Kong offers email support during trial and robust support for enterprise. Zuplo does not specify its support options.