Kong Gateway vs Postman
Updated June 2026 · A structured head-to-head comparison.
Cloud-native API gateway and management
The verdict
Both Kong Gateway and Postman are credible api tools tools, and the right pick comes down to your priorities.
Kong Gateway — Cloud-native API gateway and management
Postman — The collaborative platform for API development.
Kong Gateway vs Postman: side by side
| Dimension | Kong Gateway | Postman |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | Free – $14/user/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | Open source | Freemium |
| Best for | Developers, Platform Engineers | Developers, Api Teams |
| Platforms | Self Hosted, Web, Api | Web, Windows, Mac, Linux |
| Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.6/5 |
Kong Gateway key facts
- Vendor
- Kong
- Pricing
- Open source — Free
- Free tier
- Yes
- Platforms
- Self Hosted, Web, Api
- Best for
- Developers, Platform Engineers
- Editor rating
- 4.4 / 5
- Founded
- 2009
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, USA
Postman key facts
- Vendor
- Postman
- Pricing
- Freemium — Free – $14/user/mo
- Free tier
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web, Windows, Mac, Linux
- Best for
- Developers, Api Teams
- Editor rating
- 4.6 / 5
- Founded
- 2014
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, CA, USA
Frequently asked questions
Is Kong Gateway better than Postman?
Neither is universally better — Postman edges ahead on overall rating, but the best choice depends on price, platforms, and your use case. See the side-by-side table above.
Is Kong Gateway or Postman cheaper?
Kong Gateway is the more affordable of the two to get started, at free. Kong Gateway starts at free; Postman starts at free – $14/user/mo.
Can Kong Gateway replace Postman?
Yes for most teams — both are api tools tools with heavily overlapping features. The main trade-offs are pricing and platform support, covered in the comparison above.