Kong vs Azure API Management: API Gateway Compared (2026)
By API7.ai Team
Last updated: June 2026
Kong and Azure API Management take different paths to the same job: managing and securing APIs. Kong is a self-managed gateway you run anywhere; Azure API Management is a fully managed Azure PaaS. This guide compares architecture, deployment, extensibility, security, observability, and pricing so you can pick the right fit.
Kong is a self-managed API gateway (NGINX/OpenResty, PostgreSQL or DB-less) you can run on any cloud or on-prem with a plugin ecosystem. Azure API Management is a fully managed PaaS whose control plane lives in Azure, with deep Microsoft Entra ID and Azure Monitor integration. The choice comes down to self-managed portability versus an Azure-native managed experience.
- Self-managed gateway across clouds or on-prem: Kong
- Azure-standardized teams wanting a managed platform: Azure API Management
- Hybrid APIs governed from a single Azure control plane: Azure API Management (self-hosted gateway)
Kong vs Azure API Management at a glance
Kong leads on self-managed portability and a plugin ecosystem you run anywhere; Azure API Management leads on a fully managed, Azure-native experience with first-class identity and monitoring integration.
| Dimension | Kong | Azure API Management |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Self-managed gateway across any cloud or on-prem | Azure-native, fully managed API platform |
| Delivery model | Self-managed software (NGINX/OpenResty) or Konnect SaaS | Fully managed PaaS; control plane in Azure |
| Deployment | Any cloud, on-prem, hybrid, Kubernetes, Docker | Azure-hosted; self-hosted gateway for hybrid/multicloud |
| Extensibility | Plugin ecosystem (100+); custom plugins in several languages | Built-in XML/expression policies; no third-party plugin marketplace |
| Identity integration | JWT, OAuth2, API keys, ACLs (mTLS auth and OIDC in Enterprise) | ✓ Native Microsoft Entra ID + OAuth2/OIDC |
| Datastore | PostgreSQL or DB-less (Cassandra removed in 3.4) | Managed by Azure |
| License & pricing | Apache-2.0 core; Enterprise/Konnect by quote | Tier-based (Consumption per-call; Classic & V2 per-unit) |
What is Kong?
Kong is a self-managed API gateway built on NGINX/OpenResty with PostgreSQL or DB-less configuration and a plugin ecosystem for authentication, traffic control, and observability.
Kong is a self-managed API gateway built on NGINX/OpenResty (Lua). It persists configuration in PostgreSQL or runs DB-less from a declarative file, and extends through a plugin ecosystem (100+ on the Plugin Hub) for authentication, traffic control, and observability across any deployment.
Architecture
NGINX/OpenResty (Lua) + PostgreSQL or DB-less
License
Apache-2.0 core + Enterprise / Konnect
Best for
Self-managed gateway anywhere
Pros
- Runs on any cloud, on-prem, hybrid, or Kubernetes
- Mature plugin ecosystem (100+ on the Plugin Hub)
- Custom plugins in Lua, Go, Python, JavaScript, and WebAssembly
- Open-source core under Apache-2.0; optional Konnect SaaS control plane
Cons
- You operate and scale the gateway yourself (DB-less or PostgreSQL)
- OIDC, advanced rate limiting, and the dev portal are Enterprise-only
- No fixed public Enterprise price — quote-based
- Less turnkey than a fully managed cloud service
What is Azure API Management?
Azure API Management is a fully managed PaaS for the full API lifecycle — an Azure-hosted gateway, a management plane, and a developer portal — with native integration into Microsoft Entra ID and Azure Monitor.
Azure API Management is a fully managed, multicloud-capable PaaS for the full API lifecycle. It comprises an Azure-hosted gateway, a management (control) plane, and an open-source developer portal, and integrates natively with Microsoft Entra ID, Azure Monitor, and other Azure services.
Architecture
Managed PaaS; control plane in Azure
License
Proprietary (tier-based subscription)
Best for
Azure-native, fully managed API platform
Pros
- Fully managed — no gateway infrastructure to operate
- Native Microsoft Entra ID, Azure Monitor, and Azure DevOps integration
- Built-in customizable developer portal (open-source)
- Self-hosted gateway extends management to hybrid/multicloud
Cons
- Control plane always remains in Azure (vendor coupling)
- Self-hosted gateways need outbound connectivity to Azure
- Extensibility is policy-based; no third-party plugin marketplace
- Custom logic ties development to the Azure toolchain
Architecture: self-managed gateway vs managed PaaS
Kong is gateway software you deploy and operate; Azure API Management is a managed service where Microsoft runs the gateway, control plane, and portal, and you configure behavior through policies.
Kong runs as NGINX/OpenResty and stores its configuration in PostgreSQL, or runs DB-less from a declarative file — a model common for Kubernetes and GitOps. You own deployment, scaling, and upgrades, which gives you control over where and how the gateway runs. (Kong removed Cassandra support in Gateway 3.4, leaving PostgreSQL and the DB-less and hybrid models.)
Azure API Management is delivered as a platform-as-a-service. It is made up of an Azure-hosted gateway (data plane), a management plane (control plane), and an open-source developer portal, all managed by Microsoft by default. Instead of plugins, you change behavior through policy statements — sequential XML and policy-expression rules for tasks such as rate limiting, transformation, and authentication.
Deployment & cloud coupling
Kong runs anywhere with low cloud coupling; Azure API Management is Azure-centric, and even its self-hosted gateway keeps the control plane in Azure.
Kong is portable: the open-source core runs identically on any cloud, on-prem, in Docker, or on Kubernetes, and the optional Konnect SaaS provides a managed control plane while data planes stay in your infrastructure. The most valuable enterprise features still require a commercial license, but the runtime itself is not tied to a single provider.
Azure API Management supports hybrid and multicloud scenarios through its self-hosted gateway — a Linux container you can deploy to Kubernetes, on-premises, or other clouds to keep API traffic local. Per Microsoft’s documentation, however, the management plane always remains in Azure, and each self-hosted gateway needs outbound connectivity to Azure (port 443) to pull configuration roughly every 10 seconds and send telemetry — so Azure stays the control point.
Kong vs Azure API Management: feature comparison
Across architecture, deployment, extensibility, security, and observability, the two trade off self-managed portability against an Azure-native managed experience.
| Feature | Kong | Azure API Management |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | NGINX/OpenResty (Lua); PostgreSQL or DB-less; you operate the gateway | Managed PaaS: Azure-hosted gateway, management plane, and developer portal |
| Delivery & operations | Self-managed; optional Konnect SaaS control plane with self-hosted data planes | Fully managed by Microsoft; control plane always runs in Azure |
| Deployment models | Any cloud, on-prem, hybrid, Kubernetes, Docker | Azure regions; self-hosted gateway (Linux container) for on-prem/other clouds |
| Extensibility model | Plugin ecosystem (100+ on Plugin Hub); advanced plugins require Enterprise | Policy statements (XML + policy expressions); no third-party plugin marketplace |
| Custom logic | Lua (native), Go, Python, JavaScript via PDK; WebAssembly via Proxy-Wasm | C#-style policy expressions and Azure Functions; tied to the Azure toolchain |
| Security & auth | JWT, OAuth2, API keys, ACLs; mTLS auth and OIDC are Enterprise-only | Microsoft Entra ID, OAuth2/OIDC, subscription keys, client certs, IP filtering |
| Observability | Prometheus, OpenTelemetry, Grafana; some integrations are Enterprise | ✓ Azure Monitor, Application Insights, Log Analytics (Azure-native) |
| Developer portal | Dev Portal for API docs and onboarding (Enterprise) | ✓ Built-in, customizable, open-source developer portal |
| Config & CI/CD | decK declarative GitOps + Kong Ingress Controller; DB-less from a file | Azure portal, ARM/Bicep, Terraform provider, Azure DevOps; first-class on Azure |
| Cloud coupling | Low — open-source core runs anywhere; vendor controls Enterprise roadmap | High — control plane, portal, and telemetry are Azure-bound |
| License & pricing | Apache-2.0 core; Enterprise/Konnect priced by quote (contact sales) | Tier-based: Consumption (per execution); Classic & V2 (per provisioned unit) |
When to choose Kong vs Azure API Management
Choose Kong for a self-managed gateway you can run across clouds and on-prem; choose Azure API Management for a fully managed, Azure-native platform with built-in identity and monitoring.
Choose Kong if you…
- Want to self-manage the gateway across multiple clouds or on-prem
- Need a plugin ecosystem and custom plugins in several languages
- Prefer an open-source core and want to avoid binding to one cloud
Choose Azure API Management if you…
- Are standardized on Azure and want a fully managed gateway
- Need native Microsoft Entra ID, Azure Monitor, and DevOps integration
- Prefer policy-based configuration over operating gateway software
Bottom line: if you are standardized on Azure and want a managed gateway with native Microsoft Entra ID and Azure Monitor, Azure API Management is the natural fit; if you want to self-manage the gateway across multiple clouds or on-prem with an open-source core, Kong is the stronger choice. If you are weighing self-managed gateways more broadly, Apache APISIX is another open-source option worth a look — see Apache APISIX vs Kong.
Frequently asked questions
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