Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 27, 2025
Microsoft Azure API Management and Kong Gateway Enterprise compete in the API management category. Azure holds an advantage due to its strong integration capabilities, while Kong excels in customization and performance efficiency.
Features: Microsoft Azure API Management offers seamless integration within the Microsoft ecosystem, strong support for Azure Active Directory, and extensive monitoring capabilities. Kong Gateway Enterprise provides a lightweight performance benefit, a powerful plugin architecture, and customization options via Lua scripts.
Room for Improvement: Azure users request enhancements in API versioning, multi-tenant support, and integration with third-party solutions, citing limits in cloud-only deployment. Kong requires better support documentation, simplified pricing, and more user-friendly interfaces.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Azure is favored for its hybrid cloud deployment ease due to its integration with Azure services but needs improved customer support responsiveness. Kong, while strong in hybrid and private cloud deployments, scores lower in technical support and ease of contacting assistance.
Pricing and ROI: Azure's pricing is aligned with its rich features, but premium tiers and security costs are considered high. Azure's pay-as-you-go model is competitive, especially against Apigee. Kong, with its open-source base, provides affordable entry points, though enterprise licensing can be costly in some regions. Azure offers strong ROI in fast integration lead time, whereas Kong provides cost-effective solutions suitable for startups.
