Custom API Gateway vs Kong

Developers should use a custom API gateway when they require fine-grained control over API management, need to integrate with unique legacy systems, or have specific performance, security, or compliance requirements not met by commercial products meets developers should learn kong when building or managing microservices-based applications that require scalable api management, security, and observability. Here's our take.

Custom API Gateway

Nice Pick

Developers should use a custom API gateway when they require fine-grained control over API management, need to integrate with unique legacy systems, or have specific performance, security, or compliance requirements not met by commercial products

Pros

• It is ideal for large-scale microservices architectures, where custom logic for routing, caching, or monitoring is essential, or in environments with strict data governance
• Related to: microservices, api-design

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Kong

Developers should learn Kong when building or managing microservices-based applications that require scalable API management, security, and observability

Pros

• It is particularly useful in distributed systems where multiple services need unified access control, traffic routing, and performance monitoring, such as in e-commerce platforms or SaaS products
• Related to: api-gateway, microservices

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. Custom API Gateway is a tool while Kong is a platform. We picked Custom API Gateway based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

Custom API Gateway wins

Based on overall popularity. Custom API Gateway is more widely used, but Kong excels in its own space.