Kong
Supabase
| Feature | Kong | Supabase |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $0.05/mo | Free / from $25/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.7 / 5 |
| Best For | platform-engineers, microservices-teams, api-gateway-users, devops-teams | developers, startups, indie-hackers, full-stack-teams |
| Founded | 2010 | 2020 |
| Api Gateway | ✓ | ✗ |
| Service Mesh | ✓ | ✗ |
| Load Balancing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Authentication | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rate Limiting | ✓ | ✗ |
| Plugins | ✓ | ✗ |
| Observability | ✓ | ✗ |
| Kubernetes Ingress | ✓ | ✗ |
| Postgres Database | ✗ | ✓ |
| Edge Functions | ✗ | ✓ |
| Real Time | ✗ | ✓ |
| Storage | ✗ | ✓ |
| Vector Embeddings | ✗ | ✓ |
| Self Hosting | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Kong Pros
- Open-source core with large plugin ecosystem
- Sub-millisecond latency for API requests
- Platform-agnostic deployment (cloud, on-prem, hybrid)
- Strong Kubernetes-native support
✗ Kong Cons
- Enterprise features require paid license
- Configuration complexity for advanced setups
- Documentation could be more beginner-friendly
✓ Supabase Pros
- Full Postgres with SQL access
- Generous free tier (500MB, 50K monthly active users)
- Auth, storage, and edge functions included
- Open-source and self-hostable
✗ Supabase Cons
- Can be complex for non-developers
- Pauses inactive free projects after 7 days
- Real-time can be expensive at scale
The Verdict
Kong is built for platform engineers and microservices teams, with a focus on api-gateway and service-mesh. Supabase targets developers and startups and leads with postgres-database and authentication.
On pricing, Kong is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $0.05/mo compared to $25/mo for Supabase. That $24.95/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Supabase edges out on user ratings (4.7 vs 4.3). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Feature-wise, Kong offers broader built-in capabilities (8 features vs 7), while Supabase takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Bottom line: Supabase has a slight overall edge — but if open-source core with large plugin ecosystem matters most to you, Kong may still be the right call.