Layer7 API Management and Kong Gateway Enterprise compete in the API Management category. Layer7 has the edge with its extensive security features, while Kong stands out for its lightweight performance and plugin flexibility.
Features: Layer7 API Management offers strong security features including OAuth and access control, robust scalability, and content-based routing. Kong Gateway Enterprise is notable for its scalability, extensive plugin architecture, and ability to handle millions of requests efficiently.
Room for Improvement: Layer7 needs to enhance its UI and simplify documentation management; it also requires better token support integration. Kong's areas for improvement include intuitive customization and integration features and enhancing live API tracing capabilities.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Layer7 supports primarily on-premises and hybrid cloud deployments with responsive technical support, though post-acquisition feedback is mixed. Kong offers similar deployment options and fast support but is noted for its cost. Both have responsive but costly customer service.
Pricing and ROI: Layer7 is seen as expensive but valuable due to its comprehensive feature set. Kong's pricing is competitive, especially with its open-source model, benefiting startups. Both report ROI improvements in security and operational cost savings.
The technical support from Kong Gateway Enterprise would be rated about eight, as we missed local technical support.
Technical support is excellent, and I would rate them as ten.
The scalability of this solution would be rated about eight or nine.
All nodes communicate with one primary database, affecting connections and causing crashes under high load.
Without rebooting for ninety to one hundred eighty days, cache builds up in Linux boxes, causing memory utilization issues.
More plugins for additional integrations would be helpful and openness for traditional development languages, such as .NET, because many enterprises are looking for .NET solutions or incorporating with .NET solutions.
Broadcom's push for upgrades from version nine to ten, ten to 10.3, and onwards to twelve needs improvement in migration processes, especially with service dependencies.
Seeing other products makes the tool's pricing seem high.
The most valuable features of Kong Gateway Enterprise are its seamless integration with Kubernetes and cloud, many plugins that can be incorporated in a solution, and its incorporation with low-code function systems.
The flexibility to develop APIs for various platforms, from front-end applications to ATM machines, is valuable.
| Product | Market Share (%) |
|---|---|
| Kong Gateway Enterprise | 6.5% |
| Layer7 API Management | 2.4% |
| Other | 91.1% |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 8 |
| Large Enterprise | 19 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 23 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 13 |
| Large Enterprise | 84 |
Kong delivers a next generation API platform built for modern architectures. With a lightnight-fast, lightweight, and flexible core, Kong delivers sub-millisecond latency across all your services. Kong's is deployment-, vendor-, and pattern-agnostic, allowing you to run your services how you want, where you want, and with who you want - from baremetal to cloud, monolith to microservices, service mesh, and beyond.
Layer7 API Management is a comprehensive solution that enables organizations to securely expose, manage, and monetize their APIs.
It provides features such as API gateway, developer portal, analytics, and security to ensure seamless integration and control over API traffic.
With Layer7 API Management, businesses can streamline their API operations and drive innovation.
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