KrakenD
Barcelona-registered stateless, database-free open-source API gateway with an Enterprise Edition
Quick Overview
| Company | KRAKEND, S.L.U. |
|---|---|
| Category | API Management |
| Headquarters | Barcelona, Spain |
| EU Presence | EU (Spain) |
| Data Location | Self-hosted, runs in your own infrastructure |
| Open Source | Yes |
| Compliance | Enterprise Edition supports FIPS compliance |
| Pricing | Community Edition free (Apache 2.0) / Enterprise Edition quoted on request, not tied to number of APIs or throughput |
| Free Option | Free Community Edition |
| Replaces | Kong, Apigee, AWS API Gateway |
Detailed Review
KrakenD is a gateway for teams that would rather configure than operate. Fully self-hosted and stateless, it needs no database, so scaling is a matter of adding instances with no single point of failure. The Community Edition is free under Apache 2.0 and covers routing, rate limiting and the Backend for Frontend pattern, where one endpoint aggregates several backend services.
Transformations use JMESPath or full request and response manipulation, and the gateway can expose gRPC and WebSockets and convert legacy SOAP services into JSON APIs. KrakenD 3.0 adds an AI Router and semantic cache, and a separate AI Gateway handles LLM routing, prompt guardrails and token budgets.
KRAKEND, S.L.U. is registered in Barcelona. The Enterprise Edition adds FIPS compliance, multiple identity providers and direct support from the core engineers, priced independently of the number of APIs or throughput, with no published amount. The product pages describe a gateway, not a developer portal or billing layer.
What KrakenD does well
- Stateless, no database, scales out without a single point of failure
- Community Edition free under Apache 2.0
- Aggregation, transformation, gRPC, WebSockets and SOAP conversion
- Enterprise price not tied to number of APIs or throughput
- Registered in Barcelona under Spanish law
Where KrakenD falls short
- Enterprise pricing is not published
- Product pages describe a gateway, not a developer portal or billing
- Configuration-driven, which suits engineers more than business users
- No analyst recognition cited on its product pages
Standout feature. A gateway with no database to run: scaling is adding instances, and the full core ships free under Apache 2.0.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Stateless, no database, scales out without a single point of failure
- Community Edition free under Apache 2.0
- Aggregation, transformation, gRPC, WebSockets and SOAP conversion
- Enterprise price not tied to number of APIs or throughput
- Registered in Barcelona under Spanish law
Cons
- Enterprise pricing is not published
- Product pages describe a gateway, not a developer portal or billing
- Configuration-driven, which suits engineers more than business users
- No analyst recognition cited on its product pages
Alternatives to KrakenD
Frequently Asked Questions
What is KrakenD?
KrakenD is a gateway for teams that would rather configure than operate. Fully self-hosted and stateless, it needs no database, so scaling is a matter of adding instances with no single point of failure. The Community Edition is free under Apache 2.0 and covers routing, rate limiting and the Backend for Frontend pattern, where one endpoint aggregates several backend services.
Where is KrakenD based?
KrakenD operates from Barcelona, Spain, which places it under EU (Spain). Compliance: Enterprise Edition supports FIPS compliance.
What does KrakenD cost?
Community Edition free (Apache 2.0) / Enterprise Edition quoted on request, not tied to number of APIs or throughput. Free Community Edition.
Who is KrakenD best for?
Engineering teams wanting a fast, stateless open-source gateway. A gateway with no database to run: scaling is adding instances, and the full core ships free under Apache 2.0.
What are the drawbacks of KrakenD?
Enterprise pricing is not published. Product pages describe a gateway, not a developer portal or billing. Configuration-driven, which suits engineers more than business users. No analyst recognition cited on its product pages.
Is KrakenD a good alternative to Kong?
KrakenD is built as a European alternative to Kong: Barcelona-registered stateless, database-free open-source API gateway with an Enterprise Edition. It will not be a like-for-like feature match in every respect, so check the review above for where the two genuinely differ before switching.
How does KrakenD compare to other API Management tools?
KrakenD is one of several European API Management tools we cover. It is most often compared with Kong, Apigee, AWS API Gateway.