# Kong vs trigger

> Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | Kong | trigger |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 81/100 ✓ | 76/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 19 in API Management | #7 of 32 in Workflow Automation |
| GitHub stars | 44 323 ✓ | 16 653 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +132 | +254 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 3 | 51 ✓ |
| Latest release | 3.9.4 · 12 Oct 2026 | v4.8.2 · 29 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Advanced ✓ | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Lua | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

Kong scores 81/100 against 76/100 for trigger, so it is the safer default.

trigger ships more often: 51 stable releases in the past year, against 3 for Kong.

## Details

- [Kong](https://selfhost.directory/project/kong) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/kong.md)
- [trigger](https://selfhost.directory/project/trigger) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/trigger.md)

## Related comparisons

- [Kong vs Traefik](https://selfhost.directory/compare/kong-vs-traefik)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/kong-vs-trigger