KongvsVert
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Kong | Vert | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 81/100 | 71/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 19 in API Management | #2 of 10 in File Conversion |
| GitHub stars | 44 319 | 16 174 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +128 | +541 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 3 | 0 |
| Latest release | 3.9.4 · 12 Oct 2026 | — |
| Setup | Advanced | Easy |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Lua | Typescript |
Which one should you pick?
Kong scores 81/100 against 71/100 for Vert, so it is the safer default.
Kong ships more often: 3 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for Vert.
If you want the quickest setup, Vert is easier to run; Kong needs more configuration.
Vert is growing faster right now (+541 stars in 30 days).
Swap a project
Keep Kong, compare it with
Keep Vert, compare it with