Runbeam vs Kong
Comparing Kong Gateway's API management approach with Runbeam's distributed proxy architecture for secure data exchange
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Runbeam | Kong |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Healthcare interoperability | API gateway & management |
| Healthcare Protocols | ✓ FHIR, DICOM (HL7 v2 coming soon) | Plugins + custom development |
| Protocol transforms | ✓ Native (e.g. FHIR ↔ DICOM) | Requires custom plugins |
| Architecture | Distributed proxies + centralised orchestration | Gateway-centric API management |
| Data Sovereignty | ✓ Built-in | Custom implementation |
| Plugin Ecosystem | Healthcare-focused | Extensive general-purpose |
| Deployment Model | Behind-the-firewall proxies | Traditional gateway pattern |
| HTTP/3 (QUIC) Support | ✓ Supported (HTTP/3 + TLS 1.3) | Varies by Kong Gateway deployment/runtime |
| Cross-site connectivity | ✓ JWT-based Data Mesh authentication | Typically handled outside the gateway (network/VPN) |
| Federated data meshes | ✓ Supported | Not supported |
| Service mesh (microservices) | Not a service mesh | Available via Kong Mesh (separate product) |
| Rate Limiting | Basic | Advanced throttling strategies |
| AI gateway capabilities | Not a focus | Available in Kong ecosystem (product-dependent) |
Choose Runbeam For
Healthcare Protocol Integration
Healthcare-first protocol support for FHIR and DICOM with configuration-driven transformations (HL7 v2 coming soon)
- FHIR and DICOM handled as first-class protocols
- HL7 v2 support is on the roadmap (coming soon)
- Transformation rules are configuration-first and version control friendly
- Designed for regulated environments that need traceability and policy enforcement
Distributed Proxy Architecture
Deploy local proxies behind the firewall and connect environments using explicit, authenticated ingress/egress policies
- Keep integration traffic close to the systems it serves
- JWT-based mutual authentication for cross-site connectivity (Data Mesh)
- Federated Data Mesh support for partner and cross-team topologies
- Optional HTTP/3 (QUIC) endpoints for modern transport
- Avoid central chokepoints for multi-site integrations
Compliance and governance controls
Design for regulated environments with policy enforcement and controlled data movement
- Privacy-aware transformations and filtering
- Explicit routing rules to control where data can go
- Audit-friendly configuration and change management
- Governance patterns that fit regulated workflows
Choose Kong For
General API Management
Comprehensive API gateway with extensive plugin ecosystem for various scenarios
- Extensive plugin ecosystem
- OAuth2, JWT, API key authentication
- Comprehensive logging and analytics
- Service discovery and governance
Microservices Traffic Management
Advanced traffic management for cloud-native microservices architectures
- Canary deployments and A/B testing
- Service mesh observability
- Sophisticated rate limiting
- Load balancing strategies
AI/LLM Integration
Specialized AI Gateway capabilities for managing AI service connections
- LLM routing across providers
- Cost management through caching
- Token usage monitoring
- Multi-provider AI orchestration
Use Case Comparison
Healthcare Interoperability Network
Multi-facility healthcare network needing FHIR-based data sharing with strict data residency requirements
Deploy local Harmony proxies at each facility, configure FHIR endpoints with native support, enable secure mesh connectivity with built-in compliance
Deploy Kong Gateway for API management, then implement healthcare-specific protocol handling (FHIR/HL7/DICOM) and governance controls via custom development and operational tooling
General Microservices API Gateway
Cloud-native application requiring API management, rate limiting, and service mesh capabilities
Basic API routing and authentication, limited plugin ecosystem, not optimized for general microservices
Full-featured API gateway with plugins, advanced rate limiting, comprehensive monitoring, service mesh integration
Pricing Comparison
Runbeam
- Harmony proxy core: Open-source (free)
- Healthcare-focused pricing model
- Container deployment on existing infrastructure
- Predictable per-site pricing
Kong
- Kong Gateway: Open-source available
- Kong Enterprise: Premium features and support
- Plugin marketplace with various pricing
- Self-hosted or managed options
Kong offers open-source option for general API management. Runbeam provides specialized healthcare value with native protocol support.
Need healthcare protocol support?
If FHIR/HL7/DICOM support and behind-the-firewall deployments are core requirements, Runbeam is designed around those constraints.