Kong Rate Limiting is $250/mo (Kong Plus). Cutoff is a self-hosted alternative at $0.99/mo. Here's when each makes sense.
| Cutoff | Kong Rate Limiting | |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Self-hosted, your infra | Kong OSS is self-hostable but advanced features need paid license |
| Data location | Your server, your disk | Your server (if self-hosted) |
| Free tier | 3 rules | Paid only |
| Pro pricing | $0.99/mo | $250/mo (Kong Plus) |
| Dependencies | None (single binary + SQLite) | Docker, Postgres, etc. |
| Setup time | ~30 seconds | 15-30 minutes (self-host) |
| Dashboard | Built-in at /ui | Web UI |
| License | BSL 1.1 | Open source |
Cutoff is a single Go binary with embedded SQLite. Install it with one command, and you are running in under a minute. Your data stays on your server.
curl -fsSL https://stockyard.dev/cutoff/install.sh | sh
Before choosing between Cutoff and Kong Rate Limiting, consider what happens when you need to leave. Kong Rate Limiting exports vary in completeness — some fields, some history, some metadata may not come with you. Cutoff stores everything in a single SQLite file. Leaving means copying that file. This is not a hypothetical concern: the average team changes tools every 18 to 24 months.
The operational difference is significant. Kong Rate Limiting requires you to trust their infrastructure, their security practices, and their business continuity. Cutoff requires you to run a process and keep the data directory backed up. If your server dies, restore the binary and the SQLite file to a new server. The entire recovery procedure fits in a single paragraph because there is nothing else involved.
Both Cutoff and Kong Rate Limiting offer self-hosted options, but the operational requirements differ. Kong OSS is self-hostable but advanced features need paid license Cutoff is a single binary with embedded SQLite — no containers, no external databases, no orchestration. The practical difference: Cutoff runs on a $5 VPS with no configuration. Self-hosting Kong Rate Limiting typically requires a more substantial infrastructure investment.
The migration path from Kong Rate Limiting depends on how much history you need to bring over. If you only need active records, a manual re-entry through Cutoff's dashboard might be faster than writing a migration script. If you need full history, export from Kong Rate Limiting and use Cutoff's POST API to import records. Either way, the process is measured in hours, not weeks.
Single binary. Free to start. $0.99/mo for Pro.