Akana API Management vs IBM API Connect comparison

Perforce and IBM are both solutions in the API Management category. Perforce is ranked #27 with an average rating of 8.0, while IBM is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.1. Perforce holds a 0.6% mindshare in APIM, compared to IBM’s 6.5% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Perforce users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of IBM users who would recommend it.

Akana API Management

Read 3 Akana API Management reviews

1,110 Views
1,016 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

IBM API Connect

Read 75 IBM API Connect reviews

10,770 Views
8,108 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

Akana API Management

IBM API Connect

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Akana API Management and IBM API Connect based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two API Management solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.

To learn more, read our detailed Akana API Management vs. IBM API Connect Report (Updated: October 2024).

Buyer's Guide

Akana API Management vs. IBM API Connect

October 2024

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Categories and Ranking

Akana API Management

Ranking in API Management

27th

Average Rating

8.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

IBM API Connect

Ranking in API Management

5th

Average Rating

8.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) (8th)

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2024, in the API Management category, the mindshare of Akana API Management is 0.6%, down from 0.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM API Connect is 6.5%, up from 6.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

API Management

Featured Reviews

Saurav Krishna

Data Engineering and AI Intern at .3Lines Venture Capital

Dec 5, 2023

Authentication mechanism is easy to implement but improvement is needed in documentation

For API security purposes, we use the tool to host all our APIs. This allows us to take advantage of the security features provided by the platform. With the solution, we can implement rules such as rate limiting and restricting the number of API calls for each user. It acts as a secure gateway…

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Shanmugasundaram Shanmuganathan

Solutions Architect at Synechron

Jan 15, 2024

Offers basic API orchestration and provides robust security and governance features

While Azure API Management offers configurable scalability, IBM API Connect relies on Kubernetes clusters. This might seem manual and require defining cluster instances upfront, but it's completely customizable and not on-the-fly scaling. It's completely custom-driven, not on-the-fly scaling, which some may consider cumbersome. Overall, I would rate the scalability an eight out of ten. Almost all applications we've been exposing lately go through this middleware, so it's used extensively. There are around sixty applications directly using it, but six Kubernetes clusters serve those applications. It's heavily used for integration, including system-to-system integration and product integrations. Our usage has been increasing year-on-year based on our needs.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"Good interface, intuitive solution."

"It allowed us to publish and replace pre-essential transactions in one place, with a uniformity in terms of control and policies."

"The tool's authentication mechanism is easy to implement. We had to define a few parameters."

"The solution is very scalable because it's on the cloud."

"One of the most valuable features is the easy-to-use web interface."

"The ability for all of our web applications to share standard functions and documents easily is valuable."

"Policy configurations are pretty easy."

"The most valuable features of IBM API Connect are its performance and user-friendliness."

"One of the most valuable features of this solution is that it protects our backend system. We are exposing services to external parties and using this solution to protect the backend system, and to have a navigation in between."

"This is a very easy to use solution."

"This solution is ready to scale and already supports our agile CICD."

More IBM API Connect pros

Cons

"Akana API Management needs to improve its documentation."

"Lacks an integrated billing feature."

"The product has new features that we are going to implement in the next few months, such as API management and analytic reporting."

"The solution is overly complex."

"The solution could improve security and performance."

"Automation for our Domino applications could be improved."

"IBM API Connect could improve the security of the application and the integration."

"They seem to have left out a feature for microservices and also a certification module for OIDC."

"Documentation for the CLI is not very complete. Also, the support could be improved, and we have had several problems with backing up and restoring the product."

"In terms of what needs improvement, some of the product documentation could be better."

"Improving the documentation would be beneficial as it currently presents navigation challenges. Incorporating a step-by-step guide could facilitate the integration or migration of various systems, including databases. The existing documentation only comprises plain text, hence incorporating more interactive instructions could enhance its usefulness."

More IBM API Connect cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"For us, the pricing and licensing policies were for an on-premise installation with a fixed cost structure, that matched our budgeting policies."

"It is quite an expensive product."

"API Connect is expensive - I'd rate their pricing five out of ten."

"API Connect's license cost could be a little lower. But, unfortunately, there aren't many open-source API gateways. Ideally, some new developers could come up with a minimum-functionality open-source solution."

"Pricing for IBM API Connect varies, e.g. it could be subscription-based. Deploying it on private cloud also means you have to own most of the software licensing."

"It's an expensive product."

"It is expensive when compared to other products in this class. There were no extra fees for add-ons or technical support."

"API Connect is quite pricey."

"It is a pretty expensive tool."

More IBM API Connect pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

22%

Manufacturing Company

13%

Healthcare Company

11%

Computer Software Company

10%

Educational Organization

20%

Financial Services Firm

19%

Insurance Company

10%

Computer Software Company

10%

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Akana API Management?

The tool's authentication mechanism is easy to implement. We had to define a few parameters.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Akana API Management?

Akana API Management needs to improve its documentation.

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Akana API Management?

I rate Akana API Management an eight out of ten.

See all answers

What do you like most about IBM API Connect?

Publishers can easily identify, create, and publish APIs on the developer portal, defining plans, packages, and potentially billing rules.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM API Connect?

It is a pretty expensive tool. The tool is expensive if I consider how products like WSO2 are available in the market. You have pretty much many options in the open-source community, considering ho...

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What needs improvement with IBM API Connect?

The only downside where improvements are needed is probably on the licensing side. Scalability is an issue with IBM API Connect, making it an area where improvements are required.

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Comparisons

Apigee vs Akana API Management

Compared 36% of the time

MuleSoft API Manager vs Akana API Management

Compared 20% of the time

Amazon API Gateway vs Akana API Management

Compared 14% of the time

Microsoft Azure API Management vs Akana API Management

Compared 11% of the time

IBM DataPower Gateway vs Akana API Management

Compared 6% of the time

More Akana API Management Competitors

IBM DataPower Gateway vs IBM API Connect

Compared 24% of the time

Apigee vs IBM API Connect

Compared 23% of the time

Microsoft Azure API Management vs IBM API Connect

Compared 16% of the time

MuleSoft API Manager vs IBM API Connect

Compared 7% of the time

Amazon API Gateway vs IBM API Connect

Compared 6% of the time

More IBM API Connect Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

API Management

October 2024

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Buyer's Guide

IBM API Connect

October 2024

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Learn More

Perforce

IBM

Overview

Akana helps businesses accelerate digital transformation by securely extending their reach across multiple channels – mobile, cloud and Internet of Things. Akana enables enterprises to share data as APIs, connect and integrate applications, drive partner adoption, monetize their assets, and provide intelligent insights into their business and operations.

IBM API Connect facilitates API management and integration in the financial sector. Companies use it to expose, secure, and manage APIs for banking, insurance, and fintech, deploying it on-premises, in the cloud, or as a hybrid solution.

IBM API Connect focuses on creating and monetizing APIs while enabling seamless transactions and integration with third-party services. It is vital for compliance with regulations and enhances external communication among institutions. With deployment options suitable for different environments, it supports centralized gateway management, robust security features, and comprehensive API lifecycle management. Users benefit from powerful analytics, user-friendly interfaces, and high performance with capabilities in message transformation and efficient monitoring.

What are the most important features?

Centralized Gateway: Manages all APIs through a single entry point.
Robust Security: Ensures API protection with advanced security measures.
Comprehensive API Lifecycle Management: Covers creation, deployment, and retirement of APIs.
User-Friendly Interface: Simplifies API creation and management tasks.
Powerful Analytics: Provides insights into API usage and performance.
Seamless Integration: Connects easily with third-party services and internal systems.
Flexible Deployment Options: Supports on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments.
High Performance: Optimizes API performance and reduces latency.
Message Transformation: Manipulates and formats messages between different systems.
Visualization Tools: Enables clear and detailed views of API usage statistics.

What benefits or ROI should users look for?

API Monetization: Generates additional revenue streams from APIs.
Enhanced Compliance: Ensures adherence to industry regulations and standards.
Improved External Communication: Facilitates integration and communication among financial institutions.
Technical Support: Benefit from reliable customer support and easy configuration.
Deployment Flexibility: Choose from on-premises, cloud, or hybrid options.

IBM API Connect is extensively implemented in the financial sector, enabling banking, insurance, and fintech services to manage APIs efficiently. Companies use it to ensure secure transactions, integration with third-party services, and compliance with regulatory standards. Its deployment flexibility accommodates different infrastructure needs, making it suitable for a wide range of financial applications.

Sample Customers

British American Tobacco, Credit Suisse, Daimler, eBay, FOX, Liberty Mutual, Marriott, Mayo Clinic, Skandia, Tata communications

Heineken, Tine, Finologee, Axis Bank

Buyer's Guide

Akana API Management vs. IBM API Connect

October 2024

Free Report: Akana API Management vs. IBM API Connect

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