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Software · head to head

Akana vs Freshdesk

Akana logo

Akana

Software

Enterprise API lifecycle management platform

From
$2500/monthly
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Freshdesk logo

Freshdesk

Software

Delight your customers, effortlessly

From
$19/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Akana owned by Perforce and sold within their portfolio rather than independently, and akana.com redirects to perforce.com; Freshdesk growth tier lacks multilingual helpdesk and custom reporting dashboards
  • They diverge on capability: Akana covers API Lifecycle Management, Freshdesk covers Ticketing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Akana and Freshdesk actually diverge.

Attributes where Akana and Freshdesk differ
AttributeAkanaFreshdesk
Starting price$2500/monthly$19/month
PlatformsCloud, On-premise, HybridWeb
Founded20012010

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Akana

  • API Lifecycle Management
  • API Security
  • Governance Controls
  • OAuth
  • SAML
  • LDAP
  • Active Directory
  • Cloud support

Only in Freshdesk

  • Ticketing
  • Automation
  • Self-service
  • Team collaboration
  • Multi-channel support
  • SLA management
  • Reporting
  • Mobile apps

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Akana

  • API lifecycle management across REST, SOAP and GraphQLnot Freshdesk
  • Applying OAuth, JWT and SAML policies at the gatewaynot Freshdesk
  • Running the same platform on-premises, in Kubernetes or across cloudsnot Freshdesk
  • Developer portal and API monetisationnot Freshdesk
  • Monitoring API traffic and enforcing quotasnot Freshdesk

Freshdesk

  • Help desk and ticketing systemnot Akana
  • Customer support portal and knowledge basenot Akana
  • Multi-channel support coordinationnot Akana
  • AI-assisted support agent interactionnot Akana

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Akana

  • Owned by Perforce and sold within their portfolio rather than independently, and akana.com redirects to perforce.com
  • Pricing is not published; only a 30 day trial is offered

Freshdesk

  • Growth tier lacks multilingual helpdesk and custom reporting dashboards
  • Skill-based routing available only on Enterprise tier
  • Freddy AI Copilot requires separate £29/agent/month add-on on Pro and Enterprise plans
  • AI agent sessions charged beyond initial 500 sessions: £49 per additional 100 sessions
  • Day passes for non-agents vary by tier: £2 (Growth), £7 (Pro), £12 (Enterprise)

Pricing, plan by plan

Akana

$2500/monthly
  • Professional$2500/monthly
    • API Gateway
    • Developer Portal
    • Basic analytics
  • Enterprise$5000/monthly
    • Advanced governance
    • Multi-cloud support
    • Premium support
  • Custom$undefined/monthly
    • Custom solutions
    • Dedicated support
    • SLA guarantee

Freshdesk

$19/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Freshdesk review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Akana if

  • You need api lifecycle management.
  • You work on Cloud, On-premise, Hybrid.
  • You also want api security.
Akana review

Choose Freshdesk if

  • You need ticketing.
  • You also want automation.
Freshdesk review

Questions people ask

Is Akana or Freshdesk better?
Neither clearly leads. Akana starts at $2500/monthly and Freshdesk at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Akana or Freshdesk?
Akana starts at $2500/monthly and Freshdesk at $19/month.
Does Akana or Freshdesk run on more platforms?
Akana runs on Cloud, On-premise, Hybrid. Freshdesk runs on Web.
What is Akana best used for?
Akana is most often used for api lifecycle management across rest, soap and graphql, applying oauth, jwt and saml policies at the gateway, running the same platform on-premises, in kubernetes or across clouds, developer portal and api monetisation. Of those, api lifecycle management across rest, soap and graphql and applying oauth, jwt and saml policies at the gateway are not what Freshdesk is typically brought in for.
What can Akana do that Freshdesk cannot?
Akana covers API Lifecycle Management, API Security, Governance Controls, OAuth. Freshdesk covers Ticketing, Automation, Self-service, Team collaboration.
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