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Software · head to head

Akana vs Freshworks Customer Service Suite

Akana logo

Akana

Software

Enterprise API lifecycle management platform

From
$2500/monthly
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Freshworks Customer Service Suite logo

Freshworks Customer Service Suite

Software

Unified customer service powered by AI

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Freshworks Customer Service Suite has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Akana owned by Perforce and sold within their portfolio rather than independently, and akana.com redirects to perforce.com; Freshworks Customer Service Suite separate products for support, chat, and CRM create context fragmentation between teams
  • They diverge on capability: Akana covers API Lifecycle Management, Freshworks Customer Service Suite covers Unified inbox.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Akana and Freshworks Customer Service Suite actually diverge.

Attributes where Akana and Freshworks Customer Service Suite differ
AttributeAkanaFreshworks Customer Service Suite
Starting price$2500/monthlyFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud, On-premise, HybridWeb, Mobile (iOS, Android)
Founded20012010

Identical on both: 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 Freshworks Customer Service Suite

  • Unified inbox
  • AI-powered chatbot
  • Ticketing system
  • Self-service portal
  • Analytics
  • Automation
  • Slack
  • Microsoft Teams

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 Freshworks Customer Service Suite
  • Applying OAuth, JWT and SAML policies at the gatewaynot Freshworks Customer Service Suite
  • Running the same platform on-premises, in Kubernetes or across cloudsnot Freshworks Customer Service Suite
  • Developer portal and API monetisationnot Freshworks Customer Service Suite
  • Monitoring API traffic and enforcing quotasnot Freshworks Customer Service Suite

Freshworks Customer Service Suite

  • Customer supportnot Akana
  • Help desknot Akana
  • Self-servicenot 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

Freshworks Customer Service Suite

  • Separate products for support, chat, and CRM create context fragmentation between teams
  • Add-ons and renewal uplifts typically increase real costs 30-50% above published pricing
  • Customization beyond default configurations requires significant training and consulting fees

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

Freshworks Customer Service Suite

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Freshworks Customer Service Suite 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 Freshworks Customer Service Suite if

  • You need unified inbox.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile (iOS, Android).
  • You also want ai-powered chatbot.
Freshworks Customer Service Suite review

Questions people ask

Is Akana or Freshworks Customer Service Suite better?
Neither clearly leads. Akana starts at $2500/monthly and Freshworks Customer Service Suite at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Akana or Freshworks Customer Service Suite?
Freshworks Customer Service Suite has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $2500/monthly for Akana and Free for Freshworks Customer Service Suite.
Does Akana or Freshworks Customer Service Suite run on more platforms?
Akana runs on Cloud, On-premise, Hybrid. Freshworks Customer Service Suite runs on Web, Mobile (iOS, Android).
Can I use Freshworks Customer Service Suite for free?
Yes. Freshworks Customer Service Suite has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Akana starts at $2500/monthly.
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 Freshworks Customer Service Suite is typically brought in for.
What can Akana do that Freshworks Customer Service Suite cannot?
Akana covers API Lifecycle Management, API Security, Governance Controls, OAuth. Freshworks Customer Service Suite covers Unified inbox, AI-powered chatbot, Ticketing system, Self-service portal.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Freshworks Customer Service Suite: What products are included in Freshworks Customer Service Suite?

The suite includes Freshdesk for support ticketing, Freshchat for live chat and messaging, and Freshsales for CRM. Pricing varies per product based on features and user count.

Source
Freshworks Customer Service Suite: Does Freshworks offer a free tier?

Yes. Freshdesk offers a free plan for 1-2 agents for 6 months. Paid plans start at $19/agent/month for Growth tier.

Source
Freshworks Customer Service Suite: Does Freshworks integrate with Slack?

Yes. Freshworks offers official Slack integration via the Freshdesk and Freshservice Slack apps, enabling ticket creation, notifications, and agent messaging directly in Slack.

Source
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Related pages

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