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Software · head to head

Akana vs GitHub

Akana logo

Akana

Software

Enterprise API lifecycle management platform

From
$2500/monthly
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GitHub logo

GitHub

Software

Where the world builds software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only GitHub 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; GitHub acquired by Microsoft in 2018, reducing pure independence despite operational autonomy
  • They diverge on capability: Akana covers API Lifecycle Management, GitHub covers Git repositories.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Akana and GitHub actually diverge.

Attributes where Akana and GitHub differ
AttributeAkanaGitHub
Starting price$2500/monthlyFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud, On-premise, HybridWeb, Desktop, Mobile
Founded20012008

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 GitHub

  • Git repositories
  • Pull requests
  • Code review
  • Issues & projects
  • GitHub Actions CI/CD
  • GitHub Pages
  • Security scanning
  • Dependency management

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

GitHub

  • Version controlnot Akana
  • Code collaborationnot Akana
  • CI/CD pipelinesnot Akana
  • Project managementnot Akana
  • Documentation hostingnot 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

GitHub

  • Acquired by Microsoft in 2018, reducing pure independence despite operational autonomy
  • Primary focus on source control differs from purpose-built project management tools like Jira
  • Pricing for enterprise features and private repositories adds up compared to some self-hosted alternatives

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

GitHub

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited public/private repos
    • 2,000 CI/CD minutes/month
    • 500MB package storage
  • Team$4/month
    • Everything in Free
    • 3,000 CI/CD minutes/month
    • 2GB package storage
  • Enterprise$21/month
    • Everything in Team
    • 50,000 CI/CD minutes/month
    • 50GB package storage

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 GitHub if

  • You need git repositories.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want pull requests.
GitHub review

Questions people ask

Is Akana or GitHub better?
Neither clearly leads. Akana starts at $2500/monthly and GitHub at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Akana or GitHub?
GitHub has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $2500/monthly for Akana and Free for GitHub.
Does Akana or GitHub run on more platforms?
Akana runs on Cloud, On-premise, Hybrid. GitHub runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
Can I use GitHub for free?
Yes. GitHub 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 GitHub is typically brought in for.
What can Akana do that GitHub cannot?
Akana covers API Lifecycle Management, API Security, Governance Controls, OAuth. GitHub covers Git repositories, Pull requests, Code review, Issues & projects.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GitHub: What is a Git repository and how does GitHub use it?

A repository is the centralized database that stores the complete collection of files and folders for a codebase, along with the revision history. GitHub uses Git to provide distributed version control access to repositories with version tracking, branching, and collaboration features.

Source
GitHub: How does GitHub authentication work?

When you connect to a GitHub repository from Git, you need to authenticate with GitHub using either HTTPS or SSH. GitHub supports multiple authentication methods including passwords, personal access tokens, SSH keys, and GitHub Apps.

Source
GitHub: How long has GitHub been operating?

GitHub was founded in 2008 and launched publicly on April 10, 2008, making it the dominant git hosting platform for nearly two decades.

Source
GitHub: Who owns GitHub and when did the acquisition occur?

Microsoft acquired GitHub for $7.5 billion USD, with the deal announced June 4, 2018 and completed October 26, 2018. GitHub operates as an independent subsidiary within Microsoft.

Source
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