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APIs · head to head

Akana vs LiteLLM

Akana logo

Akana

APIs

Enterprise API lifecycle management platform

From
$2500/monthly
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
LiteLLM logo

LiteLLM

APIs

The AI Gateway for platform teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only LiteLLM 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; LiteLLM enterprise pricing based on annual request capacity and deployment architecture, sized via direct sales
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Akana and LiteLLM actually diverge.

Attributes where Akana and LiteLLM differ
AttributeAkanaLiteLLM
Starting price$2500/monthlyFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud, On-premise, HybridWeb
Founded2001Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (APIs).

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 LiteLLM

Nothing recorded that Akana does not also cover.

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

LiteLLM

  • Accessing 140+ LLM providers through single APInot Akana
  • Implementing cost-based routing for advanced AI tasksnot Akana
  • Deploying new LLM models usually within a daynot Akana
  • Switching backend models with config changes onlynot Akana
  • Maintaining consistent access across 100+ endpointsnot 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

LiteLLM

  • Enterprise pricing based on annual request capacity and deployment architecture, sized via direct sales
  • Not per-token based pricing for Enterprise tier

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

LiteLLM

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • 100+ providers
    • One OpenAI API
    • Virtual keys
  • Enterprise$null/mo
    • All Open Source features
    • SSO + SCIM
    • OIDC/JWT authentication

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 LiteLLM if

  • You want to start without paying.
LiteLLM review

Questions people ask

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

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Akana: What does Akana API Platform include?

Akana provides mediation and integration capabilities for creating easy-to-consume API products from API code, with features for API governance, security, and operational management.

Source
LiteLLM: Is LiteLLM free to use?

Yes, LiteLLM's open-source version is free forever and requires no credit card. Self-host in minutes with support for 100+ LLM providers.

Source
Akana: How does Akana help secure APIs?

Akana addresses the security challenges that come with more APIs and more endpoints, providing tools for enterprise API governance and compliance management.

Source
LiteLLM: What does LiteLLM's Enterprise plan cost?

Enterprise pricing is custom and annual, sized based on your annual gateway request capacity, deployment architecture, and support needs. Not charged per token.

Source
LiteLLM: Is there a free trial for Enterprise?

Yes, a 30-day Enterprise trial key is available via email with no credit card required.

Source
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