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APIs · head to head

Akana vs Lithic

Akana logo

Akana

APIs

Enterprise API lifecycle management platform

From
$2500/monthly
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lithic logo

Lithic

APIs

API-first card issuing platform with direct Visa, Mastercard and Amex network connections

From
On request
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; Lithic pricing is entirely undisclosed, so a company cannot compare total cost against Marqeta, Galileo or Highnote without a sales conversation.
  • They diverge on capability: Akana covers API Lifecycle Management, Lithic covers Direct network connections.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Akana and Lithic actually diverge.

Attributes where Akana and Lithic differ
AttributeAkanaLithic
Starting price$2500/monthlyOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsCloud, On-premise, HybridWeb, API
Founded2001Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Lithic

  • Direct network connections
  • Processor Client mode
  • Lithic Program Management
  • Card lifecycle APIs
  • Sandbox environment
  • Real-time authorization controls

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

Lithic

  • A fintech wanting direct Visa or Mastercard network access rather than routing through a third-party processornot Akana
  • A company that already holds its own issuing licence and wants API access without full programme managementnot Akana
  • A neobank or expense platform wanting Lithic to manage bank and network relationships end to endnot Akana
  • A product team prototyping a card programme in sandbox before committing to a launchnot 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

Lithic

  • Pricing is entirely undisclosed, so a company cannot compare total cost against Marqeta, Galileo or Highnote without a sales conversation.
  • Choosing Processor Client mode still leaves the company responsible for holding its own issuing licence and managing the regulatory relationship, which is a substantial undertaking many teams underestimate.
  • As with any card infrastructure provider, an outage or network issue at Lithic becomes a direct outage for every card programme built on it, and a customer has limited visibility into root cause during an incident.
  • Building a card programme on API infrastructure requires real engineering investment; it is not a plug-and-play product for a non-technical team.
  • Switching card infrastructure providers after launch is a major undertaking involving card reissuance and programme migration, so the initial choice carries lasting lock-in.

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

Lithic

On request
  • Lithic$undefined/year
    • Volume and interchange-based pricing, not published
    • Separate Processor Client and Program Management pricing tracks
    • Custom quote required via sales

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 Lithic if

  • You need direct network connections.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want processor client mode.
Lithic review

Questions people ask

Is Akana or Lithic better?
Neither clearly leads. Akana starts at $2500/monthly and Lithic at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Akana or Lithic?
Akana starts at $2500/monthly and Lithic at On request.
Does Akana or Lithic run on more platforms?
Akana runs on Cloud, On-premise, Hybrid. Lithic runs on Web, API.
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 Lithic is typically brought in for.
What can Akana do that Lithic cannot?
Akana covers API Lifecycle Management, API Security, Governance Controls, OAuth. Lithic covers Direct network connections, Processor Client mode, Lithic Program Management, Card lifecycle APIs.

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
Lithic: Does Lithic publish pricing?

No, pricing is volume-based and requires a sales conversation.

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
Lithic: What is the difference between Processor Client and Program Management?

Processor Client suits companies with their own issuing licence and bank relationships; Program Management is for companies wanting Lithic to coordinate those relationships on their behalf.

Lithic: Which networks does it connect to?

Visa, Mastercard and American Express directly.

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