Softwr

Software · head to head

Akana vs Mailchimp

Akana logo

Akana

Software

Enterprise API lifecycle management platform

From
$2500/monthly
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Mailchimp logo

Mailchimp

Software

Turn emails into revenue

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Mailchimp 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; Mailchimp the free plan allows 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, with a 250 daily cap
  • They diverge on capability: Akana covers API Lifecycle Management, Mailchimp covers Email campaigns.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Akana and Mailchimp actually diverge.

Attributes where Akana and Mailchimp differ
AttributeAkanaMailchimp
Starting price$2500/monthlyFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud, On-premise, HybridWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown), founded (2001).

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 Mailchimp

  • Email campaigns
  • Marketing automation
  • Landing pages
  • Forms & popups
  • Audience management
  • Content studio
  • Analytics
  • Social media

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

Mailchimp

  • Email newslettersnot Akana
  • E-commerce marketingnot Akana
  • Lead generationnot Akana
  • Customer engagementnot Akana
  • Marketing automationnot 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

Mailchimp

  • The free plan allows 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, with a 250 daily cap
  • Price is driven by contact count, so the list growing raises the bill regardless of how much you send
  • Send allowances are a multiple of contacts, 10x on Essentials and 12x on Standard, so a large list with heavy sending forces a tier change
  • Essentials allows 3 seats and Standard 5; unlimited seats need Premium at $350 a month
  • The headline $13 and $20 prices are for 500 contacts, not a flat rate

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

Mailchimp

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 250 contacts
    • 500 sends per month
    • Basic email campaigns
  • Essentials$13/month
    • 500+ contacts
    • Email campaigns
    • Basic automation
  • Standard$20/month
    • Advanced automation
    • Segmentation
    • Landing pages

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 Mailchimp if

  • You need email campaigns.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want marketing automation.
Mailchimp review

Questions people ask

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

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Mailchimp: Does Mailchimp offer a free plan?

Yes, Mailchimp's free plan supports up to 250 contacts and 500 sends per month with a 250-per-day cap.

Source
Mailchimp: What email features does Mailchimp include?

Mailchimp provides email campaign builder, automation sequences, segmentation, contact management, and A/B testing for email marketing.

Source
Mailchimp: Can Mailchimp integrate with e-commerce platforms?

Yes, Mailchimp integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, Squarespace, and other e-commerce platforms for customer sync and abandoned cart automation.

Source
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Akana

More on Mailchimp

Keep looking

Other head to heads