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APIs · head to head

Akana vs Mendix

Akana logo

Akana

APIs

Enterprise API lifecycle management platform

From
$2500/monthly
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Mendix logo

Mendix

No-Code

Siemens-owned low-code platform priced by app count, with cloud infrastructure billed separately

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Mendix 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; Mendix the platform fee explicitly excludes compute and infrastructure costs, so the real all-in bill is the subscription plus a separate, less predictable cloud hosting charge.
  • They diverge on capability: Akana covers API Lifecycle Management, Mendix covers Visual app and process modelling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Akana and Mendix actually diverge.

Attributes where Akana and Mendix differ
AttributeAkanaMendix
Starting price$2500/monthlyFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer application tier (One App vs Unlimited Apps), cloud infrastructure billed separately
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud, On-premise, HybridWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryAPIsNo-Code
Founded2001Unknown

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

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 Mendix

  • Visual app and process modelling
  • Free tier
  • Multi-cloud deployment
  • AI-assisted development
  • Native mobile builder
  • Marketplace connectors

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

Mendix

  • A Siemens industrial software customer extending into application development on a platform already inside its vendor ecosystemnot Akana
  • A company building exactly one production app that wants the lower One App tier rather than paying for unlimited apps it does not neednot Akana
  • An enterprise standardising on Mendix across many departments where the Unlimited Apps tier amortises wellnot Akana
  • A team wanting to evaluate low-code at zero cost before committing to a paid production tiernot 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

Mendix

  • The platform fee explicitly excludes compute and infrastructure costs, so the real all-in bill is the subscription plus a separate, less predictable cloud hosting charge.
  • The jump from a free or One App tier to Unlimited Apps is a large discrete price step (roughly 918 to 2,295 euros a month at published starting rates), not a gradual scale-up, which punishes a team that grows from one app to two.
  • Being a Siemens business unit means Mendix roadmap priorities can be shaped by Siemens' broader industrial software strategy rather than purely by low-code market demand.
  • Deployment flexibility across Mendix Cloud, Azure, Kubernetes and SAP BTP is a strength on paper but means the actual infrastructure cost and complexity vary significantly by choice, complicating like-for-like vendor comparisons.
  • Premium-tier features and enterprise governance capabilities are quote-only, so a buyer cannot fully compare Mendix's top tier against OutSystems or Appian without entering a sales process.

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

Mendix

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited users on one deployment environment
    • No commitment or credit card required
    • Suitable for evaluation and small-scale use
  • Standard, One App$undefined/month
    • Licenses a single application in production
    • Cloud deployment and standard support options
    • Compute and infrastructure costs billed separately
  • Standard, Unlimited Apps$undefined/month
    • Licenses unlimited applications under one subscription
    • Per-user cost declines as user volume grows
    • Discounted external (B2B/B2C) user rates available
  • Premium$undefined/month
    • Custom quote
    • Enterprise-grade governance and 24/7 support
    • Advanced deployment and compliance options

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 Mendix if

  • You need visual app and process modelling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want free tier.
Mendix review

Questions people ask

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

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
Mendix: What is the difference between One App and Unlimited Apps?

One App licenses a single application in production; Unlimited Apps covers any number of apps under one subscription, at a materially higher starting price.

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
Mendix: Does the licence include hosting?

No. Mendix states explicitly that compute and infrastructure resources are billed separately from the platform licence, regardless of deployment target.

Mendix: Who owns Mendix?

Siemens, which acquired Mendix in 2018 and runs it as part of its industrial software portfolio.

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