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Software · head to head

Akana vs n8n

Akana logo

Akana

Software

Enterprise API lifecycle management platform

From
$2500/monthly
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
n8n logo

n8n

Software

The fair-code workflow automation tool

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only n8n 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; n8n starter tier limited to 1 project and 5 concurrent executions
  • They diverge on capability: Akana covers API Lifecycle Management, n8n covers Workflow automation.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Akana and n8n actually diverge.

Attributes where Akana and n8n differ
AttributeAkanan8n
Starting price$2500/monthlyFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud, On-premise, HybridWeb, Docker, Self-hosted
Founded20012019

Identical on both: 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 n8n

  • Workflow automation
  • Visual editor
  • Conditional execution
  • Looping
  • Error handling
  • Scheduling
  • Webhooks
  • REST API

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 n8n
  • Applying OAuth, JWT and SAML policies at the gatewaynot n8n
  • Running the same platform on-premises, in Kubernetes or across cloudsnot n8n
  • Developer portal and API monetisationnot n8n
  • Monitoring API traffic and enforcing quotasnot n8n

n8n

  • Building AI agents and workflow automation for technical teamsnot Akana
  • Visual workflow design with capability to write custom JavaScript or Python codenot Akana
  • Enterprise deployments with self-hosted or cloud optionsnot Akana
  • Integrating 500+ pre-built applications with custom API connectionsnot 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

n8n

  • Starter tier limited to 1 project and 5 concurrent executions
  • Starter and Pro tiers restricted to Cloud hosting only, not self-hosted
  • Business tier requires 6 months minimum commitment at €667/month
  • SSO/SAML/LDAP authentication requires Business or Enterprise tier
  • Dedicated support with SLA available only on Enterprise plan

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

n8n

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the n8n review.

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 n8n if

  • You need workflow automation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Docker, Self-hosted.
  • You also want visual editor.
n8n review

Questions people ask

Is Akana or n8n better?
Neither clearly leads. Akana starts at $2500/monthly and n8n at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Akana or n8n?
n8n has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $2500/monthly for Akana and Free for n8n.
Does Akana or n8n run on more platforms?
Akana runs on Cloud, On-premise, Hybrid. n8n runs on Web, Docker, Self-hosted.
Can I use n8n for free?
Yes. n8n 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 n8n is typically brought in for.
What can Akana do that n8n cannot?
Akana covers API Lifecycle Management, API Security, Governance Controls, OAuth. n8n covers Workflow automation, Visual editor, Conditional execution, Looping.
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