Softwr

API Management · head to head

Akana vs Postman

Akana logo

Akana

API Management

Enterprise API lifecycle management platform

From
$2500/monthly
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Postman logo

Postman

Technology

The API platform for building and using APIs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Postman 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; Postman free plan limited to single user as of March 1, 2026, making it unsuitable for teams without paid plans
  • They diverge on capability: Akana covers API Lifecycle Management, Postman covers API client.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Akana and Postman actually diverge.

Attributes where Akana and Postman differ
AttributeAkanaPostman
Starting price$2500/monthlyFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud, On-premise, HybridWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux
CategoryAPI ManagementTechnology
Founded20012014

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
  • SAML
  • LDAP
  • Active Directory
  • Cloud support
  • On-premise support

Only in Postman

  • API client
  • Automated testing
  • Mock servers
  • Documentation
  • Monitors
  • Workspaces
  • Version control
  • API design

Both cover

  • OAuth

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

Postman

  • API testingnot Akana
  • API documentationnot Akana
  • API monitoringnot Akana
  • Team collaborationnot Akana
  • API developmentnot 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

Postman

  • Free plan limited to single user as of March 1, 2026, making it unsuitable for teams without paid plans
  • Only 25 collection runs per month and 1,000 API calls/month on free tier
  • Removed local-only Scratch Pad mode in 2023, forcing cloud account creation and sync
  • Requires Postman account and internet connection for most features
  • Cloud-first architecture with mandatory syncing to Postman's cloud servers
  • No CI/CD integration or advanced security features on free 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

Postman

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 user
    • 25 collection runs/month
    • 1,000 API calls/month
  • Team$14/month
    • Team collaboration
    • Shared workspaces
    • API mocking
  • Professional$29/month
    • Team features
    • Advanced security
    • SSO
  • Enterprise$49/month
    • Professional features
    • Custom integrations
    • Priority support

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 Postman if

  • You need api client.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want automated testing.
Postman review

Questions people ask

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

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Postman: What is the cost of Postman?

Postman has a free plan limited to 1 user, 25 collection runs/month, 1,000 API calls/month. Team plans start at $14/user/month for Basic. Professional at $29/user/month, and Enterprise at $49/user/month.

Source
Postman: Can I use Postman offline?

Postman requires an internet connection to sync collections to the cloud. Since 2023, the Scratch Pad local-only mode was removed. Users must sign in with a Postman account, and collections sync to cloud by default. Offline work is possible but limited without cloud sync features.

Source
Postman: Does Postman have team collaboration?

Team collaboration is not available on the free plan (limited to 1 user). Team plans start at $14/user/month and include shared workspaces, real-time collaboration, and team management features.

Source
Postman: What are the free plan limits?

Free plan allows: 1 user only, 25 collection runs per month, 1,000 API calls/month, and 1,000 mock server calls/month. No CI/CD integration or advanced security features.

Source
Postman: Does Postman work with other development tools?

Postman integrates with Git repositories, offers a Node.js runner (Newman) for automation, and connects with popular CI/CD platforms. Teams using git-native workflows may prefer alternatives like Bruno.

Source
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