APIs · head to head
Akana vs Token.io
Token.io
APIs
Account to account pay by bank infrastructure across the UK and Europe
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
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; Token.io account to account payments carry no chargeback scheme, so merchants gain cost savings but consumers lose the dispute protection cards provide, which limits adoption in general retail.
- They diverge on capability: Akana covers API Lifecycle Management, Token.io covers Payment initiation.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Akana and Token.io actually diverge.
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 Token.io
- Payment initiation
- Variable recurring payments
- Bank network coverage
- giroAPI membership
- Payouts and refunds
- Data and account information
- Hosted payment pages
- Reconciliation reporting
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 Token.io
- Applying OAuth, JWT and SAML policies at the gatewaynot Token.io
- Running the same platform on-premises, in Kubernetes or across cloudsnot Token.io
- Developer portal and API monetisationnot Token.io
- Monitoring API traffic and enforcing quotasnot Token.io
Token.io
- A utility or telecom collecting high value bills where card interchange makes acceptance expensivenot Akana
- An investment or trading platform funding customer accounts without card chargeback exposurenot Akana
- A payment service provider adding pay by bank to its merchant proposition without building bank connectivitynot Akana
- A German merchant using giroAPI scheme access for recurring and future dated bank paymentsnot 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
Token.io
- Account to account payments carry no chargeback scheme, so merchants gain cost savings but consumers lose the dispute protection cards provide, which limits adoption in general retail.
- Conversion depends on each bank's own authentication journey, and slow or broken bank redirects cost sales in ways the merchant cannot fix or even always diagnose.
- Variable recurring payments beyond sweeping are still being rolled out unevenly across banks and markets, so a subscription use case may be supported at one bank and not another.
- Token.io initiates payments rather than acting as acquirer of record, so merchants still need settlement, safeguarding and reconciliation arrangements elsewhere.
- Coverage and feature parity vary by country, so a pan European rollout means different capabilities and different bank behaviour in each market rather than one uniform product.
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
Token.io
On request- Token.io platform$undefined/year
- Quoted per customer, typically per initiated payment
- Volume tiers and monthly minimums are common
- No interchange, so unit cost is usually well below card acceptance
Which should you pick?
Choose Akana if
- You need api lifecycle management.
- You work on Cloud, On-premise, Hybrid.
- You also want api security.
Choose Token.io if
- You need payment initiation.
- You work on Web, API.
- You also want variable recurring payments.
Questions people ask
- Is Akana or Token.io better?
- Neither clearly leads. Akana starts at $2500/monthly and Token.io at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Akana or Token.io?
- Akana starts at $2500/monthly and Token.io at On request.
- Does Akana or Token.io run on more platforms?
- Akana runs on Cloud, On-premise, Hybrid. Token.io 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 Token.io is typically brought in for.
- What can Akana do that Token.io cannot?
- Akana covers API Lifecycle Management, API Security, Governance Controls, OAuth. Token.io covers Payment initiation, Variable recurring payments, Bank network coverage, giroAPI membership.
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.
SourceToken.io: Does pay by bank remove card fees?
It removes interchange and scheme fees, so unit cost is normally far below card acceptance, particularly on high value payments.
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.
SourceToken.io: What about chargebacks?
There are none. That is the cost saving and the consumer protection gap, which is why it suits bills, top ups and account funding more than retail.
Token.io: Is Token.io regulated?
Yes, it is an authorised third party provider under UK and European open banking rules, but it initiates payments rather than holding merchant funds as an acquirer.
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