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APIs · head to head

Akana vs Tribe Payments

Akana logo

Akana

APIs

Enterprise API lifecycle management platform

From
$2500/monthly
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tribe Payments logo

Tribe Payments

APIs

Combined issuer and acquirer processing platform for fintechs, banks and acquirers

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; Tribe Payments running both issuing and acquiring through one vendor concentrates operational risk, since a platform fault affects both sides of a client's card business at once rather than just one.
  • They diverge on capability: Akana covers API Lifecycle Management, Tribe Payments covers ISAAC core platform.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Akana and Tribe Payments actually diverge.

Attributes where Akana and Tribe Payments differ
AttributeAkanaTribe Payments
Starting price$2500/monthlyOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsCloud, On-premise, HybridWeb, API
Founded2001Unknown

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 Tribe Payments

  • ISAAC core platform
  • Issuer processing
  • Acquirer processing
  • Multi-scheme connectivity
  • Open banking module
  • 3D Secure and fraud tooling

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

Tribe Payments

  • A bank or fintech wanting to run both card issuing and merchant acquiring on one processing platformnot Akana
  • A payment facilitator consolidating separate issuing and acquiring vendor relationships into one contractnot Akana
  • A company needing multi-scheme processing across Visa, Mastercard and regional networks like UnionPaynot Akana
  • An Asia-Pacific expansion where Tribe's Singapore office provides regional supportnot 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

Tribe Payments

  • Running both issuing and acquiring through one vendor concentrates operational risk, since a platform fault affects both sides of a client's card business at once rather than just one.
  • Pricing for either the issuing or acquiring modules is not published, so budgeting requires a sales conversation.
  • With roughly 60-plus customers, it is smaller scale than Visa or Mastercard-owned processing infrastructure, which is a factor for a client prioritising vendor size and track record.
  • Its client base and support depth are concentrated in the UK and continental Europe, and the Asia-Pacific presence via Singapore is comparatively newer and less proven.
  • As with any combined issuing and acquiring platform, a client that only needs one side still evaluates and pays for a vendor built around doing both, which may not be the most specialised option available.

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

Tribe Payments

On request
  • Tribe Payments$undefined/year
    • Pricing not published for issuing or acquiring modules
    • Custom quote required via sales

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 Tribe Payments if

  • You need isaac core platform.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want issuer processing.
Tribe Payments review

Questions people ask

Is Akana or Tribe Payments better?
Neither clearly leads. Akana starts at $2500/monthly and Tribe Payments at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Akana or Tribe Payments?
Akana starts at $2500/monthly and Tribe Payments at On request.
Does Akana or Tribe Payments run on more platforms?
Akana runs on Cloud, On-premise, Hybrid. Tribe Payments 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 Tribe Payments is typically brought in for.
What can Akana do that Tribe Payments cannot?
Akana covers API Lifecycle Management, API Security, Governance Controls, OAuth. Tribe Payments covers ISAAC core platform, Issuer processing, Acquirer processing, Multi-scheme connectivity.

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
Tribe Payments: Does Tribe do both issuing and acquiring?

Yes, its ISAAC platform supports both, built for issuing in 2019 and acquiring from 2020.

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
Tribe Payments: How many card schemes does it support?

Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover, JCB and UnionPay.

Tribe Payments: Where is its customer base concentrated?

The UK and continental Europe, with a newer Singapore office serving Asia-Pacific.

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