Software · head to head
AWS API Gateway vs Akana
AWS API Gateway
Software
Fully managed API gateway service for creating and managing APIs at scale
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only AWS API Gateway has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: AWS API Gateway rEST APIs cost $3.50 per million calls against $1.00 for HTTP APIs, so the older and more featureful type is three and a half times dearer; Akana owned by Perforce and sold within their portfolio rather than independently, and akana.com redirects to perforce.com
- They diverge on capability: AWS API Gateway covers REST APIs, Akana covers API Lifecycle Management.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which AWS API Gateway and Akana actually diverge.
| Attribute | AWS API Gateway | Akana |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $2500/monthly |
| Pricing model | usage-based | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | AWS Cloud | Cloud, On-premise, Hybrid |
| Founded | 2006 | 2001 |
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 AWS API Gateway
- REST APIs
- WebSocket APIs
- HTTP APIs
- Lambda
- EC2
- DynamoDB
- CloudWatch
- IAM
Only in Akana
- API Lifecycle Management
- API Security
- Governance Controls
- OAuth
- SAML
- LDAP
- Active Directory
- Cloud support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
AWS API Gateway
- Fronting Lambda functions with an HTTP endpointnot Akana
- REST and HTTP API management with throttling and keysnot Akana
- WebSocket APIs for real-time clientsnot Akana
- Private APIs reachable only inside a VPCnot Akana
- Publishing a developer portal for API consumersnot Akana
Akana
- API lifecycle management across REST, SOAP and GraphQLnot AWS API Gateway
- Applying OAuth, JWT and SAML policies at the gatewaynot AWS API Gateway
- Running the same platform on-premises, in Kubernetes or across cloudsnot AWS API Gateway
- Developer portal and API monetisationnot AWS API Gateway
- Monitoring API traffic and enforcing quotasnot AWS API Gateway
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
AWS API Gateway
- REST APIs cost $3.50 per million calls against $1.00 for HTTP APIs, so the older and more featureful type is three and a half times dearer
- Data transfer out is charged at $0.09 per GB on top of request pricing
- WebSocket APIs bill connection minutes as well as messages, at $0.25 per million minutes
- Private APIs avoid data transfer charges but incur AWS PrivateLink costs instead
- The developer portal is $125 a month, with additional portal products at $12.50 each
- The free tier lasts 12 months rather than being ongoing
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
Pricing, plan by plan
AWS API Gateway
Free- Free TierFree
- 1M requests per month
- Basic API management
- Pay-as-you-go$3.5/per 1M requests
- Unlimited requests
- HTTP APIs
- REST APIs
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
Which should you pick?
Choose AWS API Gateway if
- You need rest apis.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on AWS Cloud.
- You also want websocket apis.
Choose Akana if
- You need api lifecycle management.
- You work on Cloud, On-premise, Hybrid.
- You also want api security.
Questions people ask
- Is AWS API Gateway or Akana better?
- Neither clearly leads. AWS API Gateway starts at Free and Akana at $2500/monthly, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, AWS API Gateway or Akana?
- AWS API Gateway has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for AWS API Gateway and $2500/monthly for Akana.
- Does AWS API Gateway or Akana run on more platforms?
- AWS API Gateway runs on AWS Cloud. Akana runs on Cloud, On-premise, Hybrid.
- Can I use AWS API Gateway for free?
- Yes. AWS API Gateway has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Akana starts at $2500/monthly.
- What is AWS API Gateway best used for?
- AWS API Gateway is most often used for fronting lambda functions with an http endpoint, rest and http api management with throttling and keys, websocket apis for real-time clients, private apis reachable only inside a vpc. Of those, fronting lambda functions with an http endpoint and rest and http api management with throttling and keys are not what Akana is typically brought in for.
- What can AWS API Gateway do that Akana cannot?
- AWS API Gateway covers REST APIs, WebSocket APIs, HTTP APIs, Lambda. Akana covers API Lifecycle Management, API Security, Governance Controls, OAuth.