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APIs · head to head

curl vs Enable Banking

curl logo

curl

APIs

Command-line tool for transferring data using URLs with wide protocol support

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Enable Banking logo

Enable Banking

APIs

European bank API aggregation with a free restricted production tier for your own accounts

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: curl open-source with no vendor pricing: curl is free and open-source under GPL 3.0; no subscription or licensing costs apply; Enable Banking production pricing is quoted per connected account and call volume with no published rate card, so a free proof of concept gives you no idea of cost at scale.
  • They diverge on capability: curl covers HTTP/HTTPS, Enable Banking covers European bank coverage.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which curl and Enable Banking actually diverge.

Attributes where curl and Enable Banking differ
AttributecurlEnable Banking
Pricing modelopen-sourcePer connected account per month
PlatformsLinux, MacOS, Windows, Unix, MobileWeb, REST API
Founded1997Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 curl

  • HTTP/HTTPS
  • FTP
  • Multiple protocols
  • Universal compatibility
  • Scripting tools
  • Linux support
  • MacOS support
  • Windows support

Only in Enable Banking

  • European bank coverage
  • Free sandbox
  • Restricted production
  • TPP infrastructure as a service
  • Consent handling
  • Payment initiation

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

curl

  • API Developmentnot Enable Banking
  • API Gatewaynot Enable Banking
  • API Testingnot Enable Banking
  • API Documentationnot Enable Banking
  • Microservicesnot Enable Banking

Enable Banking

  • A small fintech that needs to operate as an agent rather than wait a year for its own AISP authorisationnot curl
  • An accounting software vendor pulling bank transactions across several European countriesnot curl
  • A treasury tool building and testing a real integration before committing to a contractnot curl
  • A lender verifying applicant income from bank data across the Nordics and the EUnot curl

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

curl

  • Open-source with no vendor pricing: curl is free and open-source under GPL 3.0; no subscription or licensing costs apply
  • Commercial support costs hidden: site references 'commercial support available' but pricing is not detailed or accessible from homepage
  • No SaaS model: curl is a command-line tool and library; costs are limited to optional commercial support contracts (pricing unknown)
  • Self-support burden: free software means customers rely on community forums or undisclosed commercial support pricing

Enable Banking

  • Production pricing is quoted per connected account and call volume with no published rate card, so a free proof of concept gives you no idea of cost at scale.
  • Coverage is European, which rules it out as a single supplier for anyone needing UK plus North American bank data as well.
  • Operating as an agent under the Enable Banking licence means your regulatory permission depends on another company remaining authorised and willing to sponsor you.
  • Bank API quality varies widely across Europe, and outages or degraded endpoints at individual institutions surface as failures in your own product.
  • It is a small Finnish company selling into regulated financial services, so enterprise procurement and vendor resilience reviews are a recurring obstacle.

Pricing, plan by plan

curl

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full curl functionality
    • Community support

Enable Banking

Free
  • Sandbox and restricted productionFree
    • Mock and real bank sandbox access
    • Production access limited to accounts you link yourself
    • Full API surface for development and certification
  • Production$undefined/year
    • Quoted by connected accounts per month and call volume
    • Priced by number of institutions and markets in scope
    • Different rates under your own licence or as an agent

Which should you pick?

Choose curl if

  • You need http/https.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, MacOS, Windows, Unix, Mobile.
  • You also want ftp.
curl review

Choose Enable Banking if

  • You need european bank coverage.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, REST API.
  • You also want free sandbox.
Enable Banking review

Questions people ask

Is curl or Enable Banking better?
Neither clearly leads. curl starts at Free and Enable Banking at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, curl or Enable Banking?
curl starts at Free and Enable Banking at Free.
Does curl or Enable Banking run on more platforms?
curl runs on Linux, MacOS, Windows, Unix, Mobile. Enable Banking runs on Web, REST API.
Can I use curl for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is curl best used for?
curl is most often used for api development, api gateway, api testing, api documentation. Of those, api development and api gateway are not what Enable Banking is typically brought in for.
What can curl do that Enable Banking cannot?
curl covers HTTP/HTTPS, FTP, Multiple protocols, Universal compatibility. Enable Banking covers European bank coverage, Free sandbox, Restricted production, TPP infrastructure as a service.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

curl: How much does curl cost?

curl is free and open-source software under the GPL 3.0 license. There is no cost to download, use, or modify the software.

Source
Enable Banking: Is there really a free tier?

Yes, sandbox plus restricted production against accounts you link yourself. Commercial third-party access is quoted separately.

curl: Is commercial support available for curl?

Yes. The curl website references 'commercial support available,' but pricing and details are not disclosed on the homepage and require visiting the support page.

Source
Enable Banking: Do I need my own AISP licence?

No. Enable Banking offers third-party provider infrastructure as a service so you can operate as an agent under its authorisation.

curl: Can I sponsor curl financially?

Yes. The curl website offers an option to 'Sponsor curl financially.' Visitors can donate to support curl development, but the donation link must be accessed through the site's support section.

Source
Enable Banking: How is production priced?

By connected accounts per month and call volume, adjusted for markets in scope and whether you use your own licence.

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