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Software · head to head

Front vs WSO2 API Manager

Front logo

Front

Software

Where teams collaborate on customer communication

From
$25/month per seat
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
WSO2 API Manager logo

WSO2 API Manager

Software

Complete API management platform for designing and managing APIs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only WSO2 API Manager has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Front starter tier limited to single-channel support; omnichannel support requires Professional tier; WSO2 API Manager the free open source distribution does not include a subscription to the WSO2 Update service, so continuous improvements and security patches require a paid subscription
  • They diverge on capability: Front covers Shared inbox, WSO2 API Manager covers API Gateway.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Front and WSO2 API Manager actually diverge.

Attributes where Front and WSO2 API Manager differ
AttributeFrontWSO2 API Manager
Starting price$25/month per seatFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud-based SaaSJava, Linux, Docker, Kubernetes
Founded20132005

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 Front

  • Shared inbox
  • Email collaboration
  • Omnichannel messaging
  • Analytics
  • Workflows
  • Integrations
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot

Only in WSO2 API Manager

  • API Gateway
  • API Designer
  • Developer Portal
  • LDAP
  • Okta
  • Keycloak
  • Microservices
  • Java support

What people use each for

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

Front

  • Multi-team customer support across email, chat, SMS channelsnot WSO2 API Manager
  • Enterprises using AI to resolve complex multi-step customer requestsnot WSO2 API Manager

WSO2 API Manager

  • Publishing, securing and rate limiting APIs behind a gatewaynot Front
  • Running an API developer portal with subscription key managementnot Front
  • Self hosting an open source API management layer on premisesnot Front

Where each one falls short

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

Front

  • Starter tier limited to single-channel support; omnichannel support requires Professional tier
  • AI Copilot, Smart QA, and Smart CSAT are included only in Enterprise tier ($105/seat/month); available as add-ons at higher cost in lower tiers
  • Starter tier limited to 10 automation rules; Professional tier allows 20; unlimited rules only in Enterprise
  • Advanced analytics excluded from Starter tier

WSO2 API Manager

  • The free open source distribution does not include a subscription to the WSO2 Update service, so continuous improvements and security patches require a paid subscription
  • A commercial production licence is not part of the free download and comes only with a subscription
  • No subscription price is published; Basic Support and Enterprise Support both require contacting sales for a quote
  • 24x7x365 coverage requires Enterprise Support; the general query SLA is one business day
  • A Customer Success Manager is a paid optional add on covering business hours only
  • Consulting services and WSO2 Private Cloud hosting are quoted separately

Pricing, plan by plan

Front

$25/month per seat

No published plan breakdown. See the Front review.

WSO2 API Manager

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Core API management
    • Community support
  • Commercial$undefined/monthly
    • Enterprise features
    • Technical support
    • SLA

Which should you pick?

Choose Front if

  • You need shared inbox.
  • You work on Cloud-based SaaS.
  • You also want email collaboration.
Front review

Choose WSO2 API Manager if

  • You need api gateway.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Java, Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want api designer.
WSO2 API Manager review

Questions people ask

Is Front or WSO2 API Manager better?
Neither clearly leads. Front starts at $25/month per seat and WSO2 API Manager at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Front or WSO2 API Manager?
WSO2 API Manager has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $25/month per seat for Front and Free for WSO2 API Manager.
Does Front or WSO2 API Manager run on more platforms?
Front runs on Cloud-based SaaS. WSO2 API Manager runs on Java, Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.
Can I use WSO2 API Manager for free?
Yes. WSO2 API Manager has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Front starts at $25/month per seat.
What is Front best used for?
Front is most often used for multi-team customer support across email, chat, sms channels, enterprises using ai to resolve complex multi-step customer requests. Of those, multi-team customer support across email, chat, sms channels and enterprises using ai to resolve complex multi-step customer requests are not what WSO2 API Manager is typically brought in for.
What can Front do that WSO2 API Manager cannot?
Front covers Shared inbox, Email collaboration, Omnichannel messaging, Analytics. WSO2 API Manager covers API Gateway, API Designer, Developer Portal, LDAP.
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Related pages

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