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APIs · head to head

i2c vs Strapi

i2c logo

i2c

APIs

Configurable card issuing and banking processing platform for banks and programme managers

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Strapi logo

Strapi

APIs

Headless CMS with REST and GraphQL APIs

From
$35/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: i2c developer experience lags API-native competitors, and teams expecting Stripe-grade documentation and sandboxes find an enterprise integration project instead.; Strapi cloud pricing is per project, not per account, so a second project doubles the bill
  • They diverge on capability: i2c covers Configurable product engine, Strapi covers REST API.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which i2c and Strapi actually diverge.

Attributes where i2c and Strapi differ
Attributei2cStrapi
Starting priceOn request$35/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, REST APINode.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker
FoundedUnknown2015

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 i2c

  • Configurable product engine
  • Credit and instalments
  • Multi-currency
  • Fraud and risk tooling
  • Digital banking front ends
  • Global scheme connectivity

Only in Strapi

  • REST API
  • GraphQL API
  • Content management
  • PostgreSQL
  • MySQL
  • MongoDB
  • AWS
  • Webhooks

What people use each for

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

i2c

  • A bank wanting credit, debit and prepaid portfolios on one processor rather than threenot Strapi
  • An issuer in a market where local scheme and currency support rules out US-centric processorsnot Strapi
  • A programme manager launching instalment products without building a lending corenot Strapi
  • A credit union replacing an ageing processor without writing custom code for product rulesnot Strapi

Strapi

  • Running a self hosted headless CMS with a REST or GraphQL APInot i2c
  • Giving editors a content admin panel over a custom content modelnot i2c

Where each one falls short

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

i2c

  • Developer experience lags API-native competitors, and teams expecting Stripe-grade documentation and sandboxes find an enterprise integration project instead.
  • Implementations lean on i2c or partner professional services, so timelines and costs are set by a services queue rather than by your own engineering speed.
  • Pricing is per active card and per transaction with monthly minimums, none of it published, so comparing bids requires modelling your own portfolio carefully.
  • Configuration flexibility means product behaviour lives in platform settings rather than in your repository, which complicates version control, testing and audit trails.
  • As a private company with a broad global footprint, regional support depth is uneven, and a programme in a smaller market may get thinner service than a flagship account.

Strapi

  • Cloud pricing is per project, not per account, so a second project doubles the bill
  • Starter at $35 a month allows 100,000 API requests, and overage is $1.50 per 25,000
  • Extra bandwidth is $30 per 100 GB and extra asset storage $0.60 per GB
  • Backups start at the Pro plan, weekly, and only become daily at Business
  • An uptime SLA is Business only, at $450 a month per project
  • Additional environments cost $60 a month on Pro and $300 a month on Business

Pricing, plan by plan

i2c

On request
  • i2c processing platform$undefined/year
    • Per-active-card and per-transaction processing fees
    • Minimum monthly commitments by programme
    • Implementation and configuration professional services

Strapi

$35/month
  • Starter$35/month
    • 100k API requests
    • 50 GB asset storage
    • 50 GB asset bandwidth
  • Pro$90/month
    • 1M API requests
    • 250 GB asset storage
    • 500 GB asset bandwidth
  • Business$450/month
    • 10M API requests
    • 1000 GB asset storage
    • 1000 GB asset bandwidth

Which should you pick?

Choose i2c if

  • You need configurable product engine.
  • You work on Web, REST API.
  • You also want credit and instalments.
i2c review

Choose Strapi if

  • You need rest api.
  • You work on Node.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker.
  • You also want graphql api.
Strapi review

Questions people ask

Is i2c or Strapi better?
Neither clearly leads. i2c starts at On request and Strapi at $35/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, i2c or Strapi?
i2c starts at On request and Strapi at $35/month.
Does i2c or Strapi run on more platforms?
i2c runs on Web, REST API. Strapi runs on Node.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker.
What is i2c best used for?
i2c is most often used for a bank wanting credit, debit and prepaid portfolios on one processor rather than three, an issuer in a market where local scheme and currency support rules out us-centric processors, a programme manager launching instalment products without building a lending core, a credit union replacing an ageing processor without writing custom code for product rules. Of those, a bank wanting credit, debit and prepaid portfolios on one processor rather than three and an issuer in a market where local scheme and currency support rules out us-centric processors are not what Strapi is typically brought in for.
What can i2c do that Strapi cannot?
i2c covers Configurable product engine, Credit and instalments, Multi-currency, Fraud and risk tooling. Strapi covers REST API, GraphQL API, Content management, PostgreSQL.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

i2c: Does i2c issue the cards itself?

No. It processes; issuance sits with a bank or licensed issuer, and in most markets you need that relationship separately.

Strapi: How much do API request overages cost?

Additional API requests beyond the plan limit cost $1.50 per 25000 requests. Extra asset storage costs $0.60 per GB, and additional bandwidth costs $30 per 100 GB.

Source
i2c: Can it handle revolving credit?

Yes. Credit, instalments and buy-now-pay-later sit on the same platform as debit and prepaid, which is unusual among modern processors.

Strapi: Is yearly billing available?

Yes, yearly billing saves up to 17% compared to monthly billing on Strapi Cloud plans.

Source
i2c: Is it self-serve?

No. Expect a configuration-led implementation with professional services rather than signing up and calling an API.

Strapi: What is included with the Pro plan?

The Pro plan costs $90 per month per project and includes 1M API requests, 250 GB asset storage, 500 GB bandwidth, multi-environment support, weekly backups, and manual backups.

Source
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