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APIs · head to head

Lithic vs Mambu

Lithic logo

Lithic

APIs

API-first card issuing platform with direct Visa, Mastercard and Amex network connections

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Mambu logo

Mambu

APIs

Composable cloud core banking platform used by banks, lenders and fintechs in 65-plus countries

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Lithic pricing is entirely undisclosed, so a company cannot compare total cost against Marqeta, Galileo or Highnote without a sales conversation.; Mambu pricing is entirely unpublished, and as subscription and usage-based fees scale with a bank's book of business, total cost at scale is hard to forecast before a detailed vendor conversation.
  • They diverge on capability: Lithic covers Direct network connections, Mambu covers Composable engine architecture.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lithic and Mambu actually diverge.

Attributes where Lithic and Mambu differ
AttributeLithicMambu

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), platforms (Web, API), 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 Lithic

  • Direct network connections
  • Processor Client mode
  • Lithic Program Management
  • Card lifecycle APIs
  • Sandbox environment
  • Real-time authorization controls

Only in Mambu

  • Composable engine architecture
  • Deposits and lending core
  • Cloud-native SaaS delivery
  • Marketplace of connectors
  • Multi-country regulatory support
  • API-first orchestration

What people use each for

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

Lithic

  • A fintech wanting direct Visa or Mastercard network access rather than routing through a third-party processornot Mambu
  • A company that already holds its own issuing licence and wants API access without full programme managementnot Mambu
  • A neobank or expense platform wanting Lithic to manage bank and network relationships end to endnot Mambu
  • A product team prototyping a card programme in sandbox before committing to a launchnot Mambu

Mambu

  • A digital-first challenger bank wanting a cloud-native core without building banking infrastructure from scratchnot Lithic
  • A lender needing configurable loan product engines to launch new credit products fasternot Lithic
  • An established bank doing incremental core modernisation rather than a full monolithic core replacementnot Lithic
  • A fintech in an emerging or regulated market needing pre-built compliance configuration across many jurisdictionsnot Lithic

Where each one falls short

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

Lithic

  • Pricing is entirely undisclosed, so a company cannot compare total cost against Marqeta, Galileo or Highnote without a sales conversation.
  • Choosing Processor Client mode still leaves the company responsible for holding its own issuing licence and managing the regulatory relationship, which is a substantial undertaking many teams underestimate.
  • As with any card infrastructure provider, an outage or network issue at Lithic becomes a direct outage for every card programme built on it, and a customer has limited visibility into root cause during an incident.
  • Building a card programme on API infrastructure requires real engineering investment; it is not a plug-and-play product for a non-technical team.
  • Switching card infrastructure providers after launch is a major undertaking involving card reissuance and programme migration, so the initial choice carries lasting lock-in.

Mambu

  • Pricing is entirely unpublished, and as subscription and usage-based fees scale with a bank's book of business, total cost at scale is hard to forecast before a detailed vendor conversation.
  • A core banking implementation is a multi-year, high-switching-cost commitment regardless of vendor, and Mambu is no exception; a wrong initial configuration choice is expensive to unwind.
  • Composability is a genuine strength but also means more integration and configuration decisions fall to the bank's own team or system integrator, versus a more opinionated, less flexible fixed-core alternative.
  • As cloud-hosted core banking infrastructure, a bank is trusting Mambu's own uptime and security posture for its most business-critical system, concentrating operational risk in one vendor relationship.
  • Newer entrants such as Thought Machine and 10x Banking compete directly on similar composable positioning, so Mambu's tenure advantage is real but narrowing as competitors mature.

Pricing, plan by plan

Lithic

On request
  • Lithic$undefined/year
    • Volume and interchange-based pricing, not published
    • Separate Processor Client and Program Management pricing tracks
    • Custom quote required via sales

Mambu

On request
  • Mambu$undefined/year
    • Subscription pricing, structured by modules and usage
    • Exact rates not published, custom quote required

Which should you pick?

Choose Lithic if

  • You need direct network connections.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want processor client mode.
Lithic review

Choose Mambu if

  • You need composable engine architecture.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want deposits and lending core.
Mambu review

Questions people ask

Is Lithic or Mambu better?
Neither clearly leads. Lithic starts at On request and Mambu at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lithic or Mambu?
Lithic starts at On request and Mambu at On request.
Does Lithic or Mambu run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, API, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Lithic best used for?
Lithic is most often used for a fintech wanting direct visa or mastercard network access rather than routing through a third-party processor, a company that already holds its own issuing licence and wants api access without full programme management, a neobank or expense platform wanting lithic to manage bank and network relationships end to end, a product team prototyping a card programme in sandbox before committing to a launch. Of those, a fintech wanting direct visa or mastercard network access rather than routing through a third-party processor and a company that already holds its own issuing licence and wants api access without full programme management are not what Mambu is typically brought in for.
What can Lithic do that Mambu cannot?
Lithic covers Direct network connections, Processor Client mode, Lithic Program Management, Card lifecycle APIs. Mambu covers Composable engine architecture, Deposits and lending core, Cloud-native SaaS delivery, Marketplace of connectors.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lithic: Does Lithic publish pricing?

No, pricing is volume-based and requires a sales conversation.

Mambu: Is Mambu on-premise or cloud?

Cloud-native SaaS delivery, not an on-premise installation.

Lithic: What is the difference between Processor Client and Program Management?

Processor Client suits companies with their own issuing licence and bank relationships; Program Management is for companies wanting Lithic to coordinate those relationships on their behalf.

Mambu: Does it publish pricing?

No, pricing is subscription-based, structured by modules and usage, but not published publicly.

Lithic: Which networks does it connect to?

Visa, Mastercard and American Express directly.

Mambu: How many countries does it operate in?

It is used by banks, lenders and fintechs across more than 65 countries.

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