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APIs · head to head

Lithic vs Ozone API

Lithic logo

Lithic

APIs

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ozone API logo

Ozone API

APIs

Standards-compliant open banking API layer for banks and regulators

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.; Ozone API it provides the API layer, not the core connectivity, so the bulk of the project is still integrating your own core banking systems and that cost is not in the licence.
  • They diverge on capability: Lithic covers Direct network connections, Ozone API covers Multi-standard support.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lithic and Ozone API actually diverge.

Attributes where Lithic and Ozone API differ
AttributeLithicOzone API
PlatformsWeb, APIWeb, REST API, Linux

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), 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 Lithic

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

Only in Ozone API

  • Multi-standard support
  • Consent management
  • Developer portal
  • Regulatory reporting
  • Premium API monetisation
  • Deployment flexibility

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 Ozone API
  • A company that already holds its own issuing licence and wants API access without full programme managementnot Ozone API
  • A neobank or expense platform wanting Lithic to manage bank and network relationships end to endnot Ozone API
  • A product team prototyping a card programme in sandbox before committing to a launchnot Ozone API

Ozone API

  • A building society facing an open banking compliance deadline with no API team of its ownnot Lithic
  • A bank operating in several jurisdictions that must satisfy different open banking standards at oncenot Lithic
  • A regulator or standards body building national open finance infrastructurenot Lithic
  • A bank wanting to sell premium APIs beyond the regulatory minimum without building entitlement plumbingnot 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.

Ozone API

  • It provides the API layer, not the core connectivity, so the bulk of the project is still integrating your own core banking systems and that cost is not in the licence.
  • Value is driven by regulatory obligation, so an institution not under a mandate struggles to build a business case for the spend.
  • It is a small UK vendor selling to large regulated institutions, which raises procurement and vendor viability questions during bank due diligence.
  • Premium API monetisation is a genuine capability but few banks have found real demand, so revenue projections used to justify the purchase often do not materialise.
  • Standards evolve continuously and each revision means a change programme in your own systems, even where Ozone absorbs the specification work at the API edge.

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

Ozone API

On request
  • Ozone API$undefined/year
    • Annual licence or managed service subscription, quoted
    • Scaling by institution size, standards in scope and API call volume
    • Implementation and core integration charged separately

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 Ozone API if

  • You need multi-standard support.
  • You work on Web, REST API, Linux.
  • You also want consent management.
Ozone API review

Questions people ask

Is Lithic or Ozone API better?
Neither clearly leads. Lithic starts at On request and Ozone API at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lithic or Ozone API?
Lithic starts at On request and Ozone API at On request.
Does Lithic or Ozone API run on more platforms?
Lithic runs on Web, API. Ozone API runs on Web, REST API, Linux.
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 Ozone API is typically brought in for.
What can Lithic do that Ozone API cannot?
Lithic covers Direct network connections, Processor Client mode, Lithic Program Management, Card lifecycle APIs. Ozone API covers Multi-standard support, Consent management, Developer portal, Regulatory reporting.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lithic: Does Lithic publish pricing?

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

Ozone API: Is this a competitor to Plaid or TrueLayer?

No, the opposite side. Ozone is bought by the bank exposing data; Plaid and TrueLayer consume it on behalf of third parties.

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.

Ozone API: Does it connect to my core banking system?

It provides the standards-compliant API surface and adapters, but connecting your core is an integration project you scope separately.

Lithic: Which networks does it connect to?

Visa, Mastercard and American Express directly.

Ozone API: Which standards does it support?

UK Open Banking, Berlin Group, FDX, Consumer Data Right and Gulf regional standards, among others, from one platform.

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