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APIs · head to head

RapidAPI vs Solaris

RapidAPI logo

RapidAPI

APIs

API marketplace and management platform for discovering and publishing APIs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Solaris logo

Solaris

APIs

German banking as a service with a full banking licence and a live regulatory problem

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only RapidAPI has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: RapidAPI rapidAPI Enterprise Hub minimum seat requirement is 5 seats per the embedded pricing page configuration (SEATS_MINIMUM: 5).; Solaris baFin appointed a special representative in 2022 and extended the mandate in July 2024, so a partner is joining a bank under active supervisory monitoring, with slower approvals and heavier compliance demands as a direct consequence.
  • They diverge on capability: RapidAPI covers API Marketplace, Solaris covers German banking licence.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which RapidAPI and Solaris actually diverge.

Attributes where RapidAPI and Solaris differ
AttributeRapidAPISolaris
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile, DesktopWeb, API
Founded2015Unknown

Identical on both: 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 RapidAPI

  • API Marketplace
  • API Management
  • Testing Tools
  • Multiple third-party APIs
  • Webhooks
  • REST APIs
  • Web support
  • Mobile support

Only in Solaris

  • German banking licence
  • IBAN accounts
  • Card issuing
  • Lending as a service
  • Digital assets and custody
  • SEPA payments
  • KYC and onboarding
  • Deposit protection

What people use each for

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

RapidAPI

  • API Developmentnot Solaris
  • API Gatewaynot Solaris
  • API Testingnot Solaris
  • API Documentationnot Solaris
  • Microservicesnot Solaris

Solaris

  • A retailer or platform launching a German current account or card product without applying for its own licencenot RapidAPI
  • A fintech that needs deposit taking and lending, which an e-money licence cannot providenot RapidAPI
  • A European business needing German IBANs because customers reject foreign IBANs for salary and direct debitnot RapidAPI
  • A company requiring German statutory deposit protection on customer balances as a product claimnot RapidAPI

Where each one falls short

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

RapidAPI

  • RapidAPI Enterprise Hub minimum seat requirement is 5 seats per the embedded pricing page configuration (SEATS_MINIMUM: 5).
  • RapidAPI places a $0.50 USD temporary credit card authorization hold when subscribing, refunded only if no overage charges occur within 7 days.

Solaris

  • BaFin appointed a special representative in 2022 and extended the mandate in July 2024, so a partner is joining a bank under active supervisory monitoring, with slower approvals and heavier compliance demands as a direct consequence.
  • BaFin fined Solaris EUR 6.5 million in March 2024 for systematically late suspicious activity reports and EUR 500,000 for breaching large exposure limits between January 2022 and March 2024, which is a track record a partner inherits reputationally.
  • Solaris has previously needed BaFin approval before onboarding new corporate clients, which can turn a commercial decision to launch into a regulatory timetable outside your control.
  • The 2024 restructuring involved job cuts and the closure of parts of a business unit, so product lines a partner depends on may not have the engineering behind them that the sales process implies.
  • SBI Holdings acquired majority control in 2025, so strategic direction now sits with a Japanese financial group whose priorities for the European business may differ from the roadmap you were sold.

Pricing, plan by plan

RapidAPI

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Access to APIs
    • Basic management
    • Testing tools
  • Pro$50/monthly
    • Advanced features
    • Analytics
    • Dedicated support
  • Enterprise$undefined/monthly
    • Custom solutions
    • SLA
    • Custom integration

Solaris

On request
  • Solaris banking as a service$undefined/year
    • Quoted per partner, typically setup fee plus monthly platform fee
    • Per account, per card and per transaction charges on top
    • Interchange sharing arrangements negotiated per programme

Which should you pick?

Choose RapidAPI if

  • You need api marketplace.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Desktop.
  • You also want api management.
RapidAPI review

Choose Solaris if

  • You need german banking licence.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want iban accounts.
Solaris review

Questions people ask

Is RapidAPI or Solaris better?
Neither clearly leads. RapidAPI starts at Free and Solaris at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, RapidAPI or Solaris?
RapidAPI has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for RapidAPI and On request for Solaris.
Does RapidAPI or Solaris run on more platforms?
RapidAPI runs on Web, Mobile, Desktop. Solaris runs on Web, API.
Can I use RapidAPI for free?
Yes. RapidAPI has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Solaris starts at On request.
What is RapidAPI best used for?
RapidAPI is most often used for api development, api gateway, api testing, api documentation. Of those, api development and api gateway are not what Solaris is typically brought in for.
What can RapidAPI do that Solaris cannot?
RapidAPI covers API Marketplace, API Management, Testing Tools, Multiple third-party APIs. Solaris covers German banking licence, IBAN accounts, Card issuing, Lending as a service.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Solaris: Does Solaris have a real banking licence?

Yes. Solaris SE is a German credit institution, which is why it can offer deposits and lending, unlike e-money based competitors.

Solaris: Is the BaFin action still live?

The special representative appointed in 2022 had the mandate extended in July 2024, and fines were issued in March 2024. Treat supervisory oversight as an active condition in your diligence.

Solaris: Who owns Solaris now?

SBI Holdings of Japan agreed in December 2024 and January 2025 to take a majority stake of over seventy per cent for around EUR 100 million.

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