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APIs · head to head

Lithic vs Sila

Lithic logo

Lithic

APIs

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sila logo

Sila

APIs

US money movement API for ACH, RTP and FedNow with KYC and ledgering built in

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.; Sila no pricing is published, so you cannot compare Sila against Moov or Dwolla without entering two sales processes, and small programmes frequently find the monthly minimum dominates their cost at low volume.
  • They diverge on capability: Lithic covers Direct network connections, Sila covers ACH origination.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lithic and Sila actually diverge.

Attributes where Lithic and Sila differ
AttributeLithicSila

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 Sila

  • ACH origination
  • Instant rails
  • KYC and KYB
  • Virtual accounts
  • Ledger
  • Wallets and holds
  • Webhooks
  • Bank-side deployment

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

Sila

  • A small fintech that needs ACH, identity verification and a ledger from one vendor because it has no compliance team to assemble threenot Lithic
  • A marketplace paying out to sellers that wants same-day ACH and instant push options without becoming a money transmitter itselfnot Lithic
  • A community bank replacing batch file ACH processing with an API so it can offer real-time payments to business customersnot Lithic
  • A lending platform that must verify business identity, disburse funds and collect repayments on a schedule from a single integrationnot 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.

Sila

  • No pricing is published, so you cannot compare Sila against Moov or Dwolla without entering two sales processes, and small programmes frequently find the monthly minimum dominates their cost at low volume.
  • Sila is materially smaller and less well capitalised than the banking-as-a-service names it competes with, which matters because your customer funds and your payment rails depend on the vendor still trading in three years.
  • The sponsor bank behind your programme determines what you can offer and how fast you can change it, and bank partnerships in this sector have been reshuffled repeatedly since 2023, so a bank change during your contract is a realistic risk rather than a theoretical one.
  • Coverage is United States only, so any product with cross-border ambitions needs a second payments vendor and a second reconciliation process from the outset.
  • Onboarding involves compliance diligence on your own programme, and teams routinely underestimate this, with weeks lost between signing and first live transaction while policies, flow of funds diagrams and BSA arrangements are reviewed.

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

Sila

On request
  • Sila Payments Platform$undefined/month
    • ACH, RTP and FedNow
    • KYC and KYB verification
    • Virtual accounts and ledger

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 Sila if

  • You need ach origination.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want instant rails.
Sila review

Questions people ask

Is Lithic or Sila better?
Neither clearly leads. Lithic starts at On request and Sila at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lithic or Sila?
Lithic starts at On request and Sila at On request.
Does Lithic or Sila 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 Sila is typically brought in for.
What can Lithic do that Sila cannot?
Lithic covers Direct network connections, Processor Client mode, Lithic Program Management, Card lifecycle APIs. Sila covers ACH origination, Instant rails, KYC and KYB, Virtual accounts.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lithic: Does Lithic publish pricing?

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

Sila: Does Sila require a sponsor bank?

Yes. Funds sit at a partner bank, and which bank that is affects your product features and your regulatory exposure, so ask before signing.

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.

Sila: Is Sila still operating?

Yes. It continues to trade and announced an API integration with GBank in 2025 covering ACH, RTP and FedNow.

Lithic: Which networks does it connect to?

Visa, Mastercard and American Express directly.

Sila: What does it cost?

Sila does not publish rates. Expect per-transaction pricing plus a monthly minimum, quoted after a compliance conversation.

Sila: Can I use it outside the United States?

No. Sila covers US rails only.

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