Software · head to head
Stoplight vs Akana
The short version
- Only Stoplight has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Stoplight the free plan allows one project and one user; Akana owned by Perforce and sold within their portfolio rather than independently, and akana.com redirects to perforce.com
- They diverge on capability: Stoplight covers API Design, Akana covers API Lifecycle Management.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Stoplight and Akana actually diverge.
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Stoplight
- API Design
- API Documentation
- Governance
- GitHub
- GitLab
- Jenkins
- Azure DevOps
- Web support
Only in Akana
- API Lifecycle Management
- API Security
- Governance Controls
- OAuth
- SAML
- LDAP
- Active Directory
- On-premise support
Both cover
- Cloud support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Stoplight
- Designing and documenting OpenAPI specifications visuallynot Akana
- Serving interactive API docs and instant mock servers from a specnot Akana
Akana
- API lifecycle management across REST, SOAP and GraphQLnot Stoplight
- Applying OAuth, JWT and SAML policies at the gatewaynot Stoplight
- Running the same platform on-premises, in Kubernetes or across cloudsnot Stoplight
- Developer portal and API monetisationnot Stoplight
- Monitoring API traffic and enforcing quotasnot Stoplight
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Stoplight
- The free plan allows one project and one user
- Private projects, multi branch support and custom domains start at the Startup plan, $113 a month billed annually
- SSO and shared style guides are Pro Team only, at $362 a month billed annually
- Seats beyond each plan's allowance are $11 to $27 each per month depending on tier and billing period
Akana
- Owned by Perforce and sold within their portfolio rather than independently, and akana.com redirects to perforce.com
- Pricing is not published; only a 30 day trial is offered
Pricing, plan by plan
Stoplight
Free- FreeFree
- API design
- Documentation
- Community support
- Pro$75/monthly
- Governance
- Advanced testing
- Team collaboration
- Enterprise$undefined/monthly
- Custom deployment
- SLA
- Priority support
Akana
$2500/monthly- Professional$2500/monthly
- API Gateway
- Developer Portal
- Basic analytics
- Enterprise$5000/monthly
- Advanced governance
- Multi-cloud support
- Premium support
- Custom$undefined/monthly
- Custom solutions
- Dedicated support
- SLA guarantee
Which should you pick?
Choose Stoplight if
- You need api design.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Cloud.
- You also want api documentation.
Choose Akana if
- You need api lifecycle management.
- You work on Cloud, On-premise, Hybrid.
- You also want api security.
Questions people ask
- Is Stoplight or Akana better?
- Neither clearly leads. Stoplight starts at Free and Akana at $2500/monthly, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Stoplight or Akana?
- Stoplight has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Stoplight and $2500/monthly for Akana.
- Does Stoplight or Akana run on more platforms?
- Stoplight runs on Web, Cloud. Akana runs on Cloud, On-premise, Hybrid.
- Can I use Stoplight for free?
- Yes. Stoplight has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Akana starts at $2500/monthly.
- What is Stoplight best used for?
- Stoplight is most often used for designing and documenting openapi specifications visually, serving interactive api docs and instant mock servers from a spec. Of those, designing and documenting openapi specifications visually and serving interactive api docs and instant mock servers from a spec are not what Akana is typically brought in for.
- What can Stoplight do that Akana cannot?
- Stoplight covers API Design, API Documentation, Governance, GitHub. Akana covers API Lifecycle Management, API Security, Governance Controls, OAuth. Both handle Cloud support.