Softwr

APIs · head to head

WSO2 API Manager vs Zimpler

WSO2 API Manager logo

WSO2 API Manager

APIs

Complete API management platform for designing and managing APIs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zimpler logo

Zimpler

APIs

Nordic and Brazilian account-to-account payments for regulated high-risk sectors

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only WSO2 API Manager has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: WSO2 API Manager the free open source distribution does not include a subscription to the WSO2 Update service, so continuous improvements and security patches require a paid subscription; Zimpler pricing is not published and is set by industry and risk profile, so smaller merchants cannot benchmark a quote and often discover they are paying well above a general-purpose provider.
  • They diverge on capability: WSO2 API Manager covers API Gateway, Zimpler covers Bank payments.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which WSO2 API Manager and Zimpler actually diverge.

Attributes where WSO2 API Manager and Zimpler differ
AttributeWSO2 API ManagerZimpler
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelopen-sourcequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsJava, Linux, Docker, KubernetesWeb, REST API
Founded2005Unknown

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 WSO2 API Manager

  • API Gateway
  • API Designer
  • Developer Portal
  • LDAP
  • Okta
  • Keycloak
  • Microservices
  • Java support

Only in Zimpler

  • Bank payments
  • BankID identity
  • Payouts
  • Recurring payments
  • Risk screening
  • Brazil coverage

What people use each for

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

WSO2 API Manager

  • Publishing, securing and rate limiting APIs behind a gatewaynot Zimpler
  • Running an API developer portal with subscription key managementnot Zimpler
  • Self hosting an open source API management layer on premisesnot Zimpler

Zimpler

  • A Swedish gambling operator needing deposit and verified identity in a single customer flownot WSO2 API Manager
  • A Nordic merchant wanting instant bank payouts rather than card refundsnot WSO2 API Manager
  • A trading platform where confirming account ownership before funding is a regulatory requirementnot WSO2 API Manager
  • A European operator expanding into Brazil and wanting one provider across both marketsnot WSO2 API Manager

Where each one falls short

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

WSO2 API Manager

  • The free open source distribution does not include a subscription to the WSO2 Update service, so continuous improvements and security patches require a paid subscription
  • A commercial production licence is not part of the free download and comes only with a subscription
  • No subscription price is published; Basic Support and Enterprise Support both require contacting sales for a quote
  • 24x7x365 coverage requires Enterprise Support; the general query SLA is one business day
  • A Customer Success Manager is a paid optional add on covering business hours only
  • Consulting services and WSO2 Private Cloud hosting are quoted separately

Zimpler

  • Pricing is not published and is set by industry and risk profile, so smaller merchants cannot benchmark a quote and often discover they are paying well above a general-purpose provider.
  • As a payment facilitator carrying merchant risk, it declines or offboards merchants on risk grounds, which makes it a dependency you cannot assume will persist.
  • Its strength is concentrated in the Nordics, and coverage in southern and eastern Europe is thinner than pan-European account-to-account specialists.
  • Revenue concentration in iGaming ties the provider to a sector under constant regulatory change, so licence changes in one market affect the supplier as well as the merchant.
  • Bank transfers have no chargeback protection, so disputes are handled commercially and consumers used to card protections may resist the payment method.

Pricing, plan by plan

WSO2 API Manager

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Core API management
    • Community support
  • Commercial$undefined/monthly
    • Enterprise features
    • Technical support
    • SLA

Zimpler

On request
  • Zimpler payments$undefined/year
    • Per-transaction pricing quoted by industry, risk and volume
    • Separate pricing for payouts and identity verification
    • Merchant underwriting required, with sector restrictions

Which should you pick?

Choose WSO2 API Manager if

  • You need api gateway.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Java, Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want api designer.
WSO2 API Manager review

Choose Zimpler if

  • You need bank payments.
  • You work on Web, REST API.
  • You also want bankid identity.
Zimpler review

Questions people ask

Is WSO2 API Manager or Zimpler better?
Neither clearly leads. WSO2 API Manager starts at Free and Zimpler at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, WSO2 API Manager or Zimpler?
WSO2 API Manager has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for WSO2 API Manager and On request for Zimpler.
Does WSO2 API Manager or Zimpler run on more platforms?
WSO2 API Manager runs on Java, Linux, Docker, Kubernetes. Zimpler runs on Web, REST API.
Can I use WSO2 API Manager for free?
Yes. WSO2 API Manager has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zimpler starts at On request.
What is WSO2 API Manager best used for?
WSO2 API Manager is most often used for publishing, securing and rate limiting apis behind a gateway, running an api developer portal with subscription key management, self hosting an open source api management layer on premises. Of those, publishing, securing and rate limiting apis behind a gateway and running an api developer portal with subscription key management are not what Zimpler is typically brought in for.
What can WSO2 API Manager do that Zimpler cannot?
WSO2 API Manager covers API Gateway, API Designer, Developer Portal, LDAP. Zimpler covers Bank payments, BankID identity, Payouts, Recurring payments.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

WSO2 API Manager: How is WSO2 API Manager priced?

WSO2 API Manager pricing is not published on their website. As an enterprise API management platform, pricing is custom-quoted based on deployment model and organizational requirements.

Source
Zimpler: Which markets does Zimpler cover?

Sweden and the Nordics primarily, plus the wider EU and Brazil. It is strongest where national electronic identity schemes exist.

WSO2 API Manager: Does WSO2 API Manager offer different pricing for on-premises versus cloud deployments?

WSO2 API Manager supports multiple deployment options including on-premises and cloud, but pricing structures for different deployment models are not publicly disclosed.

Source
Zimpler: Does it handle identity verification?

Yes. In the Nordics it captures BankID identity alongside the payment, which removes a separate verification step.

WSO2 API Manager: What deployment flexibility does WSO2 API Manager provide?

WSO2 API Manager enables flexible deployment on-premises or in cloud environments, but specific pricing tiers for each deployment model require contacting WSO2 sales.

Source
Zimpler: Is pricing published?

No. It is quoted per merchant based on sector, risk and volume, and merchants must pass underwriting first.

WSO2 API Manager: How would I request a WSO2 API Manager pricing quote?

Organizations can request pricing quotes by contacting WSO2 sales through their website. Custom quotes depend on API volume, deployment model, and feature requirements.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on WSO2 API Manager

More on Zimpler

Keep looking

Other head to heads