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APIs · head to head

Lithic vs Zimpler

Lithic logo

Lithic

APIs

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

From
On request
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

  • 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.; 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: Lithic covers Direct network connections, Zimpler covers Bank payments.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lithic and Zimpler actually diverge.

Attributes where Lithic and Zimpler differ
AttributeLithicZimpler
PlatformsWeb, APIWeb, REST API

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 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.

Lithic

  • A fintech wanting direct Visa or Mastercard network access rather than routing through a third-party processornot Zimpler
  • A company that already holds its own issuing licence and wants API access without full programme managementnot Zimpler
  • A neobank or expense platform wanting Lithic to manage bank and network relationships end to endnot Zimpler
  • A product team prototyping a card programme in sandbox before committing to a launchnot Zimpler

Zimpler

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

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

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

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 Lithic if

  • You need direct network connections.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want processor client mode.
Lithic 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 Lithic or Zimpler better?
Neither clearly leads. Lithic starts at On request and Zimpler at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lithic or Zimpler?
Lithic starts at On request and Zimpler at On request.
Does Lithic or Zimpler run on more platforms?
Lithic runs on Web, API. Zimpler runs on Web, REST API.
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 Zimpler is typically brought in for.
What can Lithic do that Zimpler cannot?
Lithic covers Direct network connections, Processor Client mode, Lithic Program Management, Card lifecycle APIs. Zimpler covers Bank payments, BankID identity, Payouts, Recurring payments.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lithic: Does Lithic publish pricing?

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

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.

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.

Zimpler: Does it handle identity verification?

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

Lithic: Which networks does it connect to?

Visa, Mastercard and American Express directly.

Zimpler: Is pricing published?

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

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