API Management Software

API management software helps you control, watch and protect the data moving between your apps, partners and customers. It handles who gets in, how much they can use and what's going wrong. Done well, it keeps integrations stable while your product grows. Below, we compare 16 tools in one place. Browse the full catalog to open any profile and start a trial or demo.

• Best overall: Tyk, an open-source gateway with analytics and a developer portal.
• Best for building and testing APIs: Postman.
• Best for large enterprises: Apigee Edge, IBM API Management or 3scale.
• Best for old systems: OpenLegacy.
• Skip Wolfram Mathematica, Unanet A/E, Datamolino and FreightCenter API. They’re listed here, but they aren’t API management tools.

Pros and Cons of Every Tool on The Page

Each entry stands on its own, so jump to the one you’re weighing. Our page lists no prices for any tool, so ask each vendor for a quote.

1. Wolfram Mathematica

Best for: researchers who need heavy math, charts and data work.

Pros: A notebook-style tool for image processing, data visualization and theory experiments.

Cons: It isn’t API management. It doesn’t run a gateway or manage who uses your APIs. Skip it for this job.

2. Unanet A/E

Best for: architecture and engineering firms.

Pros: An ERP that combines project management and business intelligence for A/E firms.

Cons: It’s a business system, not an API tool. Pick it only if you’re an A/E firm shopping for ERP.

3. Boomi

Best for: companies that want to manage the whole API lifecycle on one flexible platform.

Pros: It’s described as scalable, and there’s a free trial.

Cons: The listing is light on specifics, so ask what’s included in each plan before you commit.

4. OpenLegacy

Best for: businesses stuck with old core systems.

Pros: It connects complex on-premise and legacy systems to newer apps. A free demo is available.

Cons: It’s a hybrid integration platform, so it solves a narrower problem than a general gateway.

5. APPSeCONNECT

Best for: teams linking on-premise and cloud apps without much code.

Pros: An enterprise iPaaS that brings on-premise and cloud applications onto one platform.

Cons: It’s built for integration, not API publishing. You may still need a separate gateway. No trial is listed.

6. Peekdata Data API

Best for: product teams adding reports to their own app or customer portal.

Pros: It lets developers embed reporting through programmatic data access.

Cons: It’s a data API tool, not a full management platform. No trial is listed.

7. Tyk

Best for: startups and regulated firms that want control.

Pros: Open-source gateway with analytics, a developer portal and a dashboard. It targets finance, healthcare and banking. You can sign up directly.

Cons: More features mean more to set up. A non-technical owner will need a developer’s help.

8. Azure

Best for: teams already building on Microsoft’s cloud.

Pros: Tools, templates and managed services for building and deploying apps in one place.

Cons: It’s a whole cloud platform. If you only need API management, it’s a lot to learn. No trial is listed.

9. Postman

Best for: developers who design, test and document APIs every day.

Pros: Used by more than 7 million developers, according to our page. It covers design, testing, documentation, monitoring and publishing. You can sign up directly.

Cons: It’s not a gateway, so it won’t replace one for traffic control.

10. Datamolino

Best for: bookkeeping teams drowning in invoices and receipts.

Pros: It uses OCR to pull data from invoices, bills and receipts into a searchable archive. There’s a free trial.

Cons: It isn’t an API management tool. Skip it for this job.

11. Apigee Edge

Best for: companies that want to earn money from their APIs.

Pros: It helps you publish, monitor, analyze and monetize APIs. A free trial is available.

Cons: It’s aimed at larger setups. Small teams may find it more than they need.

12. WSO2 API Management

Best for: teams that want open source and freedom to deploy anywhere.

Pros: It covers the full lifecycle, from designing and publishing APIs to managing developer communities.

Cons: No trial is listed, and you’ll need technical skill to run it well.

13. SheetDB

Best for: small teams turning a spreadsheet into a simple API for a web app.

Pros: It offers online and business-hours support, plus documentation-based training.

Cons: The listing doesn’t show enterprise controls like deep analytics or access rules. No trial is listed.

14. IBM API Management

Best for: large companies running hybrid cloud.

Pros: It lets you build, analyze and share APIs through developer and social portals, and secure them across hybrid cloud.

Cons: It reads as an enterprise product. Small teams should ask hard questions about fit. No trial is listed.

15. FreightCenter API

Best for: online stores that want to add shipping to their site.

Pros: It can be added to existing websites and e-commerce apps.

Cons: It’s a shipping tool, not API management. Skip it unless you need freight quotes.

16. 3scale

Best for: enterprises that want rate limiting and access control.

Pros: Performance analytics, access control and rate limiting, plus ways to share and monetize APIs. It’s from Red Hat.

Cons: It’s built for enterprise teams. No trial is listed.

How to Choose API Management Software

1. Name the job. Is it a gateway, a testing tool or an integration platform?
2. Count your APIs and users. Pricing usually tracks traffic and seats.
3. Match your skills. Open-source tools like Tyk and WSO2 reward technical teams.
4. Check where it runs. Cloud, on-premise and hybrid setups need different tools.
5. Try before you pay. Use a trial or demo where one exists.

Red flags in demos:

• The rep can’t show rate limiting and access control live.
• Pricing stays vague or changes with every call.
• Nobody can explain what happens when traffic spikes.
• The demo uses a polished sample, never your own APIs.

API Management Software FAQ

What is API management software?

It’s a tool that controls how apps talk to each other. It sets who can connect, limits how much they can use and shows what’s happening in real time. Tyk, Apigee Edge and 3scale all offer these features, such as analytics, access control and rate limiting.

Which tool is best for a startup?

Tyk or Postman. Tyk is open source and includes a developer portal, so you can grow into it. Postman is great while you’re still designing and testing APIs. Both let you sign up directly. Pick Tyk once you need to control live traffic.

How much does API management software cost?

Our page lists no prices, and plans change often, so ask each vendor for a current quote. Boomi and Apigee Edge offer free trials, and OpenLegacy offers a free demo. Tyk and Postman have sign-up pages. Open-source tools such as Tyk and WSO2 still need people to run them.

Can it replace my integration tool?

Sometimes, but not always. Boomi and APPSeCONNECT are integration platforms, so they connect apps rather than publish APIs. Tyk and WSO2 focus on managing APIs. Many teams end up using one of each. Check which job each product really does.

Which tools should I skip?

Skip Wolfram Mathematica, Unanet A/E, Datamolino and FreightCenter API for API management. They do math, ERP, invoice data and shipping. Also skip Apigee Edge, IBM API Management and 3scale if you’re a tiny team, since they’re built for large companies.