14 of the Best API Management Tools You Should Try in 2020!
Shane Barker
Founder @TraceFuse.ai | Amazon Review Expert | E-commerce Strategist | Influencer Marketing Specialist | Speaker
Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) power most applications used today. This is because they enable developers to include core features of complex websites in the applications. Also, they allow those features to be integrated and used in different ways.
It is essential for businesses because it is through an API that they are able to get different programs to communicate with each other.
Since APIs are growing in popularity, it becomes extremely difficult and complex to manage them. This is where API management comes into the picture. It helps you design, analyze, document, and publish APIs in a secure environment.
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It has become so popular that the API management market is expected to reach $3,436.16 million by 2022.
To make the best use of an API, you should document it well and secure it too. You can do this through consistent testing and regular updates. To simplify this process, you can use API management tools.
API Management Tools: Why You Need Them
While API management tools make it easy for your organization to develop, manage, and secure APIs, they offer a lot more than that.
They can also help with API planning and testing stages. This is important because after designing an API, you need to test it to ensure that it works the way you want it to.
Additionally, API management tools also help ensure that the APIs you previously deployed are compatible with the new ones. This can help reduce your app development costs. Finally, they simplify the process of publishing and deploying APIs.
Now, let’s take a look at how you can select the best API management tools for your organization.
How to Select the Best API Management Tools For Software Development
There are a lot of API management tools out there. So, you need to be careful when selecting the one you want to use for developing software solutions.
Here are some factors you should consider while selecting API management tools for your organization.
1. Ease of Use
The first thing you check before selecting API management tools is the ease of operation. If the API management tool you choose isn’t easy to use, your team will find it difficult to manage your APIs.
Additionally, a good API management tool should make it simple for you to manage your developers. Apart from that, it should also integrate well with other infrastructure that you already have in place.
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2. Scalability
This is yet another important factor to consider when choosing API management tools. Scalability is a crucial factor for growing your business, and the tools you use must be able to support that development.
It’s due to this reason that you need to check if your tool can support your organization’s growth or not.
Let’s say your software solution powers an ecommerce platform. When you use an API management tool that is scalable, it’ll be easy for you to perform optimally during peak periods (such as Black Friday). Else, your system may crash due to the increased activity.
3. Security
Before choosing an API management tool, you must check if it’s secure to use. You need to verify if it has strong single-sign-on (SSO) capabilities.
Also, it must have policies that make the use of an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) compulsory. It should also protect you against web-based threats and disable login if a VPN isn’t turned on.
Additionally, it should be GDPR-compliant to foster trust and loyalty with your customers. After all, that can help improve your customer retention.
4. Comprehensiveness
The last factor that you need to consider before choosing an API management tool is its comprehensiveness. You must confirm if the API management tool covers both the API publisher and consumer components.
API publisher components include designing, creating, testing, securing, and managing.
On the other hand, API consumer components include discovering, developing, consuming, and monitoring.
An ideal API management tool should be able to effectively handle most, if not all, of these components.
Now, let’s take a look at the best API management tools for 2020 and how you can use them effectively.
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14 API Management Tools You Should Check Out
Here are some of the best API management tools you should check out today.
API Management Tool #1: Apigee
Apigee is one of the best API Management tools out there for partner apps, cloud apps, consumer apps, systems of record, IoT, and employee apps.
With this software solution, you can design, secure, analyze, and scale APIs from anywhere. Not only that, this tool allows you to take full control of your APIs and see how everything works.
Image via Apigee
Some of its features include:
- It helps to deliver the solution (end goal) in the form of proxy, agent, or hybrid.
- It makes it simple for developers to use data and tools to build new cloud-based apps.
- Developers can build and deliver applications on their own.
- It also helps with measurement and tracking. The tool comes with analytics that provides information about API traffic and helps measure the KPIs too.
It has four pricing plans – Evaluation, Standard, Enterprise, and Enterprise Plus. The Evaluation plan is free. For the other plans, you have to contact their team to get a custom quote.
API Management Tool #2: Software AG
Software AG was recently labeled as a visionary in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Industrial Internet of Things, 2019. This is because its API infrastructure is well-integrated and also notable for its innovation.
Image via Software AG
Some of its key features include:
- Provides access to a number of open API standards
- Helps users manage the entire API lifecycle
- Has a completely customizable developer portal
- Has a secure analytics gateway that can help you adapt and scale your API
You can get started with a free trial of this software solution. For full pricing details, you need to contact the Software AG team.
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API Management Tool #3: MuleSoft
MuleSoft is one of the best API management tools for connecting applications. It also works well for managing and building APIs. Additionally, it provides solutions for creating an application network from scratch.
This helps you manage users and analyze the traffic you get. It also has policies in place that can help you secure your API from cyberattacks.
Image via MuleSoft
Some of its key features include:
- Has a unified API platform
- Helps you create a community that you can use to nurture and collaborate with other developers
It has a free trial option that you can explore. As for the pricing plans, it has Gold, Platinum, and Titanium pricing plans. You can reach out to the MuleSoft team for more details about pricing.
API Management Tool #4: Axway
Axway is a notable API management tool that provides cloud-based data integration. Some of the solutions that it offers include API management, B2B integration, content collaboration, and app development.
Image via Axway
Some of its features include:
- Trend analysis and predictive analysis of API
- Pre-built development policies that make it easy for developers to work
It has a free trial option. You can contact the Axway team for more details about pricing and custom quotes.
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API Management Tool #5: WSO2
WSO2 is an open-source API management tool that you can deploy on-premises, cloud, and is available as a service too.
It is useful when you want to manage the complete API lifecycle that includes management, monetization, and policy enforcement.
Image via WSO2
Some of its key features include:
- Highly-customizable
- Allow developers to make money through the platform
- Regulates API traffic hence securing it against future attacks
- Has an analytics platform that monitors and tracks results
WSO2 offers a 15-day free trial. For more details about its pricing, you need to contact the WSO2 team.
API Management Tool #6: Kong Inc.
Kong Inc. provides end-to-end solutions for organizations that are looking to solve critical application problems. Their tools, Kong Gateway and Kong Enterprise, can help you control and manage your API. The former is an open-source tool as well.
Image via Kong Inc.
Some of their features include:
- You can manage your teams and provide an integrated development environment.
- They’ve got a variety of plugins that you can use to extend the functionalities of the tools.
- It is scalable, especially for organizations with a large workload.
You can download Kong Gateway for free. For access to the Enterprise edition, you can request a demo of the software solution for free. You need to contact their team for pricing details.
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