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IBM API Connect vs IBM Cloud Pak for Integration comparison

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Buyer's Guide
IBM API Connect vs. IBM Cloud Pak for Integration
March 2023
Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between IBM API Connect and IBM Cloud Pak for Integration based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two API Management solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.
To learn more, read our detailed IBM API Connect vs. IBM Cloud Pak for Integration Report (Updated: March 2023).
Download the complete report
688,083 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Ashutosh Aggarwal
Helps with API monetization but needs improvement in design time setup
It has made API monetization quite easy. I can simply log onto the API dashboard and see who has used how much and whether they are using their... Read more →
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Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"The solution offers a pretty good SLA.""Using API Connect allows us to quickly create proxy APIs and saves time on end-to-end testing, which lets us deliver quickly to clients.""One of the most valuable features is the easy-to-use web interface.""The services that I consume through IBM API Connect are beneficial. It can handle multiple API management.""One of the most valuable features is that we can seamlessly and harmoniously expose our capabilities, from a security point of view.""WSRR is a powerful component for getting the endpoints.""We really like the runtime capabilities of IBM API Connect. The creation of products and the control of the monetization and hit rate are some of the features which we've found very valuable.""What's best about IBM API Connect is the excellent administration. The development tool that builds the API is also very simple, and user-friendly, and it doesn't consume too much time. Another valuable feature in IBM API Connect is its good reporting feature, particularly for operations, but the most valuable feature of the solution for the customer is security. IBM API Connect provides a DMZ and a security gateway between the external and internal environment, so you can publish your API safely. IBM API Connect can also integrate with any tool or middleware that works on open standards without the need for development or coding, so integration with the solution is easier."

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"The most valuable aspect of the Cloud Pak, in general, is the flexibility that you have to use the product.""Cloud Pak for Integration is definitely scalable. That is the most important criteria."

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Cons
"We've had some issues upgrading to the latest version of the solution.""The installation was difficult with the IBM toolkit.""The solution could improve security and performance.""Installation is weak.""The installation process could use improvement. I hope that in the next release, the installation process is easier.""Support for this platform could still be improved. It also needs to have more levels of versatility. Its compatibility and integration with different platforms also need improvement.""The implementation of IBM API Connect is complex, as it's an enterprise solution with many components that require more than one person. It's not a single product that you work on, and this is an area for improvement, but normally, it's good. Having a more structured model for IBM API Connect support is also room for improvement that would help customers better.""We ran it on top of the Kubernetes cluster, so it wasn't a standalone service. In the worst-case scenario, API Connect couldn't stay online if all the containers went down. We had to restart all the services. We shut down all the containers automatically one by one."

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"The initial setup is not easy.""Setting up Cloud Pak for Integration is relatively complex. It's not as easy because it has not yet been fully integrated. You still have some products that are still not containerized, so you still have to run them on a dedicated VM."

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Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "It should be cheaper. It has a yearly licensing."
  • "The price of the solution is very expensive, it can turn many customers away."
  • "API Connect's license cost could be a little lower. But, unfortunately, there aren't many open-source API gateways. Ideally, some new developers could come up with a minimum-functionality open-source solution."
  • "This is a licensed product. If your company is looking to obtain a license, you have to work with IBM partners."
  • "API Connect was highly expensive for us, but the decision to switch was made before I joined the company. It seems like the company bought it, but they didn't know how to use it. After two years, they decided to reevaluate and conduct some cost estimates."
  • "Pricing for IBM API Connect varies, e.g. it could be subscription-based. Deploying it on private cloud also means you have to own most of the software licensing."
  • "We pay for the IBM API Connect monthly. We only need to pay the standard licensing fee."
  • "The price for IBM API Connect is reasonable. It's $20,000 to $30,000 yearly for a subscription, and the pricing could vary around $40,000 per year, per subscription. Its price is reasonable for customers who have around sixty million API calls yearly for unlimited environments."

    • More IBM API Connect Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    What do you like most about IBM API Connect?
    Top Answer:The interface is very nice. It makes the solution easy to use and navigate.
    Read all 22 answers   →
    What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM API Connect?
    Top Answer:We have an SLA we can draw from. I need to keep within certain numbers, however, I don't have a problem doing so. I can't speak to exact costs.
    Read all 9 answers   →
    What needs improvement with IBM API Connect?
    Top Answer:The documentation needs to be a bit better. It's very sequential, however, I don't understand what options to choose for certain tasks. I need to read all of the documentation to find what I need… more »
    Read all 21 answers   →
    What do you like most about IBM Cloud Pak for Integration?
    Top Answer:Cloud Pak for Integration is definitely scalable. That is the most important criteria.
    Read all 2 answers   →
    What needs improvement with IBM Cloud Pak for Integration?
    Top Answer:What needs to be improved is the restriction that they have on the product. With this solution, you can deploy all the IBM products that are included in the Cloud Pak over the OpenShift but you cannot… more »
    What is your primary use case for IBM Cloud Pak for Integration?
    Top Answer:We use the solution for our clients. We primarily use the solution for multi-cloud management or automation. It's largely for integration. Automation is another one that we use. The solution helps you… more »
    Ranking
    5th
    out of 44 in API Management
    Views
    12,531
    Comparisons
    9,739
    Reviews
    21
    Average Words per Review
    511
    Rating
    7.6
    19th
    out of 44 in API Management
    Views
    1,734
    Comparisons
    1,188
    Reviews
    2
    Average Words per Review
    376
    Rating
    8.5
    Comparisons
    Learn More
    IBM
    IBM
    Overview

    IBM API Connect is a stable API management solution that facilitates a robust intuitive protocol to enable users to easily and continuously monetize, socialize, create, manage, and secure APIs. The solution can also power digital transformation on premises and across various cloud environments. Users have the ability to seamlessly drive digital applications and stimulate modernization instantly. IBM API Connect is also available in many other iterations with multiple reliable capabilities as part of the IBM Cloud Pak, which provides for smooth integration and will allow users to better automate application innovation and API management as part of any organization's progressive journey to a cloud environment.

    IBM API Connect Benefits

    IBM API Connect has many valuable benefits. Some of its most useful benefits include:

    • Robust: The solution is loaded with many solid, value-added API management features essential for today’s busy organizations to instantly complete next-generation API strategy with the control and stability necessary to stay competitive in today’s marketplace and provide easy self-service for developers.
    • Reliable: IBM API Connect utilizes an innovative microservices-based architecture to seamlessly scale structures to adhere to organizational SLAs on the backend and to consistently administer and secure all services throughout each and every endpoint.
    • Intuitive: The solution implements API management with an award-winning user experience and the industry’s best developer portal to quickly socialize, create, manage and secure APIs across an organization's complete API lifecycle.
    • Secure: Blends trusted API management with a robust enterprise-grade API gateway to minimize any cybersecurity risks and protect organizational data across all cloud environments.

    IBM API Connect Features

    IBM API Connect has many value-added features. Some of its most desirable features include:

    • Development made easy: Users can easily share APIs with other team members and developers via the IBM-branded developer portal. On the portal, approved users are able to discover and subscribe to APIs in addition to being able to deploy and register coordinating applications.
    • Deployment flexibility: IBM API Connect is able to seamlessly run in almost any environment, such as cloud, on-premises, and also hybrid cloud.
    • Dynamic dashboard: Users have access to robust dashboards providing comprehensive visualization that allows users to fully comprehend and appraise API usage and how it affects the productivity and profitability of the organization.

    Reviews from Real Users

    “We use this solution for rest-based, micro services to complete authentication. We are able to gather statistics and audit and throttle traffic. It also has a developer portal that allows users to browse their APIs and develop applications on them. It has solid features compared to some of the API services management services out there.” - Chong S., Sr Technical Specialist at a financial services firm

    “API Connect is mainly used as a gateway solution to expose, secure, and manage APIs. Using API Connect allows us to quickly create proxy APIs and saves time on end-to-end testing, which lets us deliver quickly to clients. API Connect's most valuable features are API management and creation.” - A PeerSpot user who is an Associate Manager at a tech services company

    IBM Cloud Pak for Integration gives you complete, flexible integration using capabilities you need to move at today's speed of business, including the tools to help you achieve your application modernization goals as part of your journey to the cloud.

    Offer
    Learn more about IBM API Connect
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    Learn more about IBM Cloud Pak for Integration
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    Sample Customers
    M2M Technologies Inc.
    CVS Health Corporation
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm44%
    Computer Software Company10%
    Retailer10%
    Insurance Company8%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Financial Services Firm21%
    Computer Software Company14%
    Insurance Company10%
    Manufacturing Company7%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company19%
    Financial Services Firm13%
    Government8%
    Comms Service Provider6%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business23%
    Midsize Enterprise13%
    Large Enterprise65%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business14%
    Midsize Enterprise10%
    Large Enterprise75%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business21%
    Midsize Enterprise11%
    Large Enterprise68%
    Buyer's Guide
    IBM API Connect vs. IBM Cloud Pak for Integration
    March 2023
    Free Report: IBM API Connect vs. IBM Cloud Pak for Integration
    Find out what your peers are saying about IBM API Connect vs. IBM Cloud Pak for Integration and other solutions. Updated: March 2023.
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    688,083 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    IBM API Connect is ranked 5th in API Management with 22 reviews while IBM Cloud Pak for Integration is ranked 19th in API Management with 2 reviews. IBM API Connect is rated 7.6, while IBM Cloud Pak for Integration is rated 8.6. The top reviewer of IBM API Connect writes "Stable and scalable solution for API management, but it needs more versatility and integration with different platforms". On the other hand, the top reviewer of IBM Cloud Pak for Integration writes "Stable, with good automation capabilities and is quite flexible". IBM API Connect is most compared with IBM DataPower Gateway, Apigee, Microsoft Azure API Management, MuleSoft Anypoint API Manager and OpenLegacy, whereas IBM Cloud Pak for Integration is most compared with IBM App Connect, IBM DataPower Gateway, Microsoft Azure API Management, AWS Data Pipeline and MuleSoft Anypoint API Manager. See our IBM API Connect vs. IBM Cloud Pak for Integration report.

    See our list of best API Management vendors.

    We monitor all API Management reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.