WSO2 API Manager Reviews

We have developed a slew of applications for Bank, that helped transform multiple core banking processes, such as customer onboarding, account servicing, and rapid loan request fulfillment. The solution, which is powered by WSO2’s API management and enterprise integration technologies, seamlessly bridges systems while paving the digital path to a connected financial ecosystem.

• Reduced operating costs by using open-source technology solutions
• Enhanced customer trust built through multi-channel communication
• Shortened delivery time for client services
• Improved compliance and reduced risk exposure

Helped us to quickly publish our Microservice APIs and enforcing different policies against them, it comes up with features like Security, Throttling policy and it provides complete access to customize API's which actually saves development effort and time.

The solution offers a simple and easy configuration. You can get it working up within one or two days' time. It's very fast, simple to use, and you can deploy things quickly. Its very easy to configure and takes less time to create customize policies across the API Gateway.  

The solution is very stable and can scale well.

Providing easy configuration for email and SMS notifications, layout and customization of admin and developer landing pages.

We've been using this solution for last 5 years.

It's stable. There is no issue with it in that sense at all. That said, some of the customers who have faced issues have had problems in the updating part. For example, when they update something, something goes wrong. However, if they are following a proper process, they should be okay. Whenever you have to do an upgrade you should first do it in a staging environment to test it and make sure you won't have issues. If everything works properly there only then should you move into production. If somebody follows a proper IT process, then they will have no issues. We have never faced any issues and it's a perfectly stable platform as far as we are concerned.

WSO2 API Management platform can be deployed in a scalable manner where the system can handle 1000RPS with 10 - 20 KB payloads.
WSO2 API Manager can be deployed in a way where auto scaling is there so whenever there is a traffic spike the deployment can auto scale.
Also, APIs can be deployed across multiple gateways so one APIs traffic spike won't affect the rest of the gateways.

Tech support is very good. The open-source version means you have to get support from the community. However, if you have a subscription, they provide the support portal and everything is solved there. Therefore you get support directly from the project team. The engineers who developed the product directly support you sometimes and you get very good support from them. 

There are no issues with support at all. Even if you need some sort of customized help, the engineers will assist. It's very helpful.

have used 3scale earlier, to lower costs, simplify maintenance, and because WSO2 API Manager is open-source

The initial setup is not complex or overly difficult. In fact, it's pretty straightforward. The solution offers a simple and easy configuration. You can get it up and running within one or two days. The deployment doesn't take very long.

We have implemented both all-in-one deployments and distributed setup. The distributed setup is a little more complex, most of the time takes in network configurations. That said, the basic setup is very simple and fast.

We have a dedicated lab setup for trying new features, and we provide implementation and support solution to our customers.

Complete feature set in the open source version

Flexibility and extensibility

Complete platform with built-in integration and security

Single GA (generally available) edition with all features. Subscription model

Simple pricing model with per core pricing. No licensing fees for development

Each subscription also covers, at no extra fee:

• Bursting of on-premise production systems by up to two times the subscribed cores, lasting for up to 3 cumulative days during the subscription year.

• Up to 3 pre-production environments

• Individual development machines, though please note that issues arising on such systems qualify for query support rather than incident support SLAs

• Analytics Profiles

• Passive instances in an active/passive deployment

• Disaster recovery systems

• Query support hours up to a level proportional to the subscription fee

We evaluated 3scale, Apigee and Tibco

I'd rate the solution at a ten out of ten. We've been extremely happy with it so far. It's affordable and pretty easy to use overall.

Our normal use case for API Manager is to create pre-configured store users. The administrator who creates those users then sends them their credentials and secure links.  We are running API Manager on a Tomcat server. Currently, I am the main person who works with API Manager, because it requires a proper understanding of the APIs. 

When looking at things from an enterprise point of view, it's often difficult to see the benefit of a tool. Most of the time, we need to install a plug-in without having any lapse in services or restarting the application. The WSO2 platform can do all deployments without any downtime.

API Manager upgraded to 3.2 recently, and it has more flexibility in terms of authentication methods. In the version we're currently using, there is only a token. We couldn't do basic authentication.

In version 2.5, there is room for improvement on the UI. That may have been addressed in the upgrade to 3.2, which uses the latest front-end framework that's commonly used in other solutions like JIRA. I would need to play around with the upgrade, but I believe the UI issue has been addressed. I can only speak about my experience with the 2.5 version because that's the one I've been able to use extensively. I can say that user management is not really flexible. So, if I want to create 1,000 store users, I can't do it as a publisher. You have to register as a store user using the store URL. It would be nice if API Manager had that functionality as an administrator, so you would have a user management interface where you can create store users.  

I've been using API Manager for more than five years. I was using the platform before the recent overhaul. They now have this new interface where they migrated the front end to using view. So I think view framework or react, one of the two, but it's been a while.

API Manager is stable. We haven't had any stability issues at all. It has run on Tomcat for as long as I know, and it's a stable web service so.

In terms of scalability, it has so far been able to handle the traffic on the platform. We haven't had any issues where we've had downtime because too many requests were coming in per second.

The setup was pretty straightforward. I asked my colleague to do the setup. Since I've been working on it for a while, it probably wouldn't be a challenge. We didn't use many resources to do the setup or spend much time setting up the application because they've added more deployment scripts to make the solution easier to deploy.

Maybe I lack the curiosity to push me to check other platforms. Even when I try checking them, I've not actually checked other competitors because the major competitor got acquired by another platform.

I would rate API Manager eight out of 10. The advice I would give to anyone considering API Manager is to take the time to understand how the platform works. It doesn't matter how good a thing is if you don't understand the purpose. For example, you need to understand the use case for service orchestration. And once you know that, you know why it makes sense to bring in WSO2 API Manager. This is a better way to go about things than to force yourself into it, only to find out that it's not working for you at the end of the day. 

We use the product mainly as a gateway. We use the Publisher feature, the Publisher module or mode, and the Store. We publish APIs after we configure them, and we expose them on the internet.

It's perfect for our use case. It has the capabilities we require.

Technical support is fine.

So far the solution has been stable.

We use it on a daily basis. It handles millions of transactions of API calls per month in our reality, in the Lombardy region in Italy. It does its job as intended and handles everything pretty well.

I cannot recall coming across any missing features. 

The initial setup and configuration can be difficult if a person is not well-versed in the product.

The configuration could be improved. It should be more flexible and more elastic.

I've used the solution since 2016.

The solution has been stable and reliable enough. the performance is good. We haven't had issues. There aren't bugs or glitches. We haven't faced the solution crashing. It doesn't freeze.

The scalability is fine for our purposes. We haven't had a problem with it. 

It's all a suite of products that work in unison as a whole. We have six people using the solution. 

Technical support has been fine. We are satisfied with their level of service.

This is the only product that I've ever used of this type. I have not used something previously.

The initial setup can be difficult. It's not straightforward per se unless you can familiar with and comfortable with the solution. If you are not, the setup and configuration may be difficult. 

The deployment was done in-house and was handled by our team. We didn't have any outside assistance. 

The solution costs less than 20,000 euros a year. I'm not sure of the exact number. 

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten. We've been pretty happy with the solution. Having nothing else to compare it to, I'm not sure if I would recommend it over other offerings, however, we have been pleased with its capabilities. 

The solution is used mainly for API management. 

The main feature is the enterprise integrator. It's very important to API management. You can implement SOA strategy in the company using the API Manager. Some companies were just using enterprise integrators at the beginning. For implementers, they had to install it to use the API management and identity the server to have more security in the system.

The solution is stable. 

It's scalable. 

It is easy to set up. 

They've already improved a lot of features between versions six and seven.

The user interface could be a bit better. Sometimes you have different visual aspects when you change from one screen to another.

I'm implementing a WSO2 project right now. I've used the solution for the last six months. 

It is a reliable, stable solution. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. 

You can scale the product. 

We can install it in a cluster manner. We can use Docker to scale all of the systems. 

We have 1,000 users on the solution. 

We had support every time we needed it; we could reach support without a problem.

Positive

The initial setup is not complex. You can install everything together in what they call an all-in-one setup, or you can install each model separately. It's not difficult to install.

If I had to rate the initial setup of WSO from one to five, I'd rate it a four out of five.

I don't deal with the licensing aspect of the product.

I'm starting with Microsoft as our API manager on a daily basis.

I'm working as a project manager and architect, so I don't install the products. However, I understand their texture and how the parts interact with each other.

I'd advise new users to have a company that knows it very, very well. If you don't don't know the product at the beginning, you can make a mess of your project. Choose a good partner first to make everything easier.

I would rate the solution eight out of ten. It's a good product.

We use WSO2 API Manager for securing API calls for various applications.

WSO2 API Manager is easy to use.

I would improve the product documentation. There are some gaps, and it can be difficult to find the proper documentation for the product if you need to solve something.

There are some new features, but we are not currently using the most recent version. We're looking forward to the new release.

The initial setup could be simplified.

I have been using WSO2 API Manager for one and a half years.

We have a subcontractor who occasionally downloads new versions from the repository and dates them on a half-year basis.

It is not scalable, in a specific way, but scalable in OCP.

There are 20 to 40 applications and thousands of users who are working through the solution.

We are quite satisfied with technical support. 

I would rate technical support a four out of five.

Positive

I'm not currently working with IBM products because my job has changed. I'm now employed by a different company, and I'm now primarily working with WSO2 products.

We mainly use API Management and Identity Server.

The initial setup is medium, not easy, but also not difficult.

It's a complicated product. There are numerous distinct connections.

We have a maximum of ten engineers working on various parts of the solution and looking after deployment and maintenance.

It was not done by me. I lack experience with the current setup.

We use the open-source version of WSO2 API Manager, there is no cost.

I definitely recommend this solution.

Because the complexity of the setup and the documentation could be improved, I would rate WSO2 API Manager an eight out of ten.

I'm pleased with the WSO2 product, but there are some gaps in the documentation. It could be greatly improved in this case so that it is easier to deploy and maintain when there are issues.

WSO2 API Manager is a complete platform for managing APIs.

I think the best part about WSO2 API Manager is that it's highly customizable because it's open-source. The partnership model is quite lucrative for us, it helps us to go and pitch to our customers. You can build a lot of business models yourself that you want to use. You are able to do a lot of the solutions.

The user interface needs to improve, it is a bit outdated.

There is an Affiliate Marketing monetization in Google Apigee that you would like to use in this solution but is not available. We end up having to build an alternative to get the job done. This feature should be added to this solution.

I have been using WSO2 API Manager for approximately four months.

The solution is scalable, my clients have been happy.

Most of my customers are enterprise-sized companies.

The support system is not that great. The number of employees in the organization is perhaps too little that is providing training. This causes some problems.

I am working with Google Apigee and it is quite nice, but it's a bit expensive for the customers. Otherwise, Google Apigee has a lot of different features that the WSO2 API Manager doesn't provide.

The installation is quite easy, the full implementation takes approximately three months.

I think the other competitors that are providing the same solution are quite expensive. WSO2 API Manager is quite cheap.

WSO2 API Manager is very good for small and medium companies, but if you have an enterprise-level company, Google Apigee might be a better choice.

I rate WSO2 API Manager an eight out of ten.

WSO2 is accessible. Even a beginner can have an idea of what's going on.  It has a drag-and-drop graphical interface, so it's a low-code platform that enables you to effortlessly get things done.

The user interface is easy to navigate, and the documentation is extensive. It's open-source, so everything is available, and we can create what we need. That's not necessarily a feature, but it's an advantage. 

They are developing another platform called Choreo that allows you to create API itself using the WSO2 programming language Ballerina. It would be great if they added a direct connection between Choreo and API Manager, that would be great. I think they are working on that, but I'm not sure.

I used API Manager a few months ago. I briefly touched on those areas during my internship, but I haven't gone that deeply into the product. I don't have implementation knowledge, but I have a rough idea about what's going on.

I rate API Manager 10 out of 10 for stability. 

I rate API Manager 10 out of 10 for scalability. It's suitable for small companies or large enterprises. 

I haven't contacted WSO2, but I know that they provide good support. 

The cost is reasonable even for Sri Lankan companies.

I rate WSO2 API Manager 10 out of 10. Don't hesitate to use it. Most people can start with WSO2 API Manager because it's easy to find what you need in the documentation. I recommend newbies start with WSO2 API Manager.

We are a banking solution and use WSO2 to offer our services to banks.

WSO2 helps to expose our internal APIs to the outside world.

We had some problems with the reverse proxy not being able to invoke fully qualified domain names, so we have to build some custom scripts to solve this issue. In the next release, WSO2 should make multifactor authentication simpler.

I've been using WSO2 API Manager for two years.

WSO2 is very stable.

WSO2's scalability is very good because we deployed using a microgateway-driven approach on OCP, which takes care of scaling. I would rate its scalability as 4.5 out of five.

WSO2's technical support is good.

Positive

I previously used IBM App Connect but switched to WSO2 for a number of reasons, including cost, complexity, technical resource availability, troubleshooting, and multiple practice.

The pattern we followed to set up WSO2 was a bit complex, but the end goal was very clear, so the setup itself was straightforward and took about two days. I would rate the setup experience as four out of five.

We used a third-party team.

I would advise anybody thinking of implementing WSO2 to go for it. I would give WSO2 a rating of eight out of ten.