API security companies offer specialized software solutions that protect APIs throughout their lifecycle, i.e., from development to deployment. These tools scan API endpoints, monitor traffic patterns, detect unusual behaviors, and block malicious requests before they can cause damage.
This blog post will compare the top API security companies like Astra Security, Akamai, Salt Security, Traceable AI, and others, leading the landscape to look beyond marketing fluff, discussing capabilities, fit-match, etc. So, let’s dig in.
- Astra Security
- Akamai Technologies
- Salt Security
- Traceable AI
- Beagle Security
- Metlo
- Imperva
- Akto
- Wallarm
- Data Theorem API Secure
Key Takeaways
- Astra Security and Salt Security stand out in API discovery and testing, exposing shadow, zombie, and logic flaws that spec-based tools miss.
- Akamai and Imperva win on edge enforcement, making them better suited for high-volume APIs facing bots, DDoS, and automated abuse.
- Traceable AI and Wallarm lead on runtime behavior analysis, providing deeper context into how APIs are used across microservices and where logic breaks down.
- Metlo and Akto prioritize developer velocity, offering fast CI/CD integration but lighter production-time protection.
- The right vendor depends on architecture and scale, not feature depth alone, since traffic patterns and operational maturity determine what actually works.
In 2024, AT&T disclosed a series of data breaches linked to compromised cloud infrastructure (including its Snowflake cloud data platform) that exposed call, text, and personal account data for approximately 73 million customers in one discovery alone.
The harsh reality? Traditional security tools built for websites and networks don’t cut it anymore: firewalls can’t catch API-specific attacks, and regular scans miss API vulnerabilities. Companies often learn this the hard way, losing millions of dollars and customer trust.
This article was technically reviewed by Corey J. Ball, API security specialist and author of Hacking APIs, to ensure accuracy and methodological integrity.
This article was technically reviewed by Corey J. Ball, API security specialist and author of Hacking APIs, to ensure accuracy and methodological integrity.
Top 3 API Security Vendors Compared (2026)
| Criteria | Astra Security | Akamai Technologies | Salt Security |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | API discovery plus attacker-style testing | Edge enforcement at massive traffic scale | Behavior-based API threat detection |
| Traffic Scale Handled | 15+ million API requests per month | Trillions of API calls processed via edge network | Large-scale environments, exact volume not disclosed |
| API Discovery Speed | Shadow and undocumented APIs discovered in under 30 minutes | Continuous discovery via edge traffic | Automatic discovery of active and undocumented APIs |
| Testing Depth | 15,000+ API-specific test cases including BOLA and IDOR | Limited testing, focus is runtime blocking | Behavioral detection rather than test-case-driven scanning |
| Scanning Frequency | 20+ API scans per month, up to 1,000+ per year | Continuous runtime monitoring | Continuous runtime monitoring |
| Business Logic Coverage | AI-powered logic testing validated by human experts | Limited beyond abuse and anomaly detection | ML-based detection of subtle, multi-step abuse |
| Alert Quality | Expert-validated reports delivered within 1.5 days with near-zero false positives | Depends on configuration and tuning | Improves over time as models learn traffic patterns |
| Time to Remediation Signal | Average MTTR under 44 days | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Best Fit Use Case | Teams prioritizing discovery accuracy, compliance, and validated findings | High-volume APIs needing DDoS, bot, and edge protection | Complex API ecosystems needing runtime behavior insights |
The Top 10 Leading API Security Companies To Protect Your Data
These top 10 leading API security companies help organizations detect threats, prevent data breaches, and secure APIs across modern applications. Compare the top api security solution providers based on features, pros, and limitations.
1. Astra Security [Get Started]
Astra’s API Security solution combines live traffic intelligence with API-native scanning to discover zombie and shadow APIs that never made it to documentation, utilizing runtime traffic capture to map undocumented endpoints and usage patterns, reflecting how your APIs behave in production.
This allows teams to identify PII and secret leaks across REST, GraphQL, and mobile APIs, while deep integrations with Postman and Burp ensure the security inventory remains accurate as endpoints evolve.
Key Features:
- Continuous scanning with 20+ API DAST scans/month, going up to 1000+ scans/yr.
- Discover active, dormant, and undocumented API endpoints in under 30 minutes with runtime traffic analysis
- Modern DAST scanner built for APIs with authenticated scans
- 15,000+ DAST test cases, including OWASP API Top 10, BOLA, and IDOR
- Capture live API traffic with connectors for AWS, GCP, Nginx, and Azure for continuous observability, handling more than 15 million requests/month.
- AI-powered logic testing to catch real-world risks beyond spec violations
- Validated, expert-reviewed vulnerability reports delivered within 1.5 days
At Astra API Security Solutions, vulnerabilities are triaged and validated by experts, producing audit-ready reports. Meanwhile, automated, focused rescans expedite verification, enabling engineering to close the loop with an average MTTR of under 44 days. Lastly, our authenticated API DAST, AI logic testing to catch real-world misuse, broad protocol support, and compliance evidence for SOC2, GDPR, ISO, and PCI, we help you test like an attacker and ship with confidence.
Pros
- Pentest conducted by security experts with OSCP, CEH & CVEs credentials
- Publicly verifiable safe-to-host certificates
- Seamless CI/CD, JIRA & Slack integrations
- Customized executive and engineer-friendly reporting
- Scan behind logged-in pages
- Zero false positives
- Quick expert remediation support
Limitations
- 7-day $7 trial is available
G2 rating: 4.6/5 (166 reviews)
2. Akamai Technologies
Akamai Technologies uses its global edge solution for API security, building on its extensive experience in content delivery networks. The company processes trillions of API calls through its edge network, providing security at the network perimeter before threats reach application servers.
Key Features
Their API security solution focuses on three core areas. It offers continuous API discovery and cataloging for complete visibility, helping organizations maintain an updated inventory of all APIs. It provides real-time threat monitoring and protection at the edge. It includes advanced behavioral analysis to detect unusual patterns in API usage.
Pros
- Edge-based security provides immediate threat mitigation
- Excellent handling of large-scale API deployments
- Strong protection against DDoS attacks
Limitations
- Requires significant configuration for custom API protocols
- An edge-based approach might not suit all deployment models
- Works best when used with other Akamai services.
G2 rating: 4.3/5 (404 reviews)
3. Salt Security
Salt Security specializes in API security through a big data and AI-driven approach. The solution focuses on API threat detection and prevention by learning normal API behavior patterns and identifying deviations that could indicate security threats.
Key Features
The solution automatically discovers and catalogs all active APIs, including undocumented ones. It uses machine learning to understand standard API behavior patterns and detect anomalies. The system provides continuous monitoring and real-time attack prevention. It offers detailed API documentation and testing capabilities for development teams.
Pros
- Excellent at discovering shadow and forgotten APIs
- Advanced behavioral analysis detects subtle attack patterns
- Provides insights for both security teams and developers
Limitations
- Some advanced features require additional configuration
- Limited historical data retention in basic plans
- Can be resource-intensive for large API deployments
G2 rating: 4.7/5 (12 reviews)
4. Traceable AI
Traceable AI approaches API security through distributed tracing and AI-based analysis. The pentest solution combines application security with detailed API observability, helping organizations understand and protect their API ecosystem. Their technology traces end-to-end API activity across microservices architectures.
Key Features
The tool provides continuous API discovery and runtime analysis of API behavior. It maps API data flow and sensitive data exposure risks across services. Their system uses artificial intelligence to build a detailed context around API usage, creating a behavioral baseline for API activities.
Pros
- Deep visibility into API data flows and usage patterns
- Strong microservices and cloud-native architecture support
- Real-time risk scoring for API endpoints
Limitations
- Complex initial setup process
- Requires significant system resources & may need additional configuration for legacy systems
- Limited support for older architectural patterns
G2 rating: 4.7/5 ⭐(23 reviews)
5. Beagle Security
Beagle Security focuses on automated API security testing and continuous vulnerability assessment. Their Solution emphasizes early detection of security issues in the API development lifecycle, helping organizations identify and fix vulnerabilities before they reach production.
Key Features
The tool offers automated API security scanning and vulnerability detection. It includes support for multiple API specifications and authentication methods. Their system continuously monitors endpoints and automatically updates security rules.
Beagle also integrates with common development tools and provides detailed remediation guidance.
Pros
- Strong focus on automated testing
- Easy integration with CI/CD pipelines
- Clear remediation recommendations
Limitations
- Limited runtime protection features
- Basic behavioral analysis capabilities
- May require manual configuration for complex APIs
G2 rating: 4.7/5 (87 reviews)
6. Metlo
Metlo positions itself as an open-source API security solution that emphasizes developer-first security. The pentest solution combines API discovery, security testing, and continuous monitoring capabilities, making it particularly suitable for organizations that want transparency in their security tooling and the ability to customize their security approach.
Key Features
The tool delivers automated API discovery and endpoint mapping. It includes continuous security testing capabilities and sensitive data scanning. Their system monitors API traffic patterns and provides real-time alerts for security violations.
The security solution integrates directly with development workflows and includes security rules based on industry standards such as HIPAA for API testing in healthcare and more.
Pros
- Automated sensitive data detection
- Community-driven security rules
- Customizable security policies
Limitations
- Enterprise features require the paid version
- Community support for the open-source version
- Limited advanced threat detection
G2 rating: 4.5/5(14 reviews)
7. Imperva
Imperva combines its extensive web application security experience with specialized API protection capabilities per teh maturity model. The solution provides multilayered security through its cloud-based infrastructure, using its global threat intelligence network to protect APIs against emerging threats.
Key Features
Their solution offers comprehensive API discovery and classification. It includes advanced bot protection designed explicitly for API endpoints. The solution provides continuous monitoring and protection against API-specific threats. Their system includes detailed analytics and reporting capabilities, along with integration into existing security infrastructure.
Pros
- Strong DDoS protection capabilities
- Global threat intelligence network
- Advanced bot detection and mitigation
Limitations
- Complex configuration requirements
- Can be resource-intensive
- May impact API performance
G2 rating: 4.1/5 (80 reviews)
8. Akto
Akto focuses on API security testing and runtime protection, emphasizing developer-friendly implementation. The tool combines automated API discovery with continuous security testing, designed to integrate seamlessly into the development pipeline while providing robust security coverage.
Key Features
The tool provides automatic API discovery and documentation. Their system includes continuous security testing with predefined test cases for common vulnerabilities. It offers runtime API monitoring and protection capabilities.
The solution includes detailed API inventory management, security posture assessment tools, and integration capabilities for development workflows.
Pros
- Easy developer onboarding process
- Automated API inventory management
- Built-in security test cases & CI/CD pipeline integration
Limitations
- Limited historical data retention
- Basic reporting capabilities
- Limited compliance reporting options
G2 rating: 4.5/5 (53 reviews)
9. Wallarm
Wallarm provides API security through AI-powered threat detection and protection. Their offering combines traditional API security features with advanced machine learning capabilities to identify and block sophisticated attacks while maintaining legitimate API traffic.
Key Features
As one of the leading API security companies, the tool delivers real-time API threat detection and blocking capabilities. It includes automated discovery of shadow APIs and specification compliance checking. Their system provides advanced analytics for API usage and security events.
The company offers integration with multiple cloud infras and development tools while maintaining active threat intelligence.
Pros
- Strong cloud support
- Advanced AI-based threat detection
- Comprehensive attack blocking
Limitations
- Requires tuning for optimal performance
- The learning curve for advanced features
- Resource-intensive deployment
G2 rating: 4.7/5 (95 reviews)
10. Data Theorem API Secure
Data Theorem API Secure specializes in full-stack API security, focusing on cloud-native applications. The company approaches API security through continuous automated API discovery and security assessment, covering internal and external APIs across cloud environments.
Key Features
The tool offers continuous API discovery and security analysis across cloud providers. It includes automated security testing and vulnerability assessment capabilities. Their system provides real-time monitoring of API behavior and security posture.
The company integrates security testing into the development process and offers comprehensive cloud security posture management.
Pros
- Continuous automated scanning
- Full-stack API analysis & multi-cloud environment support
- DevSecOps pipeline integration
Limitations
- Primarily focused on cloud deployments
- Complex setup for hybrid environments
- Requires cloud expertise & limited on-premise capabilities
G2 rating: 4.3/5 (2 reviews)
API Security starts with visibility, you can’t secure what you can’t see. With Astra API Security Platform, you get:
- Complete API observeability
- Continuous offensive DAST tests
- AI-powered fixes, developer-first workflows
How to Choose an API Security Company?
Before learning about the top API security companies, let’s look at some common factors to keep in mind before choosing an API security vendors.
1. Security Features and Protection Depth
An API security solution must offer comprehensive protection against modern attack patterns like injection attacks, credential stuffing, and data exfiltration attempts. The tool should provide real-time threat detection, automatic API discovery, and baseline behavioral analysis of API traffic patterns.
Some key features to look for in API security solutions include:
- Spec drift in production detects real-time divergence between live traffic and intended API contracts, not just static scans.
- Business-logic abuse detection understands multi-step workflows and catches sequence attacks that look “valid” per request.
- Auth-context awareness addresses identity, scopes, token reuse, and privilege escalation rather than treating auth as opaque headers.
- Schema-less API discovery finds undocumented, deprecated, and shadow APIs without relying on perfect OpenAPI hygiene.
- Low-noise proof demonstrates alert volume and false-positive rates from real customer traffic at scale.
- Targeted, reversible mitigations blocks at the user/token/route level with safe rollback, not coarse IP bans.
- Operational fit (not drag) measures p99 latency impact, CI/CD feedback, and clean removal if you decide to churn.
2. Market Experience and Evolution
Market presence and proven experience play a crucial role in provider selection. Companies with an established track record and affordable pricing have typically handled diverse security challenges across different industries. This experience translates into better threat detection models and more refined security rules.
3. Customer Support and Community
Customer feedback and support infrastructure directly impact the success of API security implementations. The best API security providers maintain strong customer support teams that understand security and development concerns. Their response times to critical security alerts should be minimal, and they should offer clear documentation and implementation guides.
4. Compliance and Certification Capabilities
Modern businesses must adhere to various security standards like SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and GDPR (based on the industry they are operating in). The chosen API security solution should help organizations meet these compliance requirements through built-in controls, API Security audit logs, and compliance reporting features.
The API security companies should also maintain their security certifications, demonstrating their commitment to security best practices. Their documentation should clearly outline how their tools help achieve and sustain different compliance standards.
Final Thoughts
The API security landscape continues to evolve as organizations face increasingly sophisticated threats. Each security provider we’ve examined brings unique strengths, from edge-based security and AI-driven solutions to developer-first approaches and cloud-native protection.
Choosing an API security solution requires carefully evaluating your organization’s needs. Large enterprises might benefit from comprehensive solutions like Astra, Akamai, and Imperva, while open-source projects or development-focused teams might prefer solutions like Metlo or Akto.
API security is becoming a business imperative as APIs continue to form the backbone of modern applications. Your choice in API security companies should support not only current security requirements but also future growth.
Book a demo call to see how our API security testing protects your APIs.
FAQs
What do API security companies do?
API security companies deliver endpoint identification along with traffic observation and threat mitigation services to resolve API vulnerabilities. API security solution providers supply clients with automation solutions for testing as well as security policy enforcement capabilities and protection against API-based attacks that evolve over time.
How do I choose the best API security vendors?
Choose the best api security vendors that suits your API security requirement, including complexity as well as integration needs and support capabilities. Make sure your selection includes an API security solution that is known for its discovery abilities, testing, and runtime protection features. API security company selection should be based on their operational suitability over their individual feature offerings.
Why is it important to work with an API security company?
APIs are common attack targets. The benefits of using an API security company that consists of complete visibility and vulnerability scanning, and threat detection services to stop breaches. The company offers security solutions for APIs that adjust according to your systems and application requirements and compliance standards.
What types of APIs do API security companies protect?
Depending on the vendor, most API security companies secure REST, GraphQL, SOAP and additional API types simultaneously. Complete continuous API protection can be achieved when top API security solutions conduct security measures for internal APIs, along with third-party and shadow API elements throughout different environments.
Can small businesses also benefit from API security companies?
The market includes several API security vendors who offer accessible plans that support scalability. Small businesses that secure their APIs early on can easily integrate with minimal security costs while setting aside full-time security personnel.
How much does it cost to hire an API security company?
Prices depend on the number of endpoints and the amount of traffic you receive, plus individual feature selection. API security companies provide plans that support business startups and handle complete enterprise-scale API security requirements. Your setup will determine price models that utilize usage metrics or tiered arrangements.
Do API security companies offer free trials or demos?
The majority of top-caliber API security companies provide accessible free trials or demos. Free trials allow users to evaluate features, together with integration capability and user experience for better API security vendor selection.
How Astra API security platform helps?
Astra’s API security platform helps development teams find and fix security issues early in development, track sensitive data flowing through APIs, and stay compliant with security regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS.
Recommended Reading:
- Astra API Security Solution
- What is API Security?
- API Management Security Best Practices
- What is API Security testing?
- OWASP Top 10 API 2023 Vulnerabilities
- 7 Top API Penetration Testing Tools in 2026
- DAST vs SAST Comparison
- The Ultimate 2026 API Security Checklist
- The Top API Security Risks and How To Mitigate Them
- What is Broken Object Level Authorization (BOLA)?
- Top API Security Vendors List (Updated)
- What is Shift Left Security? (Guide)
- Mobile App API Security: A Complete Guide
- What are Shadow APIs? (Explained)
- Top 5 API Security Challenges and How to Overcome Them
- How to Build a Solid API Security Strategy for 2026?
- What are Zombie APIs (Complete Guide)
- Top 7 API Security Trends to Know in 2026
- Guide to API Security Maturity Model
- How to Protect Your APIs for Healthcare Industry?
- API Security Pricing: Complete Cost Guide for 2026
- Why is Fintech API Security Important in 2026
- How to Secure Your APIs Against These Vectors?
- What is the Difference Between API Security and Application Security?
- What is API Security Management?
