API Security Pricing: Complete Guide

Picture a company like a global logistics platform. On a regular Tuesday morning, shipments are crossing continents when the tracking updates suddenly stop. 

Then, delivery routes are rerouted by themselves, and thousands of customers are left with no information. A single exposed API endpoint or an authentication check that was left incomplete had drastic consequences for this company. 

In fact, Gartner has repeatedly warned that APIs will be the most vulnerable vectors in a system, meaning that most data breaches will be caused via API vulnerabilities. Not only will a breach like this be financially crippling for a business with legal fees and fines piling up, but there will also be a significant blow to your brand’s reputation. 

While some might consider API security an unnecessary expense, the consequences of not having it will be much higher. Let’s dive deeper into API security pricing and its several components.

What is API Security Pricing?

API security pricing covers the costs of maintaining the safe boundaries of APIs to prevent attacks that lead to data exposure and target authentication and authorization.  API security cost depends on factors such as the number of APIs you need to protect, how complex your API architecture is, and the extent of features you’re looking for. An approximate cost of protection per API is between $200 and $600 a month. 

API Pricing Structure

1. Base Platform Subscription

• API security platform access through the vendor’s software makes up the primary cost to customers who use the platform’s features.
• The service typically includes a fixed number of APIs the vendor will protect/test, supporting the specified API volume and threat detection functions.
• Subscription tiers will keep changing based on the features users utilize, support availability, and usage restrictions.

2. API Limits/Overage Charges

• Security platforms have restrictions in place for the number of APIs they will protect and the number of API requests they can process. 
• You could face overcharge charges if you exceed the subscription’s API limits for additional API use or increased API requests.

3. Request Volume Charges

• Some vendors require payment based on the API request counts your applications send to their platforms.
• Users in usage-based systems pay based on actual consumption.

4. Feature-Specific Add-ons

• Features like advanced threat intelligence, bot protection features, and compliance reporting functionalities can usually be subscribed to for additional costs.
• The additional security capability modules serve as enhancements that can be customized for particular security needs.

5. Support and Service-Level Agreements (SLAs)

• Different support tiers, such as basic, premium, and enterprise, are priced differently.
• Increased costs accompany enterprise-level SLAs that mention uptime guarantees and response time fulfillment.

6. Implementation and Setup Fees

• The API security platform usually requires a one-time payment for its setup, configuration services, and integration work.
• The need for implementation support or complex deployment situations contributes to this additional fee.

7. Data Processing/Storage Fees

• The service providers who run deep log examinations or other data processing operations typically formulate bills according to the quantity of information handled through their systems.

8. Customization/Enterprise Agreements

• Large businesses receive personalized pricing structures and negotiation terms tailored to their individual needs and the extent of their total integration.
• The agreements typically deliver professional support with custom capabilities and business-level service level agreements to customers.

Standard API Security Pricing Models

API pricing is structured differently by different service providers; however, here are the most common models they’re based on:

1. Subscription-Based Pricing

The most prevalent model in API security is where you subscribe to a continuous plan with a monthly or annual subscription fee, and the features are usually tiered based on an increasing-cost basis. 

Pro: Since the subscription fee is a fixed, pre-decided rate, budgeting for it is easier and more reliable. These options are also easily scalable with your growth.

Con: Some providers can be a bit inflexible with their plans with high costs, so you could be paying more for services you don’t need or want.

2. Per-API Pricing

Some services offer pricing solely based on the number of APIs you want to test, although sometimes, security subscription providers also have customizable plans based on the number of targets. 

Pro: This type of pricing is usually more affordable and is very straightforward. 

Con: Scalability could become an issue here because as you grow the number of APIs you use, the cost keeps increasing on an upward trend. 

3. Per-Request Pricing

This pricing model considers the volume of API requests you put in and charges you based on that. If you have fluctuating API traffic, this could be a good choice for you that’s easy on the pocket. 

Pro: This pay-as-you-go pricing model benefits those looking to dip their toes into API security to understand its need before investing more. 

Con: The cost, in this case, is not predictable, which could lead to budgeting issues. If your API traffic were to increase suddenly, you would be met with a hefty bill. 

4. Usage-Based Pricing

Unlike the per-request model, this model considers your usage of the services offered by the API security provider. This can be measured in terms of the amount of data processed or even how many tickets you raise. 

Pro: This is a very customizable model that can be useful for SMEs.

Con: To avoid unexpected costs, you must closely monitor the security plan and usage. 

5. Enterprise Pricing

If you have a large enterprise with complex API architecture, this type of pricing would be the most appropriate for you. You can customize aspects of the plan, negotiate the rates based on your specific needs and the required features before entering an SLA (service-level agreement). 

Pro: It is highly customizable, and the provider would have a dedicated support team for your needs.

Con: This plan is usually the most expensive type and negotiation can take some time and effort.

Top 5 API Security Solutions and Their Pricing

1. Astra API Platform

Key Features:

• Pentest Capacity: Run 10,000+ tests to uncover vulnerabilities with expert manual pentesting 
• Detect Hidden APIs (Zombie APIs, Shadow APIs, etc): Yes
• Access Control Scanning: Yes
• Compliance: GDPR, ISO 27001, SOC2, PCI-DSS, and HIPAA
• Price: Starts at $199 per month for 100 API endpoints
• Best Suited For: Holistic API security testing services

Astra Security’s API Security Platform addresses complex API security by offering a complete solution for discovering, scanning, and securing APIs at scale. We provide continuous API security to acknowledge the challenges presented by shadow, zombie, and orphan APIs, as well as sensitive data exposures and evolving threats.

Our platform integrates continuous automated testing with AI-generated test scenarios and manual evaluations and conducts over 10,000 tests to outline all endpoints and guarantee comprehensive security.

With automatic API detection and options for manual specification file uploads, a powerful GPT-driven chatbot, and expert, prompt support, we aim to make API security solutions straightforward, effective, and hassle-free. 

Pros: 

• Automatically discovers shadow, zombie, and orphan APIs.
• Combines automated and manual API business logic testing.
• Seamless CI/CD integration for continuous API security.

Limitations:

• A one-week trial is available for $7

Our API Pricing Plans:

1. Startup ($199/month): Perfect for small teams, this plan includes the scanning of 100 API endpoints/month, OWASP Top 10 coverage, API observability, one tool integration, and support for up to three users.
2. Pro ($399/month): This plan is great for growing teams. It supports 200 endpoints/month, unlimited integrations, and API inventory. You can add up to 10 users.
3. Enterprise (Custom): Tailored for large-scale needs, it covers 300+ endpoints/month and offers custom SLAs, flexible deployment, and access for up to 15 users.

2. Probely

Key Features

• Pentest Capacity: Credit-based vulnerability scanner for APIs to detect 100+ bug types 
• API Vulnerability Scanner: Yes
• Access Control Scanning: No
• Compliance: GDPR, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS, and HIPAA
• Price: Starts at $1180 per annum
• Best Suited For: Automated API penetration testing services

Probely is an automated API security tool that enhances and expands API penetration testing. With a user-friendly interface and seamless integration into CI/CD pipelines, it provides comprehensive testing options, even in the open-source plan.

Probely has built a strong reputation thanks to its API-first strategy, enhancing security with support for dynamic authentication. 

Pros: 

• Provides a complimentary security testing plan for APIs
• User-friendly interface

Limitations:

• Few customization choices for in-depth testing
• No manual penetration testing or vetting is available.

3. FireTail

Key Features:

• Pentest Capacity: Subscription-based automated pentester for APIs
• API Vulnerability Scanner: Yes
• Access Control Scanning: No
• Compliance: GDPR, HIPAA, and SOC 2
• Price: Enterprise plan at $48,000 per annum
• Best Suited For: Bug-bounty API security researchers

FireTail adheres to modern API standards, providing a comprehensive security solution that detects, analyzes, and protects sensitive information across all APIs. It includes features like PII scrubbing, response validation, and data sanitization. 

Firetail’s triggers allow for highly personalized and automated notifications. It also integrates with email, messaging, ticketing, and SIEM platforms. 

Pros:

• Easy to set up
• Extensive open-source resource collection

Limitations:

• The enterprise version may be costly

4. APISec

Key Features:

• Pentest Capacity: Subscription-based scanner for APIs with 100+ test categories
• API Vulnerability Scanner: Yes
• Access Control Scanning: Yes
• Compliance: PCI, SOC 2, and CCPA
• Price: Starting at $500/month
• Best Suited For: Continuous API security testing services

APISec, a popular solution for scanning API vulnerabilities, leverages automated and AI-driven penetration testing to deliver continuous security capabilities. It formulates and carries out customized attack vectors that reflect the unique architecture of every API.

Its rapid response time for API scans and user-friendly navigation ensure a smooth experience. Knowledgeable customer success executives further elevate the overall user experience. 

Pros: 

• Expert assistance to customers. 
• Easy to navigate

Limitations: 

• High alert fatigue due to false positive
• Customization options are restricted because of automation

5. Akto (Open-Source)

Key Features:

• Pentest Capacity: Instant API penetration testing scanner with 150+ built-in test cases 
• API Vulnerability Scanner: Yes
• Access Control Scanning: Yes
• Compliance: OWASP Top 10 API
• Price: Open-source
• Best Suited For: Open-source API penetration testing 

Akto, a leading open-source API security solution, offers more than 100 integrated tests for API discovery and automated testing. The platform analyzes traffic data to conduct various business logic tests that identify the Top 10 vulnerabilities highlighted by OWASP and HackerOne.

Akto integrates seamlessly with Burpsuite, AWS, Postman, GCP, and multiple gateways. Its easy navigation features make it a perfect option for startups and SMEs.

Pros:

• Create custom test cases
• Simple integration extensions to facilitate team and task management

Limitations:

• Documentation for Akto is a little thin
• Some features are not available in the open-source plan

Final Thoughts

Various digital systems depend on APIs as essential components as they are significant security entry points. API security negligence can result in financial loss, damage to brand reputation, and loss of consumer trust.

API security pricing depends on the number of APIs you want to secure, their complexity, and the security features you need. Different pricing, such as subscription and enterprise-level models, can cater to each organization’s needs.

APIs can be protected from new threats using security platforms that offer automatic vulnerability scanning and rapid threat detection capabilities. In today’s increasingly interconnected world, investing in API security is essential for safeguarding important assets while maintaining ongoing operations.

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