What is an API Integration Platform?
API stands for Application Programming Interface. It’s a messenger that processes requests and allows enterprise systems to function. API enables the interaction between data pipelines, applications and devices. This interaction is essential to any online business infrastructure.
API integration platforms make it possible for businesses to send information back and forth between different APIs. For example, a business might have an e-commerce API set up as well as an internal operations API and a marketing API. An API integration platform can be used to manage the flow of information between all of these different APIs.
What is the API Integration Process?
API integration is the process of connecting two software systems via their APIs (application programming interfaces). This enables applications to exchange data with each other and creates new opportunities for businesses.
Companies shouldn’t underestimate how important it is to integrate their API with cloud-based applications and third-party tools. This enables communication between software tools, which in turn creates new automation methods, secure ways of sharing data, and enterprise software ecosystems.
Best API Integration Platforms
To choose the best API integration software, you need to know your business needs and research which tool best addresses those requirements.
Start by assessing these top API integration platforms.
1. Microsoft Azure API management
Microsoft’s Azure API management platform provides instant provisioning, automated scaling and serverless API management.
It offers a central place to manage all your APIs, streamlining your team’s work across multi-cloud and hybrid environments.
The platform helps you publish APIs to both internal and external users, as well as managing microservices as APIs with several dedicated usage models from which to choose.
Some key features of Azure API management include:
- API Protection. Azure API management provides a way to control how your services and data are exposed to partners, customers, and employees. The platform’s API protection features include authentication, filtering IP addresses, and setting usage limits (among others).
- On-premise and cloud API management.The platform provides a way to deploy API gateways in addition to the Azure-hosted APIs, including those that are on premise and on other clouds, in order to optimize the API traffic flow.
- Developer portal.You can improve your API’s discoverability by creating and customizing a developer portal for it using Azure API management’s built-in drag-and-drop visual editor.
2. Improvado
Improvado is an API integration tool that was designed by marketers, for marketers. It lets you gather all campaign data into a single dashboard in real time, and view that data in automated reports and custom dashboards.
Who should use Improvado?
The tool is perfect for marketers who want to focus on marketing strategies. Improvado provides a way to connect any marketing platform you may use. The integrations with the platform are deep, allowing marketers to see data from both the keyword and ad level.
One of the biggest benefits to using improvado is its customer support representatives. They can help you build out any custom dashboards and integrations that you want. Data from improvado can also be viewed in any BI tool, such as Tableau or Looker, as well as on the platform’s dashboard.
3. Zapier
Zapier makes it easy to connect the apps you use every day, so you can automate your work and get more done in less time. With over 2,000 app integrations available, Zapier is the simplest way to automate your workflows.
Zapier’s lack of customization might be seen as a limitation, but it also means that Zapier is more accessible and easy to use for those who aren’t developers.
Zapier is an amazing solution for those who know how to use it. You can start using Zapier for free and automate just 100 tasks, but as your company grows, you’ll be able to automate more tasks at a higher rate.
4. Akana
Akana is the best API management solution out there! You can access and manage the full API lifecycle within the Akana platform, making it simple and easy to use.
Not only does Azure offer features such as a developer portal, traffic management and vulnerability detection, but it also offers open-source support and a lifecycle manager!
Looking to take your business to the next level? Akana has got you covered! For just $4000 a month, you can purchase an Akana Business plan. And for their Akana Enterprise plan, simply initiate contact with the sales team for more accurate pricing.
5. MuleSoft Anypoint Platform
MuleSoft’s Anypoint Platform is the most complete integration platform on the market. It offers all of the features and capabilities of Zapier, Dell Boomi, DreamFactory, and more – plus it includes ESB (Enterprise Service Bus) capabilities. With MuleSoft, you can integrate any type of system – whether it’s on-premises or in the cloud; monolithic or microservices-based; or built on standard protocols like REST or SOAP.
MuleSoft has become a favorite of large enterprises because it comes with so many advanced capabilities. However, MuleSoft is not very easy to use. Only a MuleSoft certified engineer can build ETL pipelines and “Mule applications” with the platform. This labor requirement adds to the already high cost of the platform.
If your organization is looking for an integration platform that can scale to meet its needs, MuleSoft is the answer. With three different pricing tiers – Gold, Platinum, and Titanium – there’s a solution for every budget. And with some firms paying