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IBM API Connect VS Workato

Compare IBM API Connect VS Workato and see what are their differences

IBM API Connect logo IBM API Connect

Secure and manage your API ecosystem across multiple clouds with industry-leading IBM API Connect

Workato logo Workato

Experts agree - we're the leader. Forrester Research names Workato a Leader in iPaaS for Dynamic Integration. Get the report. Gartner recognizes Workato as a “Cool Vendor in Social Software and Collaboration”.
  • IBM API Connect Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-24
  • Workato Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-16

Workato

Release Date
2013 January
Startup details
Country
United States
State
California
Founder(s)
Alexey Timanovskiy
Employees
250 - 499

IBM API Connect features and specs

  • Comprehensive API Lifecycle Management
    IBM API Connect provides tools for every stage of the API lifecycle, from creation and testing to deployment and monitoring. This all-in-one solution simplifies managing APIs and streamlines workflows.
  • Robust Security Features
    The platform includes advanced security features such as OAuth, LDAP integration, and API rate limiting to ensure APIs are protected against common vulnerabilities and unauthorized access.
  • Scalability
    IBM API Connect is designed to handle large-scale API deployments, making it suitable for enterprises with high demands for performance and reliability. It can seamlessly scale to accommodate growing API usage.
  • Developer Portal
    A built-in developer portal comes with the product, which helps in engaging with external developers, providing comprehensive documentation, and enabling easy onboarding.
  • Analytics and Monitoring
    The platform offers extensive analytics and monitoring tools to track API usage, performance, and error rates. This helps organizations make data-driven decisions and optimize their API strategies.

Possible disadvantages of IBM API Connect

  • Complexity
    Due to its comprehensive feature set, IBM API Connect can be complex to set up and configure, requiring significant expertise in API management.
  • Cost
    Being an enterprise-grade solution, IBM API Connect can be relatively expensive, which might not be suitable for small businesses or startups with limited budgets.
  • Learning Curve
    New users might find the platform challenging to learn due to its extensive capabilities and advanced configuration options. Adequate training and documentation are required to utilize it effectively.
  • Integration Challenges
    Integrating IBM API Connect with other systems and tools can sometimes be challenging and might require additional effort and customization.
  • Performance Overhead
    The extensive features and enterprise-level functionalities might introduce some performance overhead, which could affect API response times under certain conditions.

Workato features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    Workato offers a user-friendly interface with low-code/no-code capabilities, making it accessible for non-technical users to build and manage automated workflows.
  • Extensive Integrations
    The platform supports a wide range of integrations with major applications and services, allowing businesses to connect disparate systems and streamline processes.
  • Scalability
    Workato can handle large-scale automation projects, making it suitable for both small businesses and large enterprises.
  • Advanced Features
    The platform includes advanced functionalities like AI, machine learning, and natural language processing, which can enhance complex workflows.
  • Security
    Workato ensures robust security features, including data encryption and compliance with various industry standards, which is crucial for protecting sensitive information.

Possible disadvantages of Workato

  • Cost
    Workato can be relatively expensive compared to other automation tools, which might deter small businesses or individuals with limited budgets.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While the basic features are easy to use, mastering the more advanced functionalities may require significant time and effort.
  • Complex Pricing Structure
    The pricing model can be complex and may not be straightforward for new users to understand, potentially leading to unexpected costs.
  • Performance Issues
    Some users have reported occasional performance issues, such as slow execution times for tasks, especially when dealing with large volumes of data.
  • Limited Custom Scripting
    Although it supports a wide range of integrations, there's limited flexibility for custom scripting compared to other more developer-focused platforms.

Analysis of IBM API Connect

Overall verdict

  • Overall, IBM API Connect is a good choice for organizations that need a scalable, secure, and feature-rich API management solution. Its extensive functionality and integration options make it well-suited for businesses with complex API requirements.

Why this product is good

  • IBM API Connect is considered a robust solution for managing the entire API lifecycle. It offers capabilities such as API creation, security, management, and analytics. Its integration with IBM's cloud services and other technologies provides a comprehensive environment for developing and deploying APIs, making it a good choice for businesses seeking an enterprise-level API management tool.

Recommended for

    IBM API Connect is recommended for enterprises, particularly those in industries like finance, healthcare, and manufacturing, where security and scalability are crucial. It's also suitable for organizations that require detailed analytics and monitoring capabilities, and those who want a solution that integrates well with existing IBM products and services.

Analysis of Workato

Overall verdict

  • Workato is considered a strong choice for businesses seeking to streamline operations through integration and automation. Its robust features, scalability, and flexibility make it suitable for a wide range of industries and use cases.

Why this product is good

  • Workato is a popular integration and automation platform that allows businesses to connect various applications and automate workflows without extensive coding. It is renowned for its user-friendly interface, extensive library of pre-built integrations, and ability to handle complex automation tasks, which makes it appealing for both technical and non-technical users.

Recommended for

    Workato is recommended for medium to large businesses looking for a comprehensive integration solution, IT teams aiming to reduce manual processes, and organizations that want to empower business users to create their own automations while maintaining IT oversight.

IBM API Connect videos

Using the Swagger REST APIs for IBM API Management Developer Portal (Part 1 of 3)

More videos:

  • Review - User defined policies in IBM API Management V4 0 2 part 1 of 9

Workato videos

Webinar Series by Workato | Introduction to Workato (Main)

More videos:

  • Review - Workato Product Updates - February 2020
  • Review - Vijay Tella, Workato CEO: Welcome to the New Era of Automation

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to IBM API Connect and Workato)
API Tools
53 53%
47% 47
Data Integration
18 18%
82% 82
Web Service Automation
21 21%
79% 79
APIs
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare IBM API Connect and Workato

IBM API Connect Reviews

Postman Alternatives for API Testing and Monitoring
IBM API Connect enables companies to create, secure, and manage APIs. Users can test both REST and SOAP APIs, by simulating API behavior in various scenarios, ensuring that they function correctly under different conditions. For monitoring, IBM API Connect provides real-time analytics and operational monitoring tools, extending to security capabilities as well.
Top 15 MuleSoft Competitors and Alternatives
IBM API Connect uses an intuitive experience to help enterprises create, manage, secure, and monetize APIs. It offers infrastructure, tools, and facilities to power digital transformation on premises and across clouds.
15 Best Postman Alternatives for Automated API Testing [2022 Updated]
IBM API is a handy API tool for creating, managing and publishing APIs across cloud environments. Using IBM API Connect via APIs, you may securely expose record systems, services, and databases. This API platform simplifies corporate operations by providing simple functionality for powering digital apps.
Source: testsigma.com

Workato Reviews

Top MuleSoft Alternatives for ITSM Leaders in 2025
In recent years, MuleSoft has expanded its focus into process automation, offering robotic process automation (RPA) and intelligent document processing (IDP) functionality. These areas bring MuleSoft’s service offering closer to broad, intelligent automation platforms like Workato and UiPath but away from an integration service vendor.
Source: www.oneio.cloud
The Best MuleSoft Alternatives [2024]
Workato is an integration solution that uses recipes — a set of pre-made instructions — to control how systems interact with each other.
Source: exalate.com
Top 15 MuleSoft Competitors and Alternatives
Workato is a leader in enterprise automation that provides a no-code platform for automating business workflows. In Aug 2022, Workato was named to the Forbes Cloud 100 list. The company serves over 17,000 brands, including Broadcom, Intuit, and Box. [5]
Top 9 MuleSoft Alternatives & Competitors in 2024
From ticketing systems and monitoring tools to cloud services and databases, Workato seamlessly integrates with a wide range of applications. This ensures smooth information flow across your IT ecosystem. By leveraging Workato, you can focus on strategic initiatives, enhance service delivery, and achieve operational excellence.
Source: www.zluri.com
7 Best Zapier Alternatives to Meet Your Integration Needs
Zapier’s pricing, while high, is more justifiable than Workato’s. Workato doesn’t make its pricing information public to begin with. Workato compels the buyers to go through its sales and demo process to give them custom pricing.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing IBM API Connect and Workato, you can also consider the following products

MuleSoft Anypoint Platform - Anypoint Platform is a unified, highly productive, hybrid integration platform that creates an application network of apps, data and devices with API-led connectivity.

Zapier - Connect the apps you use everyday to automate your work and be more productive. 1000+ apps and easy integrations - get started in minutes.

Postman - The Collaboration Platform for API Development

Boomi - The #1 Integration Cloud - Build Integrations anytime, anywhere with no coding required using Dell Boomi's industry leading iPaaS platform.

Azure API Management - Microsoft Azure API Management enables user to create consistent and modern API gateways for existing back-end services hosted anywhere, secure and protect them from abuse and overuse, and get insights into usage and health.

Apigee - Intelligent and complete API platform