Akto
Akto is an open-source API security platform that helps you discover all your APIs, detect sensitive data exposure, and find vulnerabilities in your CI/CD pipeline before hackers do.
StackHawk
StackHawk is a dynamic application security testing platform that helps you find and fix security vulnerabilities in your applications and APIs before they ever reach your production environment.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Akto | StackHawk |
|---|---|---|
| Website | akto.io | stackhawk.com |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 14 days free trial | ✓ 14 days free trial |
| Free Plan | ✓ Has free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2021 | 2019 |
| Headquarters | Bengaluru, India | Denver, USA |
Overview
Akto
Akto is a specialized API security platform designed to help you secure your entire API ecosystem. You can automatically discover every API endpoint in your network, including hidden or 'shadow' APIs that often go undocumented. The platform continuously monitors your traffic to identify where sensitive data like PII or financial info is being exposed, giving you a clear map of your security posture.
You can integrate security testing directly into your development workflow by running over 100 built-in security tests against your APIs. This allows you to catch broken object-level authorization (BOLA) and other common vulnerabilities before they reach production. Whether you are a security engineer or a developer, you can use Akto to automate the tedious parts of API auditing and maintain a robust defense against modern web threats.
StackHawk
StackHawk is a developer-centric security platform designed to help you find, triaging, and fix application vulnerabilities early in the software development lifecycle. Unlike traditional security tools that run in isolation, this platform integrates directly into your CI/CD pipelines. You can automate security scans every time you write code, ensuring that SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and other common vulnerabilities are caught before they become production risks.
The platform is built specifically for engineers, providing the exact curl commands and request/response data needed to recreate and fix bugs quickly. Whether you are managing a single application or a complex web of microservices and APIs, you can centralize your security findings and automate your defense. It supports modern architectures including REST, GraphQL, and gRPC, making it a versatile choice for modern development teams.
Overview
Akto Features
- Automated API Discovery Inventory all your APIs automatically by analyzing network traffic to find shadow APIs and undocumented endpoints instantly.
- Sensitive Data Tracking Identify exactly where sensitive data like passwords or credit card numbers are leaking across your API requests and responses.
- BOLA Detection Run automated tests to find Broken Object Level Authorization flaws, the most critical risk in modern API security today.
- CI/CD Integration Trigger automated security scans within your GitHub or GitLab pipelines to stop vulnerable code from ever being deployed.
- API Traffic Mirroring Analyze real-world traffic patterns without impacting your application performance using seamless mirroring from AWS, Azure, or GCP.
- Custom Test Editor Create your own security tests using a simple YAML-based editor to address unique business logic vulnerabilities in your apps.
StackHawk Features
- CI/CD Automation. Automate your security scans within your existing CI/CD pipelines to catch vulnerabilities with every single code commit.
- API Security Testing. Scan your REST, GraphQL, and gRPC endpoints to ensure your underlying data layers remain protected from external threats.
- Developer-First Tooling. Get detailed reproduction steps and curl commands so you can recreate and fix security bugs in your local environment.
- Vulnerability Triaging. Manage your security posture by assigning status to findings, snoozing non-critical issues, or sending bugs directly to Jira.
- Custom Scan Configurations. Fine-tune your scanning parameters to match your specific application architecture and avoid noisy, irrelevant security alerts.
- Continuous Monitoring. Track your security progress over time with dashboards that show how quickly your team is resolving discovered vulnerabilities.
Pricing Comparison
Akto Pricing
- Up to 50 endpoints
- Automated API discovery
- Basic security tests
- Community support
- Local deployment option
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Unlimited endpoints
- Advanced sensitive data detection
- CI/CD pipeline integration
- Slack and Jira alerts
- Priority email support
StackHawk Pricing
- 1 Application
- Unlimited scans
- CI/CD integration
- REST and GraphQL support
- Community support
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Up to 3 applications
- API and gRPC scanning
- Jira and Slack integrations
- Scan history and trends
- Priority email support
Pros & Cons
Akto
Pros
- Fast setup with immediate visibility into shadow APIs
- Comprehensive library of pre-built security test cases
- Open-source core allows for deep customization
- Strong focus on the OWASP API Top 10
- Easy integration with existing DevOps workflows
Cons
- Initial traffic mirroring setup can be technical
- Pro tier pricing is a significant jump
- Learning curve for writing custom YAML tests
StackHawk
Pros
- Integrates easily into GitHub Actions and GitLab CI
- Provides actionable data for developers to fix bugs
- Excellent support for modern API protocols like GraphQL
- Minimal false positives compared to traditional scanners
- User interface is clean and easy to navigate
Cons
- Initial configuration for complex auth can be tricky
- Documentation for advanced edge cases is sometimes thin
- Pricing can scale quickly for many microservices