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Head-to-head · API Security Software

Akamai API Security vs Datadog App & API Protection

  • Updated Sep 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 6 checks side by side
Higher score Akamai API Security #2 in API Security Software 8.2/10 Pricing on request ✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Akamai
Datadog App & API Protection #8 in API Security Software 6.8/10 From $31/mo (annual) · 14-day trial ✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Datadog

Akamai API Security leads on 0 checks, Datadog App & API Protection on 0, and 6 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreAkamai API Security · 8.2/10

Akamai API Security scores higher on our rubric for api security software: 8.2 against 6.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #8.

On deployment model, Akamai API Security gives you Hybrid where Datadog App & API Protection offers Cloud.

Akamai API Security is the better fit for enterprises needing broad API visibility and testing. Datadog App & API Protection is the better fit for observability teams adding API runtime protection.

  • Akamai API Security fits best

    Enterprises needing broad API visibility and testing

  • Datadog App & API Protection fits best

    Observability teams adding API runtime protection

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. We may earn a commission when you click some links. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Akamai API Security 8.2/10 Visit ↗ Datadog App & API Protection 6.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.2 6.8
Ranking #2 in API Security Software #8 in API Security Software
Best for Enterprises needing broad API visibility and testing Observability teams adding API runtime protection
Pricing model Paid Paid
Starting price Not published $31/mo
Free plan Not published —
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop Cloud
Platforms Web Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Phone, Docs · 24/7 Email, Live chat, Community, Docs
Compliance SOC 2 GDPR, HIPAA, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, SOC 2
Integrations 8 integrations 1,000+ integrations
Built for Enterprise, Mid-market Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Akamai API Security 5/5 · Datadog App & API Protection 5/5
API discovery ✓ ✓
Runtime protection ✓ ✓
API posture management ✓ ✓
Sensitive data detection ✓ ✓
Specification governance ✓ ✓
Specs
Deployment model Hybrid Cloud
Our review
Pros
  • Discovers APIs across traffic, code, gateways, cloud, and external exposure
  • Combines runtime analysis with 200+ CI/CD and preproduction security tests
  • Maps findings to owners, repositories, file paths, and development workflows
  • Discovers documented, undocumented, and shadow APIs continuously
  • Combines API posture checks with in-app WAF threat blocking
  • Correlates attack flows with traces, errors, and logs
Cons
  • Pricing requires contact with sales
  • Broad coverage may exceed the needs of narrowly focused API teams
  • Enterprise workflow integration may require implementation planning
  • Requires Datadog Infrastructure Monitoring
  • No free plan is available
  • Pricing is based on hosts and costs more with monthly billing
Our verdict

Akamai API Security is an enterprise platform for discovering, testing, governing, and monitoring APIs across traffic, code, specifications, gateways, cloud environments, and external exposure points. It is aimed at organizations that need…

Read the review →

Datadog App & API Protection is a cloud security product for Security and DevOps teams that need visibility and protection across production APIs. It continuously discovers documented, undocumented, and shadow APIs, builds endpoint…

Read the review →
  1. Akamai API SecurityAPI Security Software 8.2Pricing on request
  2. Datadog App & API ProtectionAPI Security Software 6.8From $31/mo (annual) · 14-day trial

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Akamai API Security — where it wins

    • Discovers APIs across traffic, code, gateways, cloud, and external exposure
    • Combines runtime analysis with 200+ CI/CD and preproduction security tests
    • Maps findings to owners, repositories, file paths, and development workflows

    Where it doesn't

    • Pricing requires contact with sales
    • Broad coverage may exceed the needs of narrowly focused API teams
    • Enterprise workflow integration may require implementation planning

  • Datadog App & API Protection — where it wins

    • Discovers documented, undocumented, and shadow APIs continuously
    • Combines API posture checks with in-app WAF threat blocking
    • Correlates attack flows with traces, errors, and logs

    Where it doesn't

    • Requires Datadog Infrastructure Monitoring
    • No free plan is available
    • Pricing is based on hosts and costs more with monthly billing
  • Akamai API Security8.2/10 · Pricing on request

    A broad API security platform for enterprises that need discovery, testing, and runtime analysis.

    Visit AkamaiFull verdict →
  • Datadog App & API Protection6.8/10 · From $31/mo (annual) · 14-day trial

    A strong fit for observability teams that need API discovery and runtime blocking.

    Visit DatadogFull verdict →

More comparisons

All API security software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026

Last updated · How we research and update