Akahu
Akahu: A New Zealand-focused API suite for banking connectivity, verification and payment workflows. Ranked #38 of 50 in Banking APIs by our editors (5.3/10); pricing: Free plan; best for new Zealand banking connectivity.
At a glance
- Editor score5.3 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forNew Zealand banking connectivity
- Free planYes
- Transaction dataYes
- Founded2020
- Facts checked20 Oct 2026
Where it wins
- Unified API covers account data, payments and verification
- Supports transaction enrichment and event webhooks
- Connects major New Zealand banks and investment providers
Where it doesn't
- Coverage is focused on New Zealand institutions
- Ongoing connectivity pricing needs functionality and volume review
- Connections may use classic methods where regulated open banking is unavailable
Our verdict on Akahu
Akahu provides open-finance infrastructure for developers and organisations building New Zealand financial applications. Its unified API connects bank, investment, KiwiSaver and other financial accounts for one-off or ongoing access to balances, account metadata and transactions. Payment initiation, identity checks, bank-account verification, transaction enrichment and event webhooks extend the core connectivity layer. Akahu Apply adds workflows for loan and financial-assessment applications, making the service relevant to lenders, fintech teams and organisations handling financial data.
The product is organised around use cases rather than a single all-purpose tier. One-off payments API supports payment initiation, while loan applications and other financial applications combine one-off data connectivity with possible applicant, PDF extraction and enrichment requirements. Identity and bank account verification handles one-off identity and account checks. Ongoing connectivity API supports continuing access with multiple connections, refreshes and enrichment potentially included. Akahu Apply combines open-banking connectivity, PDF processing and enrichment for assessment workflows. Free access is available, with paid usage and indicative developer rates; ongoing connectivity is quoted after functionality and volume review.
Akahu’s ecosystem is tightly aligned with New Zealand. Integrations include ANZ, ASB, BNZ, The Co-operative Bank, Heartland, Kiwibank, Rabobank, SBS, TSB and Westpac, alongside providers such as Booster, Fisher Funds, Generate and Hatch. Web and API access, cloud deployment, near-real-time refreshes and webhooks support embedded financial experiences. ISO 27001 compliance and email, phone, community and documentation support add operational structure. Choose Akahu when New Zealand institution coverage and combined data, verification and payment capabilities fit the project; consider alternatives for broader geographic coverage or simpler, fixed-price connectivity needs.
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Akahu pricing
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Akahu fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Not verified |
| Transaction data | Yes |
| Bank identity checks | Yes |
| Account verification | Yes |
| Coverage scope | Not verified |
| Data refresh | Near_real_time |
| Webhooks | Yes |
| Deployment | Cloud |
| Platforms | Web |
| Compliance & security | ISO 27001 |
| Support | Email, Phone, Community, Docs |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 20 integrations: ANZ, ASB, BNZ, The Co-operative Bank, Heartland, Kiwibank … See all → |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | akahu.nz |
| Facts checked | 20 Oct 2026 |
Akahu integrations
Akahu lists 20 integrations on its own site.
- ANZ
- ASB
- BNZ
- The Co-operative Bank
- Heartland
- Kiwibank
- NZHL
- Rabobank
- SBS
- TSB
- Westpac
- Booster
- Fisher Funds
- Generate
- Hatch
- Kernel Wealth
- Milford Asset Management
- Pie Funds
- Sharesies
- Sharesight
Alternatives to Akahu
- PlaidA broad banking connectivity platform spanning accounts, transactions, investments, and liabilities.9.4
- Envestnet | YodleeEnterprise-focused APIs for aggregating, enriching, verifying, and refreshing financial-account data.9.2
- GoCardless Bank Account DataEuropean account data API with PSD2 connectivity and up to 24 months of history.9.0
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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