Top API discovery tools [2025]

APIs have become the backbone of modern digital ecosystems. From powering mobile applications to enabling SaaS integrations, APIs drive agility and innovation. But with rapid adoption comes risk: shadow APIs, undocumented endpoints, and misconfigured services often open the door to serious breaches.

That’s why API discovery tools are now a critical part of any organization’s security strategy. These platforms automatically uncover APIs across environments, classify sensitive data flows, and highlight security blind spots.

In this blog, we’ll review the top API discovery tools in 2025, comparing their features, pricing, and ratings; so, you can choose the one that fits your needs.

Top API discovery tools comparison chart

Top API discovery tools

1. Beagle Security

Beagle Security combines AI-driven API discovery with automated penetration testing, making it an all-in-one solution for organizations seeking visibility and security. Beyond simply mapping endpoints, Beagle Security simulates real-world attacks, ensuring vulnerabilities are not just found but validated.

Key features

• Automated API discovery and classification

• Real-world attack simulation to validate risks

• GraphQL and REST API security testing

• Handles complex authentication flows

• Compliance-ready reports (OWASP, PCI DSS, GDPR, NIST)

G2 Rating: 4.7/5

Pricing: Starts from $1,188/year

2. Akto

Akto focuses on agentless API discovery, making it lightweight to deploy across environments. It identifies sensitive data flows and provides early warnings for shadow APIs.

Key features

• Agentless discovery across cloud and on-prem environments

• Powered by agentic AI

• API risk scoring

• CI/CD pipeline integration

G2 Rating: 4.5/5 from 49 reviews

Pricing: Quote-based. A free plan exists with limited features.

3. Akamai API Security

Akamai’s API Security platform offers comprehensive API visibility along with runtime protection. It’s designed for enterprises that need anomaly detection and integrated defense capabilities.

Key features

• Continuous API discovery and monitoring

• Runtime anomaly detection

• Blocking capabilities for malicious traffic

• Strong integration with enterprise security stacks

G2 rating: 4.1/5 from 47 reviews.

Pricing: Quote-based

4. 42Crunch

42Crunch takes a shift-left approach to API discovery and security. It leverages OpenAPI/Swagger specifications to uncover and validate APIs during development.

Key features

• API contract security checks

• Discovery through OpenAPI specifications

• Developer-friendly integrations

• Risk scoring dashboards

Gartner rating: 4.5/5 from 17 review

Pricing: Starts at $15/month for a single user and $375/month for bigger teams. They also provide a free plan with limited features.

5. Wallarm

Wallarm combines API discovery that also includes AI specific threat detection. It’s well-suited for organizations that want protection from real-time attacks alongside visibility.

Key features

• Automated API discovery and inventory

• ML-based attack detection

• AI specific threat detection

• Cloud-native integration options

G2 Rating: 4.8/5 from 38 reviews

Pricing: Quote-based

6. Salt Security

Salt Security is recognized for its behavioral analytics in API discovery. It creates a detailed API inventory and continuously monitors for anomalies in runtime environments.

Key features

• Continuous API discovery and inventory management

• Behavioral anomaly detection

• Runtime API protection

• Strong reporting and analytics

G2 Rating: 4.7/5 from 12 reviews

Pricing: Custom pricing

7. Pynt

Pynt is an AI-assisted API security tool, designed to integrate seamlessly into testing and CI/CD workflows. It provides API discovery alongside automated testing.

Key features

• API discovery during test automation

• CI/CD pipeline friendly

• Context aware testing

• Free tier for small teams

G2 Rating: 4.8/5 from 40 reviews

Pricing: Free tier available; paid plans scale with features

Conclusion

API discovery tools are essential in 2025 for organizations that want to secure their growing digital ecosystems. Each vendor brings something unique to the table:

• Akto and Salt Security focus on deep inventory and runtime analytics.

• Akamai API Security and Wallarm add strong runtime protection features.

• 42Crunch and Pynt lean towards developer-centric and shift-left use cases.

However, if you’re looking for a tool that combines comprehensive discovery, AI-driven attack simulation, developer-friendly integrations, and affordability, Beagle Security stands out as the best-balanced choice.

In short:

For enterprises seeking broad integrations, Akamai and Salt Security are solid picks.

For developer-centric workflows, 42Crunch and Pynt shine.

For end-to-end discovery and security at scale without breaking the budget, Beagle Security is the clear winner in 2025.

Written by

Febna V M

Cyber Security Engineer

Contributor

Nandagopal S

Marketing Associate