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Layer7 API Management vs Microsoft Azure API Management comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 17, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
6.7
Layer7 API Management offers business growth and protection, with varying ROI timelines; quick benefits are observed by many users.
Sentiment score
5.9
Microsoft Azure API Management enhances efficiency and operations, reducing integration time by 90%, favored for usability over platforms like AWS.
Proper configuration of the solution, implementation strategy and correct scaling tier selection are other factors that influence the ROI.
Integration Engineer at a financial services firm with 201-500 employees
If I am working in AWS and with Azure, I see that Azure is much easier and helps save time while also being able to manage and deploy the API services.
Network Security Engineer at Movate
We have seen significant financial benefits after using the product.
Consultant at Fujitsu
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.3
Layer7 API Management is praised for support and resources, though some users note post-acquisition service challenges.
Sentiment score
6.5
Microsoft Azure API Management support is mixed, with premium support praised and other areas needing improvement in efficiency and expertise.
Technical support is excellent, and I would rate them as ten.
The documentation from Microsoft helps our company to solve issues on our own.
Integration Engineer at a financial services firm with 201-500 employees
The initial support engineers are often not qualified.
Consult Manager at Conscia
I logged an incident, and it was resolved promptly within three hours.
Solution Architect at Cognizant
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.3
Layer7 API Management efficiently scales to handle significant traffic, supporting millions of daily requests with proper configuration.
Sentiment score
7.7
Microsoft Azure API Management offers seamless scalability for medium to large enterprises, though costs increase with higher usage levels.
All nodes communicate with one primary database, affecting connections and causing crashes under high load.
I've worked with multiple tools from an observability perspective, such as Dynatrace, AppDynamics, Splunk, and Elasticsearch, and I find KQL and APIM amazing and filled with useful features.
Associate Consultant at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
There are no limitations to adding any number of devices.
Network Security Engineer at Movate
Microsoft Azure API Management is extremely scalable.
Consult Manager at Conscia
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.6
Layer7 API Management is stable and reliable, with minor scalability issues, often resolved through updates and support.
Sentiment score
7.9
Microsoft Azure API Management is stable and reliable, though performance may vary with hybrid versions and specific customizations.
Without rebooting for ninety to one hundred eighty days, cache builds up in Linux boxes, causing memory utilization issues.
Microsoft Azure API Management is very stable.
Consult Manager at Conscia
With high scalability and availability, it supports many users and endpoints without significant issues.
Solution Architect at Cognizant
Microsoft Azure API Management is generally stable.
Technical Solution Architect at liwa
 

Room For Improvement

Layer7 API Management needs improvements in UI, documentation, integration, functionality, training, policy tools, monitoring, reporting, and migration.
Microsoft Azure API Management needs improvements in security, integration, cost transparency, documentation, performance, deployment options, scalability, and analytics.
Broadcom's push for upgrades from version nine to ten, ten to 10.3, and onwards to twelve needs improvement in migration processes, especially with service dependencies.
The service is extensive and expensive, and this added flexibility would make it more manageable and less prone to errors.
Consult Manager at Conscia
Documentations for the product should include examples of implementation.
Integration Engineer at a financial services firm with 201-500 employees
They should enhance AI capabilities and more advanced integration features with other platforms.
Consultant at Fujitsu
 

Setup Cost

Layer7 API Management offers competitive pricing with Essential and Enterprise tiers, though perceived costly for smaller enterprises.
Enterprise users find Azure API Management cost-effective and flexible, despite premium tier expense and licensing complexity challenges.
Seeing other products makes the tool's pricing seem high.
It's an expensive solution.
Integration Engineer at a financial services firm with 201-500 employees
However, once you scale up to your full volume, it'll be more expensive.
Solutions Architect at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
It costs around 30,000 Kronas a month, which translates to about $3,000 dollars monthly.
Consult Manager at Conscia
 

Valuable Features

Layer7 API Management excels with robust security, scalability, and features like content routing and drag-and-drop functionality.
Microsoft Azure API Management provides seamless integration, strong security, and user-friendly tools for effective API management and monitoring.
The flexibility to develop APIs for various platforms, from front-end applications to ATM machines, is valuable.
The platform's most valuable features are its rule-based permissions and comprehensive API lifecycle management capabilities.
Consultant at Fujitsu
The ability to create a subscription model for APIs allows companies to monetize valuable data and share it securely.
Consult Manager at Conscia
The analytics phase of API Management is very beneficial for tracking API usage and identifying suspicious users.
Solution Architect at Cognizant
 

Categories and Ranking

Layer7 API Management
Ranking in API Management
12th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
112
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Microsoft Azure API Management
Ranking in API Management
1st
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
83
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the API Management category, the mindshare of Layer7 API Management is 2.3%, down from 3.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Azure API Management is 15.0%, down from 19.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
API Management Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Microsoft Azure API Management15.0%
Layer7 API Management2.3%
Other82.7%
API Management
 

Featured Reviews

Integration capabilities excel and support for varied platforms enhances communication across backend systems
We mainly use REST APIs, and the solution's integration capabilities are excellent. It allows communication with a number of back-end providers and data consolidation. The flexibility to develop APIs for various platforms, from front-end applications to ATM machines, is valuable. Code changes and migration are straightforward, and it supports identity and access management integration.
RJ
Database Manager at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
Facilitating seamless integration and robust security support
The integration process is very easy, which is crucial for our organization. Another valuable aspect is the support from Microsoft. Whenever support is required, it is readily available. Additionally, I appreciate the technical expertise Microsoft brings to the table. The security features are highly satisfactory, with various options providing flexibility to implement security measures based on specific compliance requirements.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
18%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Healthcare Company
7%
Computer Software Company
6%
Financial Services Firm
16%
Computer Software Company
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Insurance Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business23
Midsize Enterprise13
Large Enterprise84
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business23
Midsize Enterprise11
Large Enterprise53
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Layer7 API Management?
Pricing is more than average. While I am used to Layer7 API Management ( /products/layer7-api-management-reviews ), seeing other products makes the tool's pricing seem high.
What needs improvement with Layer7 API Management?
Broadcom's push for upgrades from version nine to ten, ten to 10.3, and onwards to twelve needs improvement in migration processes, especially with service dependencies. The migration path sometime...
How does Apigee differ from Azure API Management?
Apigee offers both cloud-based and on-prem options while Microsoft Azure API Management currently only offers a cloud-based solution. Both solutions are easy to use. Apigee allows for the ability...
Which is better - Azure API Management or Amazon API Gateway?
If you use Azure products, API Management is a great solution. It solves many of the problems of externalizing web services. For example, when you need versioning, establish a developer portal and ...
What do you like most about Microsoft Azure API Management?
Microsoft Azure API Management is a good, comprehensive solution for enterprise implementation.
 

Also Known As

CA API Management, CA Live API Creator, Espresso Logic, CA API Gateway
Azure API Management, MS Azure API Management
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

1. IBM  2. Microsoft  3. Oracle  4. Salesforce  5. SAP  6. Cisco  7. Dell  8. HP  9. Adobe  10. VMware  11. Accenture  12. Capgemini  13. Deloitte  14. PwC  15. Ernst & Young  16. Infosys  17. TCS (Tata Consultancy Services)  18. Wipro  19. Cognizant  20. HCL Technologies  21. Tech Mahindra  22. Fujitsu  23. Hitachi  24. NEC  25. NTT Data  26. Ericsson  27. Nokia  28. Siemens  29. AT&T  30. Verizon  31. Vodafone  32. Orange
adnymics GmbH, LG CNS, Centrebet, netfabb GmbH, MedPlast, Accelera Solutions, Sochi Organizing Committee, realzeit GmbH, Opensistemas
Find out what your peers are saying about Layer7 API Management vs. Microsoft Azure API Management and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.