# Apiable > Platform[API Portal](/platform/api-portal)[API Developer Experience](/platform/api-developer-experience)[API Products](/platform/api-products)[API Monetization](/platform/api-monetization)[Pricin --- # Source: https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-business-plan-template [Platform](#)[API Portal](/platform/api-portal)[API Developer Experience](/platform/api-developer-experience)[API Products](/platform/api-products)[API Monetization](/platform/api-monetization)[Pricing](#)[Resources](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[About](/about-us)[Login](https://dashboard.apiable.io/)[Contact us](/ask-sales)[](/)Platform[API PortalBuild a branded API Portal for your partners](/platform/api-portal)[API ProductsPackage APIs into products partners will pay for](/platform/api-products)[API MonetizationCharge for API usage and prove ROI](/platform/api-monetization)[API Developer ExperienceOnboard, monitor, and manage API consumers and their usage](/platform/api-developer-experience) ### By API Gateway [Apiable with Amazon API Gateway](/aws)[Apiable with Kong](/kong) ### Compare [Apiable vs Kong](#)[Apiable vs Tyk](#)[Apiable vs Apigee](#)[Apiable vs Azure](#)[Pricing](/pricing)[Resources](https://www.apiable.io/resources/)[Book demo](/demo)[](#) # API Business Plan Template APIs are more than just technical tools—they're strategic assets that can drive innovation, unlock new revenue streams, and streamline operations. But building a successful API initiative requires a clear plan and a compelling business case. That’s why we’ve created two complimentary resources to help you get started. ### Blog Post: *Introducing APIable's Business Plan Template and Business Case Example* #### **Streamline Your API Strategy with Our New Resources** APIs are more than just technical tools—they're strategic assets that can drive innovation, unlock new revenue streams, and streamline operations. But building a successful API initiative requires a clear plan and a compelling business case. That’s why we’ve created two complimentary resources to help you get started: **API Business Plan Template**: A structured guide to plan, implement, and scale your API strategy.**API Business Case Example**: A real-world example showcasing how to use the template effectively. ### **What’s Inside the API Business Plan Template?** Our **API Business Plan Template** is designed to make your API initiatives seamless and successful. It covers everything you need to align stakeholders, articulate business value, and set a clear path forward, including: **Executive Summary**: Quickly communicate the purpose and high-level benefits of your API.**Business Objectives**: Define measurable goals and key performance indicators (KPIs).**Market Opportunity**: Highlight industry trends, addressable market size, and competitive analysis.**API Design & Features**: Outline technical requirements, including core features, technology stack, and security.**Financial Projections**: Present costs, revenue streams, and return on investment (ROI).**Go-to-Market Strategy**: Define adoption strategies, target audiences, and success metrics.**Long-Term Vision**: Map out scalability, future enhancements, and sustained growth.This template not only saves you time but also ensures your plan is clear, comprehensive, and tailored to your business needs. ### **Bring It to Life with the Business Case Example** To make the template even easier to use, we’ve included a complimentary **API Business Case Example** featuring a fictional company, NexCo. This example showcases: How to apply the template step by step.A fully fleshed-out API strategy with real-world applications.Detailed financial projections, including scenarios and ROI calculations.A roadmap for scaling and enhancing the API over time.This example serves as both inspiration and a practical guide, showing how to adapt the template to your own goals. ### **Who Are These Resources For?** These resources are ideal for: **Business Leaders**: To communicate the strategic importance of APIs and gain buy-in from stakeholders.**Product Managers**: To define the value and roadmap of API products.**Developers & IT Teams**: To align technical goals with business objectives.**Marketing & Sales Teams**: To build messaging and drive API adoption.Whether you're starting from scratch or refining an existing strategy, these tools will empower your team to create a professional and compelling API business plan. ### **Start Your API Journey Today** Ready to transform your API strategy? Download our **API Business Plan Template** and **Business Case Example** now and take the first step toward a successful API initiative. [**Download Now**](https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0fl0L-0) ## Ready to turn your APIs into products (and revenue)? Join the companies monetizing API usage, scaling partner onboarding, and proving measurable business impact—without overloading their teams. [Book Your Demo](/demo)[Product](/platform/api-portal)[API Portal](/platform/api-portal)[API Security](/platform/api-security)[API Developer Experience](/platform/api-developer-experience)[API Products](/platform/api-products)[API Monetization](/platform/api-monetization)[API Gateway Synchronization](/platform/api-gateway-synchronization)[Pricing](/pricing)[Overview](/pricing)[Resources](#)[Blog](https://www.apiable.io/resources/)[Best Practices](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[Compare](#)[Apiable vs Amazon API Gateway](#)[Apiable vs Kong](#)[Apiable vs Tyk](#)[Apiable vs Apigee](#)[Apiable vs Azure](#)[By API Gateway](#)[Apiable with Amazon API Gateway](/aws)[Apiable with Kong](/kong)[Guides](#)[Build vs Buy as a Service](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[API Business Plan Template](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-business-plan-template)[About Apiable](/about-us)[Company](/about-us)[Team](/about-us)[Careers](/about-us) ## How to Playbooks [Build vs Buy as a ServiceRead more](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[](/unused/old-home)[Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/company/apiable-io)2025 © Copyright Apiable Oy — 3129965-8[Privacy Policy ](/terms/privacy-policy)[Support Policy](/terms/support-policy)[Terms of Service](/terms/terms-of-service)[Contact](/ask-sales)Kong is a registered trademark owned by Kong Inc. Azure is a registered trademark owned by Microsoft Corp. Apigee is a registered trademark owned by Google LLC. --- # Source: https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service [Platform](#)[API Portal](/platform/api-portal)[API Developer Experience](/platform/api-developer-experience)[API Products](/platform/api-products)[API Monetization](/platform/api-monetization)[Pricing](#)[Resources](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[About](/about-us)[Login](https://dashboard.apiable.io/)[Contact us](/ask-sales)[](/)Platform[API PortalBuild a branded API Portal for your partners](/platform/api-portal)[API ProductsPackage APIs into products partners will pay for](/platform/api-products)[API MonetizationCharge for API usage and prove ROI](/platform/api-monetization)[API Developer ExperienceOnboard, monitor, and manage API consumers and their usage](/platform/api-developer-experience) ### By API Gateway [Apiable with Amazon API Gateway](/aws)[Apiable with Kong](/kong) ### Compare [Apiable vs Kong](#)[Apiable vs Tyk](#)[Apiable vs Apigee](#)[Apiable vs Azure](#)[Pricing](/pricing)[Resources](https://www.apiable.io/resources/)[Book demo](/demo)[](#) # API portal: build vs buy as a service There have never been more options for creating an API portal. In this article, we’ll look at what makes a good API portal, and explore why organisations are choosing to build an API portal versus adopting an API portal as a service. This playbook is targeted at people and teams who are involved in architecting, evaluating or selecting API portal solutions. ## API Portal Overview ### What is an API Portal? An API portal serves two functions, firstly to act as a place where customers and partners can understand and consume your API products, and secondly to provide developers with secure access to your APIs and documentation. They often appear on the *developer* subdomain, e.g. developer.yourorg.com. however, in some cases, you may also find them on the *developers* or *digital* subdomains. API Portals are also known as *API Developer Portals* and *Developer Portals*. We prefer the term *API portal *as it’s more inclusive of non-developer roles, for example, business managers who may need to make the decision on whether to use the API or not and first need to understand the value proposition. They often have limited or no technical skills. APIs as products are a well-established concept in certain companies and industries. In others, they are emerging as a fundamental concept that underpins the way API strategies are brought to life. An API portal helps you showcase your API products so that your customers and partners understand the value proposition. In addition, it makes it easier for their developers to understand how your APIs work and gives them secure access. When looking to implement a new API portal the first place you should start is with the developer portal that came bundled with your API management system. As a rule of thumb, if you can use it, then do so. However, a lot of customers find that it doesn’t meet their requirements. Off-the-shelf Developer portals are fine if you just want to enable developer self-service, but as more and more organisations are looking to join the API economy and create new partner ecosystems we need more from our API portals. ### Structure of an API portal Firstly, let’s explore the features of industry-standard API portals. #### Developer documentation One of the pillars of a good API portal is documentation. Good documentation reduces the difficulty of integrating with you. Want more customers and partners? Then make sure your API design and documentation are well thought out and presented in a clear manner on your API portal. In the case that the decision maker on whether or not to use your API is non-technical, they will *always* ask the opinion of a developer for their opinion of your API before they sign up. If your API is impossible to understand then no developer will give their go-ahead. #### Sharing API credentials The main point of an API portal is ultimately to allow others to access your APIs. You do this by sharing API credentials with a developer so that they can make API calls. This can be as simple (and insecure) as an API key, or as sophisticated as a full OAuth 2.0 grant flow. A developer should be able to regenerate API credentials, this is important in case the original credentials have been compromised in some way. #### Getting started guide Most portals will have an accompanying getting started guide to get the developer up to speed quickly. This guide will often include: Code samples - Samples of code and SDKs are great for helping the developer understand how to use your APIs. This is especially true since developers are notoriously bad at reading the documentation.Auth Guide - How to Authenticate and Authorise an API call, getting a valid API token.Support - Guidance on what to do if the developer gets stuck, who can they contact and how. #### API products Also known as API as a Product. It’s taken for granted that if you are running a successful API program you will have API products. By treating APIs as products we are looking for reusability and ease of consumption. We get this by making our APIs with a customer in mind, be that a developer or business persona. Before the concept of API products was invented, we used to just publish whatever APIs we had at that time and hope that *someone* would use them. Unsurprisingly, this didn’t work. #### Monetization support There are many paths for getting value from your APIs, direct monetization of the API is one. Many Organisations are looking to create new revenue streams with their APIs and need to be able to monetize them. For example, a Content Management System may have three different product plans for its API: **Small** - $49 - up to 1,000,000 API calls in a month.**Medium** - $149 - From 1,000,000 to 4,000,000 API calls in a month.**Large** - $449 - Over 4,000,000 API calls in a month.The API portal needs to be able to present these plans, allow the customer to subscribe to a plan and then enforce it i.e. Limit the number of API calls made in a month. #### Example use cases Useful for both technical and non-technical personas. Giving a real-world example of how you intend the API to be used clarifies the usage. Better still, a demo application running on the portal can add another dimension to understanding how the product should work. ## Build vs. Buy as a Service By *building*, we mean that you will hire developers to code a new website for you and then integrate that with your API management system. By *buy as a service*, we mean taking an existing solution off the shelf and making that work with your APIs. ### How to Build or Buy an API portal If you choose not to use the API portal that came bundled with your API Management system then you have two options, either you build your own API portal and connect it or you use an API portal as a Service. #### Building your own API portal Many organisations build their own API portals. There are many advantages to this approach that are outlined in the next section. In order to build your own portal, you’ll need to follow an approach similar to the following: Get the budget - convince your internal stakeholders that you need to build an API portal and that they’ll get a return on their investment.Get the developers - find the developers either internally or externally with the backend and frontend skills required.Run the project - you’ll be needing to run the project, there will be others in your organisation who are interested in the portal and the developers will have questions.Connect your API management system - figure out how to connect your API gateway. If you struggle with this one you can always contact us, we’ve done this a lot.Deploy - host it on your cloud service of choice as a new application.Maintain - find someone to maintain the application taking care of any updates to the API management system. #### 7 API portals as a Service If you prefer to buy Software as a Service (SaaS) to building and maintaining your own software, then the following are some of your options for buying an API portal: [apiable.io](https://apiable.io/) - API Portals as a Service - Up and running within an hour. No developer required. Connects to your API gateway.[Blobr](https://www.blobr.io/) - The best developer portal to grow API adoption.[Pronovix](https://pronovix.com/) - We research, build and support developer portals.[Rapidapi](https://rapidapi.com/products/enterprise-hub/) - Accelerate innovation and bring software to market faster with the next-generation API platform.[Readme](https://readme.com/) - Developer hubs that meet your users where they are.[Redocly](https://redocly.com/portals/) - Plug in your API reference and customize every nook & cranny to wow your API consumers.[‍](https://stoplight.io/)[Stoplight](https://stoplight.io/) - Design, Document & Build APIs Faster ### Feature Comparison #### Branding How your API portal looks and feels can vary depending on a) how strict your organisation is about these things and b) your target audience. **Build** One of the main advantages of building your own API portal is the ability to brand it very close to your own style guidelines. Giving developers access to your corporate brand style at the very beginning of the project will enable them to build something consistent with your company identity. One of the best examples of this is [Mercedes-Benz](https://developer.mercedes-benz.com/) they obviously invested a great deal of time and energy into making this in line with the core Mercedes-Benz design philosophy. If the design is an important part of your brand then this is something that you should consider. **Buy as a Service** Conversely, you’ll save a great deal of time and money if you buy a ready-made portal. Most of the portals offered as a Service have some degree of customization on offer from simple logo and colour schemes to custom CSS integration. **How to decide?** Is the additional time and effort required to create a custom portal needed to maintain your brand identity? Is your brand design very important to you? Do you have a very specific user experience in mind that you can’t buy? Will you need to hide from your marketing & communications team for the next three years? #### API Synchronisation Either the APIs published on the portal are coupled with the backend API management system and changes in one are reflected in the other, or the portal requires you to onboard them as you would any other API consumer i.e. you provide API credentials for the portal to access the API. **Build** All API management platforms include the possibility to make changes programmatically e.g. get a list of APIs, and subscribe a developer. Building against these Management APIs requires specialist knowledge but is certainly possible and worth doing if you are considering building your own portal. **Buy as a Service** Very few 3rd party API portals are able to offer deep integration with the API management system - notable exceptions include Pronovix (apigee) and Apiable - all others rely on the API Consumer model and therefore API synchronisation is not possible. **How to decide?** If you have a lot of APIs published in your catalogue, and/or these change frequently, then you should seriously consider synchronisation. If you’re using developer analytics in your existing API management system then having the API consumers synchronised back to close the loop is also an advantage. If you only plan on exposing one or two APIs, security isn’t that important and you don’t need to keep a track of your developer usage then consider a simple integration. #### API product support By which we mean the ability to present the API to roles other than the developer. Non-technical business personas are often the decision-makers when it comes to choosing to use your APIs. If you don’t present the API as a product then it can be difficult for them to understand your value proposition and they’ll look elsewhere. API products usually include: High-level Marketing Usage examplesFeaturesPlansSubscriptionsIn some cases, API products may also be directly monetized. **Build** Outside of building some basic marketing pages, building complete product support, with price plans, subscriptions and monetization will consume a great deal of time and effort. **Buy as a Service** Most API portals as a Service offer productization and monetization capabilities. **How to decide?** If you’re looking for advanced API product support then our recommendation is to buy these capabilities. Building them from scratch, even using services like Stripe, will consume a great deal of time. Unless you have a pressing need to integrate with a specific subscription/payment service provider then you should try to avoid this complexity. #### Portal Architecture **Build** If you have very specific requirements that the API portal should be built with a certain development framework then you may need to build it yourself. **Buy as a Service** Portal architectures vary widely, from older PHP/Drupal solutions to more modern React frameworks. Unless your organisation actively prohibits a particular architecture it’s unlikely that this will be a consideration. The underlying Service Level Agreement will be more important. **How to decide?** Most organisations have a preferred technology stack.  If you have strong IT stakeholders this can make a difference, they will veto technology they see as obsolete. Building your own portal allows you the freedom to choose the best stack for your organisation. #### Entry Costs **Build** Unless you’re building something super simple, it will take a couple of developers around six to nine months to build an API portal from scratch. On top of that, you’ll need someone to run the project, and a selection of API experts thrown in for good measure. Persuading your stakeholders to make the investment can be difficult if you haven’t already been able to demonstrate traction with your APIs yet. **Buy as a Service** Spreading the costs over a longer period of time requires little to no upfront capital investment however you’ll need to keep this annual expenditure in your budget. **How to decide?** If you can easily raise the required budget, have a good case for building the API portal with your stakeholders and can find good developers then consider building your own portal. Else buying as a Service can be a good first step in proving the business case for little capital expenditure. #### Maintenance & Support **Build** If you’re planning to build the portal with external resources then ensure there is an ongoing maintenance contract with that agency. This was necessary in order to keep the underlying architecture up to date and in line with updates to the API management system which changes frequently with new versions. **Buy as a Service** Not having to worry about the maintenance and support of the API portal is a major plus, especially if you find it difficult to retain the ongoing services of a development team. Keep an eye on the Service Level Agreement and for any additional costs associated with the maintenance and support. **How to decide?** If your team is already used to maintaining systems over a long period of time then building your own API portal will be just another system on that list. Be especially careful to ensure the know-how on how to integrate with your underlying API management system is retained, this is necessary to implement any changes in the future. #### Implementation Speed **Build** Assuming you’ve gotten the budget in place, be prepared to run a lengthy project. The developers are going to have a lot of questions about how to build the portal. Who is the primary user, business or technical? How should it be secured? Should it use your internal identity provider or something more specific? Which content management system should we use? Should it also be mobile-ready? **Buy as a Service** You should be up and running with a base portal between one hour and one week of signing up depending on how easy it is to integrate your API management tool. **How to decide?** Not having to wait months for your API portal to be built will allow you to concentrate on your core competencies like building great API products. On the other hand, if you have bored developers, giving them something interesting to develop can help with retention rates. #### API Portal Security Both the portal itself and the authentication and authorization it provides as a service. **Build** One of the most important questions to answer is - how you can get secure access to the API management system? Emphasis is on the word *secure* here. Since the portal is responsible for provisioning new API credentials you need to triple-check the security concept to make sure there are no holes. In addition, you make sure that your portal works with the type of Authorization you plan to provide i.e. That the correct fields for OAuth 2.0 are provided to the developer. **Buy as a Service** Some portals you can buy are able to integrate deeply with your API management software out of the box. Ensure that they are able to store your API management credentials in a safe place and that their employees cannot get access. Many portals only support a simple API key for Authorization. For those that do offer OAuth 2.0 support, do they cover all the grant types that you might need? **How to decide?** Build if you have confidence in your ability to implement the security requirements for your organisation. Buy only if your provider can explain how the API / Management system is being protected. ### Considerations when buying an API portal as a Service #### Shallow vs Deep API integration As mentioned in the** API Synchronisation** section above, not all API portal services are able to connect to the API management system (deep integration.) Instead, they use simple API credentials to get access, as would any other API consumer. **Benefits of shallow integration:** It’s quick and it’s easy. Just add the API portal as you would any other API consumer, with API credentials.You don’t need to connect your API management system to the portal.It’s possible to monitor the usage to get insights into the traffic.Since the API portal as a Service is responsible for acting as a proxy to the API gateway, It’s possible to react to the API call, for example, increase a counter in Monetization cases.**Benefits of deep integration:** Adding new APIs or resolving retired APIs is automatically synchronised with your API management system.API consumption is simple and easy to track.Fine-grained access control or changes to rate-limiting with different product plans is straightforward.Revoking API access in your API management system will only remove one consumer, not many.No additional proxy layer is needed between the API consumer and the API gateway, meaning:No additional latency on top of your API traffic, saving, on average, 50 milliseconds per API call.Less potential for a security breachReduces one layer and removes a potential point of failure #### Can you implement API products and plans? There’s no reason why an API product can’t be made up of multiple APIs. There’s no reason why different plans can’t have different methods. An API product exists to solve a problem for your customer, everything they need should be contained within. #### Are Multiple API consumer roles supported? Is this just for the developer, or will it work with all my target customers and partners? Unless your target customer is a developer, you need to think about how to describe the value of the API in non-technical terms. #### How does it look? Try to get a demo as soon as possible, or check a reference customer. You don’t want to incur the wrath of marketing. #### What’s the underlying technology stack? It’s worth investigating a little into what technology the API portal was built on. In a worst-case scenario is this something you could take over and run on-premise? What kind of vulnerabilities exist for this technology? Is it built on legacy software? #### Can I connect multiple API gateways? Your organization probably has more than one API gateway, you’re not alone. These can either be from the same supplier but cater for different regions, or then different departments chose different API management vendors. Either way, will you be able to provide one holistic customer and developer journey irrespective of the gateway, or will you need a separate portal for each? ## Synchronize your APIs with API gateway connectors Apiable has plugins for the most popular API management systems, meaning that you’ll have access to your latest API catalogue without needing any external workarounds. What’s more, it will be kept in sync with your gateway, so new API consumers will be added back into your API management system keeping your analytics up to date. ## Conclusion Unless your organisation has strict brand considerations that you must adhere to, or APIs are your core business, we advise you to not build your own portal. Historically a lot of organisations built API portals because they didn’t have any other choice. Now they do, and there are a lot of options on the market for you to investigate. Decision criteria for API portals as a Service include look and feel, support for API products and if you need the portal to be integrated into your API management system or not. ## Ready to turn your APIs into products (and revenue)? Join the companies monetizing API usage, scaling partner onboarding, and proving measurable business impact—without overloading their teams. [Book Your Demo](/demo)[Product](/platform/api-portal)[API Portal](/platform/api-portal)[API Security](/platform/api-security)[API Developer Experience](/platform/api-developer-experience)[API Products](/platform/api-products)[API Monetization](/platform/api-monetization)[API Gateway Synchronization](/platform/api-gateway-synchronization)[Pricing](/pricing)[Overview](/pricing)[Resources](#)[Blog](https://www.apiable.io/resources/)[Best Practices](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[Compare](#)[Apiable vs Amazon API Gateway](#)[Apiable vs Kong](#)[Apiable vs Tyk](#)[Apiable vs Apigee](#)[Apiable vs Azure](#)[By API Gateway](#)[Apiable with Amazon API Gateway](/aws)[Apiable with Kong](/kong)[Guides](#)[Build vs Buy as a Service](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[API Business Plan Template](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-business-plan-template)[About Apiable](/about-us)[Company](/about-us)[Team](/about-us)[Careers](/about-us) ## How to Playbooks [Build vs Buy as a ServiceRead more](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[](/unused/old-home)[Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/company/apiable-io)2025 © Copyright Apiable Oy — 3129965-8[Privacy Policy ](/terms/privacy-policy)[Support Policy](/terms/support-policy)[Terms of Service](/terms/terms-of-service)[Contact](/ask-sales)Kong is a registered trademark owned by Kong Inc. Azure is a registered trademark owned by Microsoft Corp. Apigee is a registered trademark owned by Google LLC. --- # Source: https://www.apiable.io/resources/bikmos-api-revolution [Platform](#)[API Portal](/platform/api-portal)[API Developer Experience](/platform/api-developer-experience)[API Products](/platform/api-products)[API Monetization](/platform/api-monetization)[Pricing](#)[Resources](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[About](/about-us)[Login](https://dashboard.apiable.io/)[Contact us](/ask-sales)[](/)Platform[API PortalBuild a branded API Portal for your partners](/platform/api-portal)[API ProductsPackage APIs into products partners will pay for](/platform/api-products)[API MonetizationCharge for API usage and prove ROI](/platform/api-monetization)[API Developer ExperienceOnboard, monitor, and manage API consumers and their usage](/platform/api-developer-experience) ### By API Gateway [Apiable with Amazon API Gateway](/aws)[Apiable with Kong](/kong) ### Compare [Apiable vs Kong](#)[Apiable vs Tyk](#)[Apiable vs Apigee](#)[Apiable vs Azure](#)[Pricing](/pricing)[Resources](https://www.apiable.io/resources/)[Book demo](/demo)[](#) # API Revolution: Bikmo’s Journey with Embedded Insurance Embedded insurance is reshaping industries by seamlessly integrating protection into the customer journey. Bikmo, with the help of Apiable, transitioned to an API-first model, enabling effortless integration with partners like buycycle. This transformation streamlined operations, enhanced customer experiences, and unlocked new revenue streams. Learn how APIs are driving the future of embedded insurance in our whitepaper. #### **Explore the Future of Embedded Insurance** Embedded insurance is changing the game for businesses—and Bikmo’s journey is proof. Learn how they leveraged APIs to scale and simplify their offerings in our whitepaper: *API Revolution: Bikmo’s Journey with Embedded Insurance*. [Download Now](https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0fl0V20) #### Redefining Insurance with APIs Embedded insurance isn’t just about protection; it’s about delivering convenience and value where it matters most—at the point of sale. For Bikmo, a company passionate about cycling, the journey to embedded insurance wasn’t just a pivot but a transformation powered by API technology. Historically, insurance was complicated, detached, and burdensome. Bikmo began by simplifying bike insurance, but the real breakthrough came when they integrated their services directly into partner platforms. This shift allowed Bikmo to embed insurance into the purchasing journey seamlessly, creating a frictionless experience for both customers and partners. The catalyst for this transformation? A strategic partnership with Apiable.io. #### How Apiable Enabled Bikmo’s Embedded Insurance For Bikmo, the move to an API-first model was essential to scaling its insurance offerings. But building the necessary infrastructure required time, resources, and expertise they couldn’t spare. That’s where Apiable stepped in, offering: **A Plug-and-Play API Platform:** Apiable enabled Bikmo to transform their backend into an API-led system with minimal development effort.**Partner-Friendly Onboarding:** With a secure API portal, comprehensive documentation, and sandbox environments, partners like buycycle could easily integrate Bikmo’s insurance into their systems.**Business-Focused Communication:** By demystifying technical jargon, Apiable helped Bikmo present their API as a business solution, making it accessible to non-technical stakeholders.This approach turned what could have been a resource-intensive process into a streamlined operation, allowing Bikmo to focus on delivering value rather than managing integrations. #### Embedded Insurance in Action: The buycycle Story The partnership with buycycle, a global marketplace for pre-owned bikes, highlights the power of embedded insurance. Using Bikmo’s API-enabled solution, buycycle integrated insurance directly at checkout. This seamless experience provided: **Ease for Customers:** Insurance is now a one-click add-on during bike purchases, eliminating lengthy forms or separate processes.**Increased Revenue:** buycycle earns commissions on every policy sold, unlocking a new revenue stream.**Customer Trust:** By addressing concerns about theft or damage upfront, buycycle builds trust and loyalty with its buyers.Apiable’s API platform was central to this success, enabling buycycle to self-manage integration and quickly move from testing to production—all while maintaining robust data security and compliance. #### Why Embedded Insurance Matters Embedded insurance isn’t just a convenience—it’s a paradigm shift. By integrating insurance into existing customer journeys, businesses can: **Enhance Customer Experiences:** Offering protection as part of the purchase feels natural and builds confidence.**Boost Revenue Streams:** Embedded insurance opens doors to new business opportunities without additional overhead.**Streamline Operations:** API-driven solutions reduce the complexity of integration and maintenance.With Apiable’s tools and expertise, companies like Bikmo are proving how embedded insurance can transform industries beyond traditional insurance, setting a new standard for simplicity and scalability. #### Dive Deeper into Bikmo’s API-Driven Success Curious how APIs can unlock the potential of embedded insurance for your business? Bikmo’s journey offers valuable insights into what’s possible. Download the whitepaper *API Revolution: Bikmo’s Journey with Embedded Insurance* to explore the strategies and tools driving this transformation. [Download the Whitepaper](https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0fl0V20) ## Ready to turn your APIs into products (and revenue)? Join the companies monetizing API usage, scaling partner onboarding, and proving measurable business impact—without overloading their teams. [Book Your Demo](/demo)[Product](/platform/api-portal)[API Portal](/platform/api-portal)[API Security](/platform/api-security)[API Developer Experience](/platform/api-developer-experience)[API Products](/platform/api-products)[API Monetization](/platform/api-monetization)[API Gateway Synchronization](/platform/api-gateway-synchronization)[Pricing](/pricing)[Overview](/pricing)[Resources](#)[Blog](https://www.apiable.io/resources/)[Best Practices](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[Compare](#)[Apiable vs Amazon API Gateway](#)[Apiable vs Kong](#)[Apiable vs Tyk](#)[Apiable vs Apigee](#)[Apiable vs Azure](#)[By API Gateway](#)[Apiable with Amazon API Gateway](/aws)[Apiable with Kong](/kong)[Guides](#)[Build vs Buy as a Service](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[API Business Plan Template](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-business-plan-template)[About Apiable](/about-us)[Company](/about-us)[Team](/about-us)[Careers](/about-us) ## How to Playbooks [Build vs Buy as a ServiceRead more](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[](/unused/old-home)[Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/company/apiable-io)2025 © Copyright Apiable Oy — 3129965-8[Privacy Policy ](/terms/privacy-policy)[Support Policy](/terms/support-policy)[Terms of Service](/terms/terms-of-service)[Contact](/ask-sales)Kong is a registered trademark owned by Kong Inc. Azure is a registered trademark owned by Microsoft Corp. Apigee is a registered trademark owned by Google LLC. --- # Source: https://www.apiable.io/resources/case-study-pirate-weather [Platform](#)[API Portal](/platform/api-portal)[API Developer Experience](/platform/api-developer-experience)[API Products](/platform/api-products)[API Monetization](/platform/api-monetization)[Pricing](#)[Resources](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[About](/about-us)[Login](https://dashboard.apiable.io/)[Contact us](/ask-sales)[](/)Platform[API PortalBuild a branded API Portal for your partners](/platform/api-portal)[API ProductsPackage APIs into products partners will pay for](/platform/api-products)[API MonetizationCharge for API usage and prove ROI](/platform/api-monetization)[API Developer ExperienceOnboard, monitor, and manage API consumers and their usage](/platform/api-developer-experience) ### By API Gateway [Apiable with Amazon API Gateway](/aws)[Apiable with Kong](/kong) ### Compare [Apiable vs Kong](#)[Apiable vs Tyk](#)[Apiable vs Apigee](#)[Apiable vs Azure](#)[Pricing](/pricing)[Resources](https://www.apiable.io/resources/)[Book demo](/demo)[](#) # How Apiable helped Pirate Weather surpass 10,000 developers In this short case study we will dig deeper into how Apiable helped Pirate Weather reach over 10,000 developers on their weather data API products. Apiable customer, Pirate Weather, provides detailed weather data Building off public models hosted on the AWS open data platform, Pirate Weather targets both general users and developers through an API designed to make complex weather forecasts clear and easy. This API allows for straightforward weather data integration into apps, websites, and other digital platforms, catering to various needs, from basic weather updates to complex forecasting for specific applications. ‍ Alexander Rey, the visionary behind Pirate Weather, once navigated the turbulent seas of API management with a homemade solution. This setup, reliant on donations, was both admirable and cumbersome, especially when it came to manually onboarding users to the Amazon API Gateway—a process fraught with inefficiency and error. ‍ Enter apiable.io, a beacon of innovation in API management. Their intervention was akin to the arrival of favorable winds, propelling Pirate Weather towards smoother seas. The self-service portal they introduced was a game-changer, empowering developers to independently generate API keys and manage their subscriptions. This breakthrough meant that Alexander could now focus on what he loved most—building and refining Pirate Weather's offerings. ‍ Since adopting Apiable, Pirate Weather has onboarded over 10,000 developers onto the platform. Alexander Rey's endorsement of apiable.io speaks volumes: "Their product works exactly as promised. Their portal handles all the frustrating parts of running an API (sign-up and monetization) and lets me focus on building! Plus, their team is responsive and super quick to address issues and add new features." This partnership has not only simplified operations but has also redefined Pirate Weather's business model. ‍ Transitioning from a donation-based system to a structured revenue model, Pirate Weather introduced a spectrum of weather packages catering to a wide range of needs—from casual users to enterprise clients. This diversification of services, underpinned by apiable.io's seamless monetization platform, ensured a sustainable and scalable business model. The ability of serverless AWS infrastructure to support this operation highlights the technical strength and reliability of Pirate Weather's services. ‍ Moreover, this collaboration has set a precedent for how API-centric businesses can evolve. By addressing the critical challenges of API management, such as user onboarding, subscription management, and monetization, apiable.io has demonstrated that the right partnership can unlock tremendous value. For Pirate Weather, this meant transforming from a service powered by goodwill into a formidable player in the weather forecasting domain. ‍ The ongoing relationship between Pirate Weather and apiable.io shows their shared vision for innovation, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. As they continue to navigate the future together, their journey remains a lighthouse for startups and established companies alike, showcasing the transformative potential of strategic partnerships in the digital age. This story of collaboration and growth serves as an inspiring example for the tech community, highlighting the impact of leveraging expertise to overcome operational challenges and unlock new opportunities. ‍ ## Ready to turn your APIs into products (and revenue)? Join the companies monetizing API usage, scaling partner onboarding, and proving measurable business impact—without overloading their teams. [Book Your Demo](/demo)[Product](/platform/api-portal)[API Portal](/platform/api-portal)[API Security](/platform/api-security)[API Developer Experience](/platform/api-developer-experience)[API Products](/platform/api-products)[API Monetization](/platform/api-monetization)[API Gateway Synchronization](/platform/api-gateway-synchronization)[Pricing](/pricing)[Overview](/pricing)[Resources](#)[Blog](https://www.apiable.io/resources/)[Best Practices](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[Compare](#)[Apiable vs Amazon API Gateway](#)[Apiable vs Kong](#)[Apiable vs Tyk](#)[Apiable vs Apigee](#)[Apiable vs Azure](#)[By API Gateway](#)[Apiable with Amazon API Gateway](/aws)[Apiable with Kong](/kong)[Guides](#)[Build vs Buy as a Service](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[API Business Plan Template](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-business-plan-template)[About Apiable](/about-us)[Company](/about-us)[Team](/about-us)[Careers](/about-us) ## How to Playbooks [Build vs Buy as a ServiceRead more](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[](/unused/old-home)[Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/company/apiable-io)2025 © Copyright Apiable Oy — 3129965-8[Privacy Policy ](/terms/privacy-policy)[Support Policy](/terms/support-policy)[Terms of Service](/terms/terms-of-service)[Contact](/ask-sales)Kong is a registered trademark owned by Kong Inc. Azure is a registered trademark owned by Microsoft Corp. Apigee is a registered trademark owned by Google LLC. --- # Source: https://www.apiable.io/resources/how-apis-drive-network-effects [Platform](#)[API Portal](/platform/api-portal)[API Developer Experience](/platform/api-developer-experience)[API Products](/platform/api-products)[API Monetization](/platform/api-monetization)[Pricing](#)[Resources](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[About](/about-us)[Login](https://dashboard.apiable.io/)[Contact us](/ask-sales)[](/)Platform[API PortalBuild a branded API Portal for your partners](/platform/api-portal)[API ProductsPackage APIs into products partners will pay for](/platform/api-products)[API MonetizationCharge for API usage and prove ROI](/platform/api-monetization)[API Developer ExperienceOnboard, monitor, and manage API consumers and their usage](/platform/api-developer-experience) ### By API Gateway [Apiable with Amazon API Gateway](/aws)[Apiable with Kong](/kong) ### Compare [Apiable vs Kong](#)[Apiable vs Tyk](#)[Apiable vs Apigee](#)[Apiable vs Azure](#)[Pricing](/pricing)[Resources](https://www.apiable.io/resources/)[Book demo](/demo)[](#) # How APIs drive network effects APIs are the hidden heroes behind the seamless ordering and delivery of a late-night cheeseburger. They enable instant communication between your delivery app and the restaurant. Historically, establishing such integrations was a lengthy and costly process, but APIs now streamline these connections, facilitating faster and more efficient business collaborations. Imagine a late-night hunger pang. You reach for your smartphone and order a cheeseburger, and within twenty minutes, a (hopefully) warm cheeseburger arrives, satisfying your craving. Few people take time to think about the effort that went into making it: The farmer who provided the raw ingredients.The chef who prepared it.The driver who delivered it.The APIs that made it possible.That's right, APIs. They are the unsung champions of the internet and are responsible for over 70% of all internet traffic. Everybody knows their big brother, "the cloud," but the cloud would be nothing without APIs. Whenever you click on a button in an app or browser and something "cool" happens, odds are an API delivers the magic. Conversely, you can spot a company that *doesn't* have APIs when they force you to re-type information repeatedly like it's the 1990s. Returning to our cheeseburger story, when the order is first placed with the delivery app (e.g., [Wolt](https://developer.wolt.com/docs/api/wolt-drive)), APIs are called to the local McDonald's restaurant to register that you want a cheeseburger. McDonald's responds that yes, they understand you are hungry, and a burger is coming. Even in this simplified version, we all take this for granted, but what happens behind the scenes? Historically, the Wolt and McDonald's CEOs would need to have played at least ten rounds of golf. Following that, their teams would have spent up to two years running a lengthy project to connect the two organizations. This would have resulted in a bespoke integration between the two organizations at a significant cost. The total number of partnerships is limited to a handful a year. Today, APIs are revolutionizing the way businesses collaborate. The transformation from lengthy, costly integrations to quick, standardized APIs enables organizations to onboard more customers and partners to their digital platforms. Streamlining integration is not the only benefit to organizations adopting an API-first strategy: Creating Interoperability - By enabling different applications to communicate with each other.Supporting Innovation and Development - APIs provide developers with access to advanced functionalities and data, which can stimulate innovation.Facilitating Collaboration - APIs enable collaboration across different platforms and services, allowing businesses to build partnerships and integrate complementary services.In our cheeseburger example above, APIs enable a Two-Sided Marketplace, where the growth of one user group (e.g., McDonald's) enhances the value for another group (e.g., your stomach). This interdependence creates a positive feedback loop, reinforcing the network effects as more users join and interact with the platform. Network effects compound growth in ways that linear funnels cannot. Organizations wanting to scale the number of partners and customers on their digital platform understand that they need to offer a way to onboard to their platform quickly and efficiently without scaling the internal team or consuming their developers' time. Many organizations face the issue that even when they understand the benefit of providing APIs, they cannot capitalize on these because of inefficiencies and a lack of automation. Even though they've built out a suite of APIs, they find it challenging to get them into the hands of the developers who want to use them. Organizations often struggle to onboard new developers with a "white glove" approach, where each customer/partner developer is treated to 1:1 time with your team to get them up to speed. If our food delivery service is to partner with over a million merchants, we must find a more scalable solution for onboarding new developers. A good API Portal Platform can help solve this scaling problem by allowing partners to self-service, providing developers access to documentation they can try out, and automatically generating secure API credentials. This enables them to grow the number of partners, customers, and developers using their digital platform and capitalize on the network effects, driving both top-line growth and bottom-line efficiencies. Apiable is an API Portal Platform that simplifies API onboarding and consumption. Its portal is purpose-built for API teams to create, secure, market, and monetize API products. ‍ ## Ready to turn your APIs into products (and revenue)? Join the companies monetizing API usage, scaling partner onboarding, and proving measurable business impact—without overloading their teams. [Book Your Demo](/demo)[Product](/platform/api-portal)[API Portal](/platform/api-portal)[API Security](/platform/api-security)[API Developer Experience](/platform/api-developer-experience)[API Products](/platform/api-products)[API Monetization](/platform/api-monetization)[API Gateway Synchronization](/platform/api-gateway-synchronization)[Pricing](/pricing)[Overview](/pricing)[Resources](#)[Blog](https://www.apiable.io/resources/)[Best Practices](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[Compare](#)[Apiable vs Amazon API Gateway](#)[Apiable vs Kong](#)[Apiable vs Tyk](#)[Apiable vs Apigee](#)[Apiable vs Azure](#)[By API Gateway](#)[Apiable with Amazon API Gateway](/aws)[Apiable with Kong](/kong)[Guides](#)[Build vs Buy as a Service](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[API Business Plan Template](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-business-plan-template)[About Apiable](/about-us)[Company](/about-us)[Team](/about-us)[Careers](/about-us) ## How to Playbooks [Build vs Buy as a ServiceRead more](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[](/unused/old-home)[Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/company/apiable-io)2025 © Copyright Apiable Oy — 3129965-8[Privacy Policy ](/terms/privacy-policy)[Support Policy](/terms/support-policy)[Terms of Service](/terms/terms-of-service)[Contact](/ask-sales)Kong is a registered trademark owned by Kong Inc. Azure is a registered trademark owned by Microsoft Corp. Apigee is a registered trademark owned by Google LLC. --- # APIable Documentation APIable is a developer portal as a service providing dedicated portal solutions for API management platforms. This documentation covers key concepts, guides, and case studies. ## Contents - [What Is An Api](what-is-an-api.md) - [What Is An Api Portal](what-is-an-api-portal.md) - [What Is An Api Product](what-is-an-api-product.md) - [How Apis Drive Network Effects](how-apis-drive-network-effects.md) - [Api Portal Build Vs Buy As A Service](api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service.md) - [Bikmos Api Revolution](bikmos-api-revolution.md) - [Case Study Pirate Weather](case-study-pirate-weather.md) - [Api Business Plan Template](api-business-plan-template.md) --- # Source: https://www.apiable.io/resources/what-is-an-api-portal [Platform](#)[API Portal](/platform/api-portal)[API Developer Experience](/platform/api-developer-experience)[API Products](/platform/api-products)[API Monetization](/platform/api-monetization)[Pricing](#)[Resources](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[About](/about-us)[Login](https://dashboard.apiable.io/)[Contact us](/ask-sales)[](/)Platform[API PortalBuild a branded API Portal for your partners](/platform/api-portal)[API ProductsPackage APIs into products partners will pay for](/platform/api-products)[API MonetizationCharge for API usage and prove ROI](/platform/api-monetization)[API Developer ExperienceOnboard, monitor, and manage API consumers and their usage](/platform/api-developer-experience) ### By API Gateway [Apiable with Amazon API Gateway](/aws)[Apiable with Kong](/kong) ### Compare [Apiable vs Kong](#)[Apiable vs Tyk](#)[Apiable vs Apigee](#)[Apiable vs Azure](#)[Pricing](/pricing)[Resources](https://www.apiable.io/resources/)[Book demo](/demo)[](#) # What is an API Portal? What exactly is an API Developer Portal? An API Portal serves as the gateway for organizations to participate in the API Economy. It enables the organization to showcase their APIs as Products, facilitating customer access and developer onboarding. In this blogpost we'll dive a little deeper and provide some examples. An API Portal allows your organization to join the API Economy by exposing your APIs as Products, allowing your customers to browse and consume API Products, and onboarding developers to get secure access to your APIs, along with instructions on how to use them. The API Portal is essentially a two-sided marketplace, with API Providers on one side, and API Consumers on the other, whereby you are the primary API provider. In many cases, the customer of the API Product is also a Developer, but this is not always the case. A customer may also be a non-technical person, in this case, they are responsible for the decision to use the API, however, a developer is always needed to work with the API on behalf of the customer. API Portals often appear on the developer. or developers. subdomain, for example, [https://developer.mercedes-benz.com/](https://developer.mercedes-benz.com/), although there is a trend toward using digital., as this is more inclusive of all user roles e.g. [https://digital.swisscom.com/](https://digital.swisscom.com/). API Portals are also known as API Developer Portals or Developer Portals. #### Example API Providers: YouOther teams in your organizationPartnersExternal Developers #### Example API Consumers: Existing CustomersNew CustomersOther teams within your organizationPartnersExternal Developers #### Example: API Consumer - User Journey An organization, acme inc., has many digital API products with a clear value proposition for each. These are exposed in a product catalogue on an API portal. Since these are keyword rich, they rank highly with search engines. A prospect customer organization has a pain point and they are trying to find a way to solve their problem. They find the API Product in a search and navigate to the API portal. After browsing through the acme inc. digital catalogue, the customer finds that the API Product satisfies their use case, and they decide to purchase a subscription. After choosing their preferred plan, they enter their credit card details and are subscribed to the digital product. At the end of the subscription process, the customer is prompted to either continue as a developer or to invite a developer to continue the process. In this case, the customer invites their lead developer to handle the technical integration. Upon receiving the invitation from the customer, the developer registers onto the API portal with the link they received. Upon login, they can see that the customer has already subscribed to a product. They can see which version of the API Product they need to develop against, all API documentation is tailored to this product version. The lead developer tries out the API and quickly understands the functionality, including how this fits into the use case outlined by the customer. In the next sprint, the integration is implemented, and the customer’s pain is alleviated. [API Consumer - User Journey](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/627ca6f747706dac04ccaba1/629f41caafefa8635a48bfb5_API-Consumer-User-Journey.png) ### Developer eXperience With any API Portal, the developer experience is critical; if a developer has a bad experience, then your reputation may be damaged. Generally speaking, the developer does not want to see too much marketing material. They prefer to quickly get access to the APIs, try them out, and if necessary, read the documentation. An API Sandbox environment is required for the developer to try out and develop against. If a developer cannot get the API to work, then they will require prompt support, either via an existing developer community like Stackoverflow, or via a community support forum from within your API Portal. The use of SDKs are strongly encouraged; these allow developers to quickly consume your APIs and reduce the risk of anything going wrong. ‍ ## Ready to turn your APIs into products (and revenue)? Join the companies monetizing API usage, scaling partner onboarding, and proving measurable business impact—without overloading their teams. [Book Your Demo](/demo)[Product](/platform/api-portal)[API Portal](/platform/api-portal)[API Security](/platform/api-security)[API Developer Experience](/platform/api-developer-experience)[API Products](/platform/api-products)[API Monetization](/platform/api-monetization)[API Gateway Synchronization](/platform/api-gateway-synchronization)[Pricing](/pricing)[Overview](/pricing)[Resources](#)[Blog](https://www.apiable.io/resources/)[Best Practices](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[Compare](#)[Apiable vs Amazon API Gateway](#)[Apiable vs Kong](#)[Apiable vs Tyk](#)[Apiable vs Apigee](#)[Apiable vs Azure](#)[By API Gateway](#)[Apiable with Amazon API Gateway](/aws)[Apiable with Kong](/kong)[Guides](#)[Build vs Buy as a Service](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[API Business Plan Template](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-business-plan-template)[About Apiable](/about-us)[Company](/about-us)[Team](/about-us)[Careers](/about-us) ## How to Playbooks [Build vs Buy as a ServiceRead more](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[](/unused/old-home)[Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/company/apiable-io)2025 © Copyright Apiable Oy — 3129965-8[Privacy Policy ](/terms/privacy-policy)[Support Policy](/terms/support-policy)[Terms of Service](/terms/terms-of-service)[Contact](/ask-sales)Kong is a registered trademark owned by Kong Inc. Azure is a registered trademark owned by Microsoft Corp. Apigee is a registered trademark owned by Google LLC. --- # Source: https://www.apiable.io/resources/what-is-an-api-product [Platform](#)[API Portal](/platform/api-portal)[API Developer Experience](/platform/api-developer-experience)[API Products](/platform/api-products)[API Monetization](/platform/api-monetization)[Pricing](#)[Resources](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[About](/about-us)[Login](https://dashboard.apiable.io/)[Contact us](/ask-sales)[](/)Platform[API PortalBuild a branded API Portal for your partners](/platform/api-portal)[API ProductsPackage APIs into products partners will pay for](/platform/api-products)[API MonetizationCharge for API usage and prove ROI](/platform/api-monetization)[API Developer ExperienceOnboard, monitor, and manage API consumers and their usage](/platform/api-developer-experience) ### By API Gateway [Apiable with Amazon API Gateway](/aws)[Apiable with Kong](/kong) ### Compare [Apiable vs Kong](#)[Apiable vs Tyk](#)[Apiable vs Apigee](#)[Apiable vs Azure](#)[Pricing](/pricing)[Resources](https://www.apiable.io/resources/)[Book demo](/demo)[](#) # What is an API Product? What is an API Product? Unleashing the Power of Digital Building Blocks. If you've been wandering the digital landscape, you've probably heard the term "API product" thrown around. But what exactly does it mean, and why are API products such a big deal? Buckle up; we're about to break it down for you. If you've been wandering the digital landscape, you've probably heard the term "API product" thrown around. But what exactly does it mean, and why are API products such a big deal? Buckle up; we're about to break it down for you. **API Product: The Concept Unveiled** First things first, let's demystify the jargon. An API product is like a carefully crafted digital Lego set. Just as Legos are individual pieces that snap together to build awesome structures, API products are pre-packaged sets of APIs that developers can use to create something amazing. Imagine you're building a spaceship out of Legos. You could spend hours painstakingly crafting each piece, or you could grab a ready-made spaceship kit with all the parts you need. API products are like those kits, making it easier and faster to build incredible digital experiences. **Why API Products Matter** **Efficiency:** With API products, developers don't have to reinvent the wheel. They can use these pre-built APIs for common tasks like payments, authentication, or data storage, saving heaps of time.**Consistency:** API products ensure uniformity and consistency across different apps and services. When everyone uses the same set of APIs, it's easier to maintain and update them.**Scalability:** As your digital project grows, so can your API product. You can add or modify APIs within the product to adapt to changing needs without disrupting existing functionality.**Examples of API Products** **Stripe:** This payment processing giant offers an API product that handles everything from credit card payments to subscription billing, simplifying e-commerce for developers.**AWS (Amazon Web Services):** AWS provides an array of API products for cloud computing, from storage and databases to artificial intelligence and IoT.**Twilio:** Known for its communication APIs, Twilio's API product allows developers to integrate SMS, voice, and video capabilities into their applications effortlessly.**Creating an API Product** Building an API product isn't just about packaging APIs; it's about understanding your audience. You need to: **Identify Needs:** Figure out what problems developers are trying to solve. What APIs can make their lives easier or enable them to build better products?**User Experience:** Ensure that your API product is developer-friendly. Clear documentation, SDKs, and support are key.**Pricing Strategy:** Decide on a pricing model, whether it's pay-as-you-go, freemium, or subscription-based.**Community:** Foster a community around your API product. Engage with developers, listen to their feedback, and continuously improve.**In Conclusion** API products are like the building blocks of the digital age. They empower developers to create amazing applications by providing them with the tools they need. So, the next time you see a sleek mobile app, a seamless e-commerce website, or a cutting-edge AI solution, remember that there's a good chance it's powered by API products, the invisible architects of our digital world. ## Ready to turn your APIs into products (and revenue)? Join the companies monetizing API usage, scaling partner onboarding, and proving measurable business impact—without overloading their teams. [Book Your Demo](/demo)[Product](/platform/api-portal)[API Portal](/platform/api-portal)[API Security](/platform/api-security)[API Developer Experience](/platform/api-developer-experience)[API Products](/platform/api-products)[API Monetization](/platform/api-monetization)[API Gateway Synchronization](/platform/api-gateway-synchronization)[Pricing](/pricing)[Overview](/pricing)[Resources](#)[Blog](https://www.apiable.io/resources/)[Best Practices](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[Compare](#)[Apiable vs Amazon API Gateway](#)[Apiable vs Kong](#)[Apiable vs Tyk](#)[Apiable vs Apigee](#)[Apiable vs Azure](#)[By API Gateway](#)[Apiable with Amazon API Gateway](/aws)[Apiable with Kong](/kong)[Guides](#)[Build vs Buy as a Service](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[API Business Plan Template](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-business-plan-template)[About Apiable](/about-us)[Company](/about-us)[Team](/about-us)[Careers](/about-us) ## How to Playbooks [Build vs Buy as a ServiceRead more](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[](/unused/old-home)[Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/company/apiable-io)2025 © Copyright Apiable Oy — 3129965-8[Privacy Policy ](/terms/privacy-policy)[Support Policy](/terms/support-policy)[Terms of Service](/terms/terms-of-service)[Contact](/ask-sales)Kong is a registered trademark owned by Kong Inc. Azure is a registered trademark owned by Microsoft Corp. Apigee is a registered trademark owned by Google LLC. --- # Source: https://www.apiable.io/resources/what-is-an-api [Platform](#)[API Portal](/platform/api-portal)[API Developer Experience](/platform/api-developer-experience)[API Products](/platform/api-products)[API Monetization](/platform/api-monetization)[Pricing](#)[Resources](https://www.apiable.io/resources/api-portal-build-vs-buy-as-a-service)[About](/about-us)[Login](https://dashboard.apiable.io/)[Contact us](/ask-sales)[](/)Platform[API PortalBuild a branded API Portal for your partners](/platform/api-portal)[API ProductsPackage APIs into products partners will pay for](/platform/api-products)[API MonetizationCharge for API usage and prove ROI](/platform/api-monetization)[API Developer ExperienceOnboard, monitor, and manage API consumers and their usage](/platform/api-developer-experience) ### By API Gateway [Apiable with Amazon API Gateway](/aws)[Apiable with Kong](/kong) ### Compare [Apiable vs Kong](#)[Apiable vs Tyk](#)[Apiable vs Apigee](#)[Apiable vs Azure](#)[Pricing](/pricing)[Resources](https://www.apiable.io/resources/)[Book demo](/demo)[](#) # What is an API? APIs are like the secret sauce that makes the internet work smoothly. They're everywhere, but what exactly are they, and why should you care? Let's break it down in a way that even your grandma would understand. APIs are like the secret sauce that makes the internet work smoothly. They're everywhere, but what exactly are they, and why should you care? Let's break it down in a way that even your grandma would understand. ## API in Plain English So, API stands for Application Programming Interface. Fancy words, right? But it's not as complicated as it sounds. Think of it as a menu in a restaurant. You, the customer (or in tech terms, your app), know what you want to order (like data or services), but you don't need to know how the chef (the server or software) prepares it. That's where the menu (API) comes in. ## **How APIs Work** Imagine you're using your favorite weather app. You want to know if it's going to rain tomorrow. When you ask the app, it doesn't go outside to check the weather; instead, it sends a request to a weather service's API. This API then fetches the weather data from its database and serves it back to your app. In simple terms, an API is like a bridge between different applications, allowing them to communicate and share data without revealing their secret recipes (code). ## **Why APIs Matter** **Efficiency:** APIs save developers tons of time. Instead of reinventing the wheel, they can use APIs to access ready-made features and data. This speeds up the development process.**Integration:** APIs enable different software systems to work together seamlessly. Your fitness app can sync data with your smartwatch, all thanks to APIs.**Innovation:** APIs foster innovation. Companies often open up their APIs to developers, encouraging them to create new applications or add-ons. This leads to a vibrant ecosystem of apps and services. ## Real-World Examples **Social Media:** When you share a news article on Facebook, the "Like" button is powered by Facebook's API, allowing your app to interact with Facebook's platform.**Payment Gateways:** Think of PayPal. When you pay for an online purchase, the retailer's website uses PayPal's API to securely handle the payment process.**Google Maps:** Apps like Uber rely on Google Maps' API to provide real-time location and navigation services. ## In Conclusion APIs are the unsung heroes of the digital world. They enable the apps and services we use every day to talk to each other and share information, making our lives easier and more connected. So next time you order a ride, check the weather, or like a post, remember, it's all thanks to APIs quietly working behind the scenes, making the magic happen. ‍ ## Ready to turn your APIs into products (and revenue)? 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