Tool profile
Akto: cost, fit and limits
Akto is a security platform for AI agents, MCP servers, LLMs and skills, made by Akto, that discovers agent activity across laptops and infrastructure, tests it by red teaming and enforces guardrails for security teams.
What to know first
Akto splits its offer into Akto Atlas, which gives visibility and guardrails for AI agents that employees run on their devices, and Akto Argus, which secures homegrown applications. Pricing is usage-based enterprise pricing through sales. The pages we read focus on agents and MCP servers, so teams that need classic REST API testing should confirm current scope. Ask for a current module list.
Akto at a glance
| Maker | Akto, United States |
|---|---|
| Free plan | No |
| Entry price | Quote only |
| API access | No |
| Category | Best AI API Security Software in 2026, rank 9 of 10 |
| Website | akto.io |
Who Akto is best for
Security teams with shadow AI
Atlas discovers coding assistants, CLI tools, MCP servers and agent skills across workstations, mapping each agent to the tools and databases it reaches.
Teams adopting Claude or ChatGPT
Connectors for Claude, ChatGPT and the OpenAI and Anthropic Compliance APIs feed usage and audit logs into one view. Logs arrive without extra agents.
IT groups using MDM
Akto Endpoint Shield deploys through Intune, NinjaOne and Automox, so rollout reuses existing device management instead of new installers. Test on a pilot group.
Akto plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Akto Atlas | Usage-based, contact sales | Visibility and guardrails for AI agents, LLMs and MCP tools used by employees on their own devices. |
| Akto Argus | Usage-based, contact sales | Security for homegrown applications. The pages we read give no tier detail, limits or module list for this product line. |
| Deployment choice | Included in quote | The page title and description mention cloud and self-hosted options. No tiers or prices are listed. |
Checked November 2026.
What Akto does
- Agentic discovery
- Akto finds and catalogs MCP servers, agents, tools and resources across infrastructure, cloud and employee laptops, and maps each agent to what it connects to.
- Guardrails
- More than 30 guardrails can block, redact or warn on PII, secrets and source code in prompts, aimed at stopping data leaving through assistants. Policies set the action per rule.
- Automated red teaming
- Agentic red teaming tests agents and MCP servers, and the page lists threats such as tool poisoning, line jumping, tool shadowing and rug pull attacks.
- Audit trails
- Audit trails record prompts, responses, violations and skill calls, mapped to frameworks like the EU AI Act, OWASP and MITRE ATLAS. This helps with evidence requests from auditors.
- Runtime protection
- Agentic runtime protection acts on live agent and MCP activity, though the page gives few technical details on enforcement points. Ask where it enforces. Details are thin.
How Akto handles your data
The pages we read list an address at 95 Third Street, San Francisco, under Our Address without labeling it headquarters. The privacy notice page returned only navigation text, so the vendor's policy was not checked for retention, hosting or model training. The product page links a trust center at trust.akto.io, which we did not read, and lists no certifications. Audit records are described as mapping to compliance frameworks, which is not a certification.
Where Akto falls short in practice
- Focus on AI agents. The current home page centers on agents, MCP and LLM security. A team that mainly needs classic API scanning in CI should ask which of those modules remain.
- No price or free plan. Pricing is usage-based and quoted, and the pages do not mention a trial, so evaluating the product requires a sales conversation. Ask about proofs of concept.
- Claims are vendor-reported. Ratings of 4.8 on Gartner Reviews and 100x coverage improvements come from Akto's own marketing and are not independently verified. Ask for named references. Treat them with care.
Works with
Alternatives to Akto
Akto: common questions
What is the difference between Akto Atlas and Akto Argus?
Atlas gives visibility and guardrails for AI agents, LLMs and MCP tools that employees use on their devices. Argus secures homegrown applications. The pages describe them side by side without a comparison table, so ask which one your use case requires.
How does Akto deploy to employee devices?
Akto Endpoint Shield is deployed through MDM tools such as Intune, NinjaOne and Automox, per the product page. It does not describe supported operating systems or performance impact, so test it on a pilot group before a company-wide rollout. Check macOS and Windows.
Which AI assistants does Akto support?
The page names Claude on web, CLI and desktop, ChatGPT and other major assistants, plus OpenAI and Anthropic Compliance API connectors for usage and audit logs. Confirm that the exact versions your staff use are covered. Check version support. Test with your own version.
Does Akto publish pricing?
No. The pricing page says Akto offers usage-based enterprise pricing and each module links to Contact Sales. It does not list a free plan or trial, so ask what usage unit applies, such as devices, agents or tool calls. Ask which meter applies.
Is Akto certified for security standards?
The pages we read list no certifications and point to a trust center. They say audit records map to frameworks such as the EU AI Act, OWASP and MITRE ATLAS, which is compliance mapping and not certification. Request reports before a review.