The short answer: Choosing between MuleSoft Anypoint Platform and Frends comes down to scale, skills and how you want to buy. MuleSoft suits large organizations building an API-led architecture, especially around Salesforce. Frends suits organizations that want one low-code platform their own developers learn quickly and use for every integration and automation use case. It runs in the cloud, hybrid, on-premises or air-gapped, and pricing follows Process count.
| Frends | MuleSoft Anypoint Platform | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Mid-size and large organizations, strong in Europe and the Middle East, that want integration, APIs and automation on one low-code platform | Large organizations with an API-led strategy, particularly those centered on Salesforce |
| Approach | Visual low-code on BPMN 2.0, built on .NET. Building with AI through Frends MCP. | Mule flows built in Anypoint Studio or Flow Designer, Java-based runtime, DataWeave for transformations |
| Deployment | Cloud, hybrid, on-premises or air-gapped | Cloud-managed control plane, with runtimes on CloudHub, customer-managed through Runtime Fabric, or a self-hosted Private Cloud Edition |
| Connectors | 300+ connectors and templates. Custom Tasks and Code Tasks for anything else | 250+ connectors and templates, community contributions on Anypoint Exchange |
| Pricing model | Tier plus Process count, unaffected by number of systems or transactions | Subscription scaled by allocated capacity (vCores) and add-ons |
| Ecosystem | Smaller, with its strongest base in the Nordics, wider Europe and the Middle East | Large global ecosystem and partner network |
| G2 ease of use score | 8.8 | 8.6 |
Pricing that follows Process count. Frends pricing has two components: tier and Process count. It doesn’t change with the number of integrated systems, users or transactions, so a busy month doesn’t change the bill.
A shorter learning curve. Frends is a low-code platform built for developers who already work with .NET, C# and open standards such as OpenAPI and BPMN. Every Process is a BPMN 2.0 diagram, so a developer and a business owner read the same picture. Integrations can also be built, maintained and troubleshot through simple language via any AI client.
Flexible deployment. Frends runs in the cloud, hybrid, on-premises or air-gapped. Frends Agents and local AI models can run in the cloud, fully on-premises or in air-gapped environments, which matters for regulated industries and the public sector.
One platform for integrations, APIs and automation. Processes, API management and Enterprise MCP sit in one place, with security and API hosting included. Enterprise MCP turns Processes into governed tools that AI clients can discover and call.
European roots. Frends is a European vendor with 35+ years of integration experience.
Ecosystem and scale. MuleSoft is widely used by large enterprises. It has a large partner network, a large developer community and Anypoint Exchange for sharing connectors and templates.
API management depth. MuleSoft covers the full API lifecycle, with fine-grained policies and a mature developer portal. Frends covers API design, security, versioning and monitoring in the same platform but has no API monetization features.
Salesforce alignment. If your landscape is built around Salesforce, MuleSoft’s ties to it are a plus.
Breadth around integration. MuleSoft adds a B2B/EDI module, an RPA product and a simpler tool for business users, each with its own licensing.
These scores come from the G2 comparison of Frends and MuleSoft Anypoint Platform [VERIFY report date]. Review counts are in brackets.
| Category | Frends | MuleSoft |
|---|---|---|
| Meets requirements | 8.8 | 8.7 |
| Ease of use | 8.8 | 8.6 |
| Ease of admin | 8.8 | 8.4 |
| Quality of support | 9.1 | 8.2 |
| Good partner in doing business | 9.1 | 8.7 |
| API management | 8.1 | 9.4 |
| Real-time integration | 8.7 | 8.9 |
Frends scores higher on ease of use, administration and support. MuleSoft scores higher on API management and real-time integration, and the API management gap is the widest in the table. MuleSoft has many more reviews, which gives its scores a larger sample. G2’s Winter 2026 report also recognized Frends in the Enterprise Usability Index and the Enterprise Results Index for API Development. (Source: G2)
Don’t compare license prices alone. Compare the three-year cost of what you need to run:
Ask both vendors for a three-year quote for the same scope, then compare.
You can move from MuleSoft to Frends in stages.
Customers have moved scripts and third-party-managed integrations onto Frends to gain in-house control and visibility. Customers like Matkahuolto cut integration costs in half after moving off MuleSoft.
Choose MuleSoft if your strategy is built on API-led connectivity at very large scale, your landscape centers on Salesforce, you have the budget for it and can hire specialists for the platform.
Choose Frends if you want your existing developers productive in weeks, need hybrid, on-premises or air-gapped options, want pricing that doesn’t move with message volume and value sovereignty or a European vendor.
What is the best alternative to MuleSoft?
It depends on your needs. Boomi, Workato, Azure Integration Services, Informatica, SAP Integration Suite and Frends are the platforms most often compared. Frends fits organizations that want a low-code platform with flexible deployment and pricing that follows Process count.
How does Frends compare to MuleSoft?
Both cover integration, APIs and automation. MuleSoft has a larger global ecosystem and deeper API management. Frends offers flexible deployment, including air-gapped environments and prices by tier and Process count. On G2, Frends scores 8.8 on ease of use against 8.6 for MuleSoft.
Is Frends cheaper than MuleSoft?
It depends on scope, because the pricing models differ. But in essence, yes. Frends prices by tier and Process count. MuleSoft’s licensing scales with allocated capacity and add-ons. Ask both vendors for a three-year quote for the same scope.
Can Frends run on-premises?
Yes. Frends runs in the cloud, hybrid, on-premises or air-gapped.
How long does it take to move from MuleSoft to Frends?
It depends on the number and complexity of integrations. Customers typically move in stages by business domain. Frends offers fast-track migration projects that reduce the process.
Is Frends a good fit for European companies?
Frends is a European vendor with 35+ years of integration experience and fully compliant with European regulations. With Frends, organization's data doesn't have to leave Europe. Frends offers sovereignty and is not subjected to the CLOUD Act. Check any vendor’s data location, access and compliance against your own GDPR and NIS2 requirements.
Want a cost and fit comparison for your landscape? A 30-minute call with a Frends architect gives you a view tailored to your systems, with no commitment.