Top Alternatives to Paragon in 2026

Paragon has established itself as an embedded integration platform for AI companies. With 130+ pre-built connectors it serves companies looking to ship integrations for use cases ranging from AI-powered RAG pipelines to bidirectional syncs. However, not all companies find this suitable for their use cases and you may find yourself exploring alternatives that provide deeper customization, a code-first philosophy, or better alignment with B2B SaaS partnership strategies.

Why Consider Alternatives to Paragon?

While Paragon delivers valuable capabilities for embedded integrations, several considerations might lead you to evaluate other options. They have also recently stated they are moving away from the embedded integration market and focusing their efforts on integrations for AI agents. 

Limited pre-built tooling across APIs: Paragon has limited support for critical integration infrastructure like rate limit handling, error handling, and caching, and not all tooling is available for all APIs, forcing teams to build workarounds themselves.

Restrictive pricing transparency: Neither the Pro nor Enterprise plans provide upfront pricing details, requiring sales consultation before you can assess budget fit. This lack of transparency makes evaluation difficult and can reveal pricing completely outside your range only after significant time investment.

Scaling bottlenecks on cloud offering: Teams report hitting performance limits as early as 10 million API requests per month on Paragon's cloud offering (roughly 100 active users) creating friction as you grow.

Security features gated to Enterprise: Essential security capabilities like single sign-on and role-based access control are only available on the Enterprise plan, forcing smaller teams to invest in higher tiers or compromise on security.

Manual error management: Unlike platforms with automated issue detection, Paragon requires developers to implement custom logic to catch and debug integration errors, increasing ongoing maintenance burden.

1. Pandium - Best Overall Alternative for Code-First B2B SaaS Integration

Best for: B2B SaaS companies requiring flexible, scalable integrations with complete code ownership and control.

Pandium distinguishes itself as the premier alternative to Paragon for B2B SaaS companies that demand code-first flexibility combined with enterprise-grade integration infrastructure. Unlike Paragon's developer-centric but constrained approach, Pandium specializes in providing the integration platform infrastructure while giving engineering teams complete control, ownership, and flexibility over their integration code.

Key Features

Code-first philosophy with language flexibility: Write integrations in any programming language (Python, JavaScript, Java, Ruby, Go, PHP, C, or Clojure), giving developers complete freedom to work in their preferred stack without platform limitations.

Integration Code Generator: Generate production-ready integration code in 10 minutes using Pandium's AI code generator, which leverages pre-built API clients and infrastructure to create code that actually works in production. 

Complete code ownership: Unlike other platforms, you own your integration code outright and can run it locally, even if you decide to move away from Pandium. This eliminates vendor lock-in and protects your IP investment.

Integration Development Kit (IDK): Access pre-built integration scaffolding, API client libraries, and code-completion capabilities that handle authentication, paging, rate limiting, logging, and CRUD operations automatically.

Embedded marketplace and public gallery: Launch white-labeled in-app marketplaces where customers discover, install, and manage integrations without leaving your application, plus a public gallery to attract partners and generate leads.

Managed authentication for 300+ systems: Pre-built connectors handle authentication and security through public or private APIs, SFTP, or direct database connections, freeing developers from authentication complexity.

Built to scale without limits: Handle unlimited integration volume and spikes in traffic without performance degradation. Pandium processes 1 billion records per month and powers integrations for 4,600+ companies.

Reusable configurations and versioning: Release management and versioning make it easy to update integrations and track changes. Define configurations once, then reuse across multiple customers for faster deployment.

When to Choose Pandium

Consider Pandium when you need to:

• Build highly customized integrations that no-code or low-code tools cannot accommodate, including complex business logic and edge cases specific to your customers.
• Launch native integrations in weeks instead of months while reducing engineering time by 70%.
• Maintain full control and flexibility over integration code while offloading DevOps and infrastructure complexity.
• Scale your technology partnership program without draining core engineering resources.
• Handle high-volume integrations or unpredictable traffic spikes that would overwhelm other platforms.
• Provide customers with a seamless, self-serve integration experience fully embedded within your product.

Pricing

Pandium offers transparent, predictable pricing with a flat monthly platform fee and variable pricing based on the number of active tenants (connected customers). This model provides budget certainty as you scale. Companies like ShipBob report saving $200,000 on infrastructure costs while reducing engineering time by 70%.

Real-World Success

Justuno migrated from a traditional iPaaS to Pandium and transformed their integration velocity, now building 1-2 new integrations per week per developer, compared to taking nearly a decade to build their first 50 integrations. Gorgias accelerated customer procurement by launching integrations faster with minimal internal resources. ShipBob developed integrations 6x faster while expanding their partner ecosystem by 4.5x.

2. Hotglue - Ideal for Pass-Through Data Architecture

Best for: Companies prioritizing data privacy with a pass-through integration architecture.

Hotglue positions itself as an embedded iPaaS platform built specifically for B2B SaaS companies that want to offer native, user-facing integrations while maintaining strict data privacy standards. The platform's distinctive pass-through architecture processes data without storing customer information, providing peace of mind for companies with stringent security requirements.

Key Features

Pass-through data architecture: When data syncs through hotglue, it processes the information without keeping any record of customer data. This architecture helps companies comply with their own security standards and provides end-users with confidence in data privacy.

Python transformation layer: Add custom Python scripts to transform raw data from third-party systems before it reaches your product, enabling sophisticated data manipulation while maintaining the pass-through model.

White-label embeddable widget: Embed a fully white-labeled integration experience directly into your application, allowing customers to connect third-party SaaS apps without leaving your product.

SOC 2 Type II and GDPR compliance: Hotglue maintains enterprise-grade security certifications, providing the compliance framework larger customers require.

Serverless AWS architecture: Built on serverless infrastructure, hotglue scales automatically whether you're running one sync per day or millions, eliminating concerns about capacity planning.

Custom region hosting: Request your hotglue environment to be hosted in specific AWS regions to meet data residency requirements.

When to Choose Hotglue

Choose Hotglue if you:

• Require a pass-through data architecture where no customer data is stored by the integration platform.
• Need Python-based data transformation capabilities integrated into your sync workflows.
• Want observability platform integrations (like Datadog) for monitoring integration health.
• Have specific regional hosting requirements for compliance purposes.

Limitations

Documentation can be challenging for advanced configurations, requiring additional support engagement. The portal complexity may create usability challenges initially, though the support team provides assistance. Pricing is not transparent, you must contact sales for quotes on active tenant costs.

3. Nango - Best for Open-Source Unified API Approach

Best for: Engineering teams wanting unified API capabilities with open-source flexibility and community contributions.

Nango offers a code-first, open-source unified API platform that enables developers to ship integrations with 500+ APIs quickly. Unlike traditional embedded iPaaS solutions, Nango takes a unified API approach where you build to standardized data models across categories while retaining the ability to extend integrations when the unified model falls short.

Key Features

500+ supported APIs with growing catalog: Nango supports more APIs than most competitors, with new additions weekly. The open-source model allows engineering teams to add support for new APIs themselves when needed.

Pre-built integration use cases: Access pre-configured integrations for common scenarios like syncing contacts from Salesforce or posting notifications to Slack, accelerating implementation.

No-data-storage policy: Nango enhances data privacy by not storing customer data, processing requests in real-time without data retention.

White-labeled authentication: Provide a seamless, branded authentication experience for end-users without exposing the underlying integration platform.

Unified API with extensibility: Build to standardized data models across categories (CRM, HRIS, Recruitment, Communication, Accounting), but extend beyond the unified model when customer needs require it.

Infrastructure tooling across all APIs: Every API integration includes rate-limit handling, caching, change detection, data validation, and error handling out of the box—features that Paragon only offers for select APIs.

MCP server support: Expose integrations as an MCP server for AI agent tool calling, enabling agentic use cases.

When to Choose Nango

Choose Nango if you:

• Need to build integrations across 10+ unified API categories including e-commerce, file storage, accounting, and ticketing.
• Want an open-source platform where your team can contribute improvements and add integrations to the catalog.
• Prefer unified data models for standard objects but need the flexibility to access API-specific features when required.
• Require comprehensive pre-built tooling (rate limits, pagination, retries, webhooks) available across all supported APIs.
• Value a no-data-storage architecture for enhanced privacy and compliance.

Limitations

While Nango's unified API model accelerates development for standard use cases, it inherently limits access to the full capabilities of individual APIs. The subset of common objects and fields across platforms can be surprisingly small. Deep, platform-specific integrations (like leveraging Salesforce-specific features for 70% of your customer base) may require workarounds that diminish the value of the unified approach.

Pricing

Nango offers a free forever plan with 3 synced connections, making it accessible for testing and small-scale deployments. The Starter plan at $250/month includes 20 connections with bespoke integration building, two-way syncs, and 7-day log retention. The Scale plan provides custom pricing with custom connections, real-time data syncs, and SOC 2 compliance.

4. Tray.ai - Enterprise Automation and AI Agent Platform

Best for: Large enterprises seeking sophisticated cross-departmental automation with AI agent capabilities.

Tray.ai positions itself as an AI-ready integration and automation platform designed for enterprises that need to unify systems, automate workflows, and deploy AI agents across business functions. Beyond embedded integration use cases, Tray.ai provides an intelligent iPaaS platform that combines workflow automation, data integration, API management, and AI agent deployment in a single foundation.

Key Features

Merlin Agent Builder: Build, deploy, and scale AI agents with pre-built agent accelerators and low-code development environments. The platform enables agents to reason, act, and learn with integrated context and control.

700+ pre-built connectors: Connect CRM, ERP, HR, IT systems, and databases (including Snowflake, Databricks, Redshift) with extensive connector coverage across business applications.

Intelligent iPaaS capabilities: Combine events, schedules, and business rules with agents. Start workflows from any trigger—app events, schedules, or webhooks—using a visual builder.

Enterprise core for governance: IT teams get security, governance, and visibility to manage integration, automation, and agents across the business with role-based access control and multi-factor authentication.

Pre-built automation templates: Access workflow templates for lead lifecycle, order-to-cash, employee onboarding, IT provisioning, and customer renewals to accelerate deployment.

API management solution: Design, publish, update, and retire API endpoints with versioning, surfacing legacy systems through modern APIs.

Universal data integration: Connect data from business apps, databases, warehouses, or flat files (CSV, JSON) with real-time or scheduled syncing.

When to Choose Tray.ai

Choose Tray.ai if you:

• Need enterprise-level automation spanning multiple departments (RevOps, finance, IT, HR, data and AI teams).
• Want to deploy AI agents that integrate with your systems and automate complex processes.
• Require both internal automation and customer-facing integration capabilities in a single platform.
• Seek to validate use cases through Tray.ai's extensive library of customer case studies and proven implementations.
• Value a platform that can evolve from workflow automation to agentic AI as your needs mature.

Limitations

Tray.ai's comprehensive feature set comes with complexity. Implementation timelines average 2 months based on user data, longer than more focused embedded iPaaS solutions. The perceived cost is higher than alternatives, reflected in pricing tiers ranging from Pro ($695/month equivalent based on historical data) to custom Enterprise pricing. The platform may be overkill for companies primarily seeking customer-facing product integrations rather than enterprise-wide automation.

Pricing

Tray.ai offers usage-based pricing measured in tasks and API calls, with three main packages: Pro (best for a specific mission-critical use case within a team), Team (multiple use cases within a department), and Enterprise (multiple departments plus customer and partner integrations). The Embedded Bundle for customer-facing integrations requires the Enterprise package. Merlin Agent Builder is purchased separately for AI agent functionality.

Comparison Table: Key Features Across Platforms

How to Choose the Right Alternative

When evaluating Paragon alternatives, consider these key factors to guide your decision:

1. Technical Architecture Requirements

Code-first vs. visual builder: If you require complete flexibility for complex business logic and edge cases, code-first platforms like Pandium or Nango offer superior customization. Visual builders like Tray.ai work well when standardized workflows meet your needs.

Unified API vs. embedded iPaaS: Unified APIs (Nango) accelerate development when standard data models suffice, but embedded iPaaS solutions (Pandium, Hotglue) provide more flexibility for deep, platform-specific integrations.

2. Integration Complexity and Scale

Volume and performance: Assess current and projected API call volumes. Pandium and Tray.ai handle enterprise-scale loads, while Nango and Hotglue scale well for mid-market needs.

Customization depth: Simple integrations may work with unified APIs, while complex scenarios requiring customer-specific logic demand code-first platforms with full API access.

Speed to market: Consider whether you prioritize rapid deployment (unified APIs, pre-built templates) or long-term flexibility (code-first ownership).

3. Business Model Alignment

Customer-facing vs. internal use cases: B2B SaaS companies building customer-facing integrations have different needs than enterprises automating internal processes. Pandium, Hotglue, and Nango focus on customer-facing scenarios, while Tray.ai excels at internal automation.

Partnership program strategy: If technology partnerships are central to your go-to-market strategy, platforms with embedded marketplaces (Pandium) and partner collaboration workflows provide more value.

AI and agentic use cases: Teams building AI products should evaluate MCP support (Nango) or dedicated agent builders (Tray.ai) depending on their level of sophistication.

4. Total Cost of Ownership

Look beyond subscription fees to evaluate:

• Engineering time savings: Platforms that reduce development time (Pandium's 70% reduction) or provide pre-built integrations significantly impact TCO.
• Infrastructure and maintenance: Managed infrastructure, automatic scaling, and built-in monitoring reduce operational overhead.
• Vendor lock-in risk: Code ownership (Pandium) vs. platform-dependent implementations affects switching costs and long-term flexibility.
• Pricing predictability: Transparent, usage-based models enable accurate forecasting, while opaque pricing creates budget uncertainty.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Pandium different from Paragon?

Pandium takes a code-first approach that provides complete code ownership and flexibility across any programming language, while Paragon's platform constrains you to their ecosystem. With Pandium, you own your integration code and can run it locally, even if you move away from the platform, eliminating vendor lock-in. Pandium also offers an AI-powered Integration Code Generator that produces production-ready code in minutes, transparent pricing based on active tenants, and specialized features for scaling technology partnership programs like embedded marketplaces and partner collaboration workflows.

Can I migrate existing integrations from Paragon to a new platform?

Yes, migration is possible and many companies successfully transition between platforms. Pandium specifically supports migration scenarios and has helped customers like Justuno migrate from traditional iPaaS platforms with minimal disruption. The key considerations are integration complexity, data mapping, customer communication during the transition, and testing timelines. Platforms with code ownership (Pandium) make future migrations easier since you control the integration logic.

How long does it take to build integrations on these platforms?

Build times vary significantly by platform and integration complexity. With Pandium's AI Integration Code Generator, teams can produce 90% of a working integration in minutes, with native integrations launching in as little as one week. Nango's unified APIs enable rapid deployment for standard use cases within days. Tray.ai's implementation timeline averages 2 months for enterprise deployments. Hotglue timelines depend on connector availability and customization needs.

What's the difference between embedded iPaaS and unified APIs?

Embedded iPaaS platforms (Pandium, Hotglue, Paragon) provide infrastructure for building fully customized integrations with complete control over integration logic and data handling. They require more development effort but offer maximum flexibility for complex use cases. Unified APIs (Nango) offer standardized data models across app categories, enabling "build once, deploy many" approaches. They accelerate development for standard use cases but limit access to platform-specific features. The choice depends on whether your integrations require deep customization or benefit from standardization.

How do these platforms handle AI and agentic use cases?

Different platforms approach AI integration differently. Nango provides MCP (Model Context Protocol) server support, exposing integrations as tools that AI agents can call. Tray.ai offers Merlin Agent Builder for deploying sophisticated AI agents with integrated business context. Pandium's approach focuses on AI-assisted development, using AI to generate integration code rather than AI-powered runtime capabilities. Consider whether you need AI-assisted development, AI agent deployment, or tool calling capabilities when evaluating platforms.

Conclusion: Finding Your Ideal Integration Platform

While Paragon provides capable embedded integration functionality, B2B SaaS companies with sophisticated integration requirements often need platforms purpose-built for their specific use cases. Pandium emerges as the top alternative for teams that value code ownership, language flexibility, and complete control over integration logic while benefiting from managed infrastructure that eliminates DevOps complexity.

The optimal choice depends on your specific requirements: technical architecture preferences, integration complexity and scale, business model alignment and total cost of ownership considerations. By carefully evaluating these factors against each platform's strengths, you can select an integration solution that accelerates your growth, empowers your engineering team, and delivers exceptional experiences to your customers.

Ready to see how a code-first integration platform can transform your integration strategy? Schedule a demo with Pandium's integration experts to explore how our platform can help you launch more integrations, faster, with complete flexibility and control, while reducing engineering overhead by 70%.

‍