42Crunch API Security Platform

Overview

42Crunch API Security Platform brings contract-based security testing and runtime protection to APIs, with discovery and governance for MCP servers used by AI agents. It is best suited to teams that maintain OpenAPI contracts and want security controls across development and runtime; teams with GraphQL-heavy CI/CD workflows should weigh its scanning constraints.

Its defining strength is using API contracts both to generate security checks and to shape runtime traffic controls. The platform also covers API discovery, posture management, sensitive data detection, and specification governance.

Key features

• OpenAPI security testing: Static and dynamic tests generated from OpenAPI definitions map findings to the OWASP API Security Top 10. That makes the results easier to relate to familiar API risk categories, but this approach is contract-centered rather than a general-purpose test suite.
• Runtime micro-firewall: A contract-derived allowlist blocks traffic the API does not declare. 42Crunch states that the control adds sub-millisecond overhead; teams seeking runtime enforcement alongside testing get a distinct layer of protection.
• MCP discovery and governance: The platform finds MCP servers across registries, gateways, and repositories, then generates contracts for advertised tools, resources, and prompts. Findings map to NIST AI RMF, OWASP MCP Top 10, EU AI Act, ISO/IEC 42001, and CSA AICM controls, making this relevant to teams governing AI-agent integrations as well as APIs.
• Development and pipeline integrations: IDE support names Visual Studio Code, JetBrains IDEs, Eclipse, and Microsoft Visual Studio. CI/CD documentation covers Azure Pipelines, Bamboo, Bitbucket Pipelines, GitHub Actions, GitLab Pipelines, Jenkins, Tekton, and a generic Docker image for REST API static testing. The maker also names partners including Postman, MuleSoft, Kubernetes, Docker, and SonarQube.
• GraphQL caveat: GraphQL federation is not supported in CI/CD integration, and Jenkins instructions say GraphQL scanning requires a separate subscription. Teams whose release gates depend on those workflows should confirm fit before choosing the platform.
• Security and privacy posture: 42Crunch states it is ISO/IEC 27001 certified, with controls spanning risk assessment, access control, encryption, vulnerability and incident management, monitoring, and business continuity. It says it commits to applicable privacy laws including GDPR, CCPA, UK GDPR, and Australia's APPs.

Pricing

The free tier provides an AI coding plugin, OpenAPI audit, vulnerability scans, automatic fixes, and enough tokens to try the product. It is a useful starting point, but no token allowance or user count is stated for this tier.

Individual costs 9.00 USD per month, billed $9 / month. It includes 1,000 security tokens per month, one user, coding agents, API scans, IDE integration, and email support. Extra tokens cost $0.03 each. This is the lower-cost paid option for a single user with modest monthly token needs.

Individual Pro costs 20.00 USD per month, billed $20 / month. It raises the allowance to 3,000 security tokens per month for one user, with coding agents, API scans, IDE integration, and community support; extra tokens cost $0.025 each. It suits a single user who needs a larger allowance and lower overage cost, though its support is community-based rather than email support.

Enterprise has custom pricing and is scoped to APIs, MCP servers, and users. It includes a dedicated encrypted tenant, SSO, unlimited context, a dedicated support manager, and cloud, on-premises, or hybrid deployment. This is the tier for organizations needing broader deployment choices and enterprise controls; the individual plans do not include those stated provisions.

A 14-day free trial requires a corporate email and no credit card. The paid plan prices are monthly; no renewal terms are stated.

Platforms

The platform supports API, extension, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, web, and Windows environments. Enterprise deployment can be cloud, on-premises, or hybrid, which gives organizations deployment flexibility beyond the individual plans.

Who it's for

42Crunch is a strong fit for API teams that work from OpenAPI definitions and want testing, contract governance, and runtime blocking in one platform. It also merits consideration for organizations inventorying MCP servers and aligning their security findings to AI-related frameworks and controls. It is a less straightforward choice for teams that require GraphQL federation in CI/CD or expect Jenkins GraphQL scanning without an additional subscription.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Contract-based testing and runtime allowlisting connect development checks to enforcement against undeclared traffic.
• Pro: MCP discovery spans registries, gateways, and repositories, with findings mapped to several AI and security frameworks.
• Pro: Enterprise buyers can choose cloud, on-premises, or hybrid deployment and receive a dedicated support manager.
• Con: GraphQL federation is unsupported in CI/CD, and Jenkins GraphQL scanning needs a separate subscription, limiting fit for some pipeline workflows.
• Con: The Individual tiers are limited to one user, so they are not team plans.
• Con: Individual Pro offers community support rather than the email support included with the less expensive Individual plan.

Alternatives

• Akto API Security Platform is worth comparing for buyers seeking a freemium API security platform with a free plan and usage-based custom pricing.
• Wallarm API Security may suit teams that want a free tier capped at 500,000 requests per month and three users per company, while accepting that the tier excludes vulnerability assessment and API Abuse Prevention.
• APISec Platform is an option for teams wanting a free forever plan with public API testing, basic test simulations, and community support.
• Cisco Panoptica is another option to consider.
• APIPosture is another freemium alternative with a free plan.
• Onam Security API Security is another freemium alternative with a free plan.
• Palo Alto Networks Cortex Cloud API Security is another paid option.
• F5 BIG-IP APM is another paid option with a free trial and no free plan.

Readers can also browse API Security Software and API Security Testing Software.

Verdict

Choose 42Crunch if your team wants OpenAPI-driven testing paired with contract-based runtime protection, or needs to discover and govern MCP servers alongside APIs. Its broad development integrations and enterprise deployment options strengthen that case. Look elsewhere or validate requirements first if GraphQL federation in CI/CD is essential, or if Jenkins GraphQL scanning must be included without a separate subscription.