Learn how Unified APIs streamline multi-API integrations with prebuilt workflows and discover how Versori offers a customizable alternative for complex needs.
What is a Unified API?
Unified APIs aim to simplify the integration process by enabling you to integrate your API into a single "unified" API: this API is already connected to many other APIs with prebuilt workflows. Unified APIs are often vertical focused. For example, an HR unified API like Merge might be connected into many HRIS & ATS platforms (ADP, Workday, Deel, Teamtailor) with a set of workflows common to that vertical (e.g. in HR, you commonly need to “Get People” or “Get Company”)
Examples of Unified API's: Merge, Unok, Rutter.
Unified API
Core features:
Pre-built workflows: the Unified API provides a set of pre-built workflows you can leverage into the 3rd party APIs it connects to. This hugely accelerates time to value when you quickly need to stand up common workflows by integrations into many APIs.
Embedded Experience: the Unified APIs provide SDKs to embed each integration into your user experience, minimising setup for your end user.
Managed Authentication: Unified APIs manage authentication for the connected APIs.
Monitoring: Unified APIs provide logs of the requests to their API & the 3rd party APIs they support.
Challenges of Unified APIs:
Limited to their Connector Library: as the Unified API manages the API connectors, you are limited to what APIs they work with.
No configuration of the business & integration logic: Unified APIs predefine the workflows at the integration & business logic level, so you are limited to only what they provide
Cost: when you do require customization, which is common, the unified API allies heavy professional service fees driving up costs.
What is Versori?
Versori is not a unified API & while it has the same features as embedded platforms, does not have to be deployed as embedded integrations. Ultimately, we want the deployment simplicity of embedded IPaaS with the customisation capabilities of straight code, all delivered in hours rather than weeks at a fraction of the cost.
Core features:
Work with any API in seconds: Versori’s Connect Engine means you can drop in any REST, SOAP, or GraphQL API & access all the endpoints & managed authentication in a few clicks.
Managed Authentication: Like embedded IPaaS & unified APIs, Versori manages the authentication for the APIs you wish to integrate into.
Visual Workflow Builder: A low code, drag-and-drop whiteboard environment allows you to configure the workflow logic to your exact needs. Versori keeps our low code environment closer to developer language to increase the complexity of workflows we can handle. We then leverage AI to simplify the design & construction of the integration logic.
Multiple trigger systems: Workflows can be triggered from web hooks, timed or preset triggers enabling real time integration & asynchronous setups.
Full historical logs: Logs in the platform show details of each execution, so you can track & troubleshoot. Additionally, Versori provides a full set of monitoring & alerting.
Serverless infrastructure: Embedded iPaaS solutions manage requests to the 3rd party API & your API with a serverless infrastructure.
What are the core differences between Versori & a Unified API?
Versori Platform
Unified API
What can I connect to?
APIs
Drop in the YAML file or API URL & we handle all the endpoints & authentication.
Connect with mainstream, niche, legacy, custom or internal.
Pre-built connectors the Unified API already has in place
Once you connect to the Unified API, you are connected to all the APIs they connect to.
Unified APIs are often focused vertically or on a single function of business operations (e.g. accounting).
How complex can I make the integrations?
Versori can develop deeper integrations for two reasons:
Transformation tooling that is closer to developer language allows for control down to every data field
The platform can embed AI into workflows, handling more unstructured tasks & data.
Limited to the pre-programmed operations the Unified API has in place.
These can be complicated but are normally fairly simple.
Who builds the integrations?
For most customers, we build for them using the platform, however, you can self-serve.
Having the Versori team build & maintain your integrations comes at no extra cost.
All you have to do is integrate your API into the core Unified API.
The Unified API manages the hard part by building the pre-built workflows into all the systems on offer.
Who maintains the integrations?
Versori does for both the connectors & the logic.
The Unified API providers do.
How much does it cost?
~$3600 / integration / year - including design, build, test, deploy, & maintain.
Variable depending on the integrations used & any professional services.
Often $20K+ per year (industry average).
How quickly can an integration be built?
Variable depending on the integrations used & any professional services.
Often $20K+ per year (industry average)
Assuming you can use the exact pre-built workflow, very fast: a few days.
So how do I know when to use Versori vs a unified API?
Versori Platform:
You want your integrations to exactly fit your needs, both at the integration & business logic level.
You need to quickly deploy integrations without heavy costs.
You want to work with non-mainstream APIs or endpoints in mainstream software other IPaaS don’t support.
You don’t want to leverage internal engineering resources: we handle this for you with no additional costs.
Unified API
Time is of the essence: this is the fastest way to stand up many simple integrations.
You only need very simple workflows.
You only need to integrate into mainstream APIs - no niche, legacy or custom requirements.
