888 API products tracked since 2021. The engagement data is more interesting than the volume data. Categories where engagement rises while volume drops are the ones with the most opportunity.
Five years of API launch data. Volume, engagement, and the products that stood out.
888 API products tracked since 2021. The engagement data is more interesting than the volume data. Categories where engagement rises while volume drops are the ones with the most opportunity.
| Quarter | Launches | Avg Interest Score | Top Product |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 2026 | 61 | 133 | Anything API |
| Q2 2026 | 2 | 127 | Mercury Edit 2 |
| Q1 2025 | 49 | 173 | Lingo.dev |
| Q2 2025 | 60 | 149 | The Swarm |
| Q3 2025 | 51 | 153 | Person search API |
| Q4 2025 | 45 | 133 | Fish Audio S1 |
| Q1 2024 | 50 | 138 | Sharetribe |
| Q2 2024 | 34 | 159 | Keywords AI |
| Q3 2024 | 43 | 172 | AnyParser API |
| Q4 2024 | 34 | 246 | APIPark |
| Q1 2023 | 52 | 146 | HyperSwitch |
| Q2 2023 | 50 | 157 | Fastgen |
| Q3 2023 | 61 | 171 | Resend |
| Q4 2023 | 44 | 170 | AuthKit by WorkOS |
| Q1 2022 | 29 | 162 | Make |
| Q2 2022 | 24 | 129 | API MAKER |
The API category has been steady over the past 6 years of tracked data. Total launches went from 127 in 2021 to 63 in 2026.
Average engagement ratio across all API launches sits at 0.25. Products above that threshold tend to serve a real, specific need. Products below it often entered a crowded market without sufficient differentiation.
At least three. Two data points is a line, not a trend. We have five years of data for most categories, which is enough to distinguish real shifts from noise.
Current year launches compared to the same period last year. Positive means more products launching. Negative means the category cooled. Neither is inherently good or bad. A mature category with fewer but better launches is often healthier than one flooding the market with clones.
Launch volume drops but engagement per product rises. Fewer builders entering, but the ones that do find a more receptive audience. That's an opportunity signal. We flag it when we see it.
We report what happened. We don't predict. Five years of data shows patterns, but markets surprise people for a living.
Three common reasons. The market consolidated around winners. The technology matured and stopped generating new startups. Or builder attention shifted to adjacent categories. Usually it's a combination.