Approov
Approov provides mobile app and API security through Runtime Application Self Protection, cross-platform attestation, and a Zero Secrets architecture. It serves enterprises in finance, healthcare, automotive, retail, gaming, and government, with named customers including BMW, SIXT, and Papara.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersEdinburgh, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Approov does
Approov Limited is a UK-based mobile application and API security company headquartered in Edinburgh, with a US regional headquarters in Palo Alto. Founded in 2001, the company builds a Runtime Application Self Protection (RASP) platform that performs real-time mobile app attestation across Android, iOS, and Huawei HarmonyOS Next, and protects backend APIs from unauthorized access by bots, tampered apps, and credential abuse. Its core technical proposition is a "Zero Secrets Architecture" that keeps API keys and secrets in-the-cloud and delivers them just-in-time only to fully attested apps at runtime, complemented by dynamic certificate pinning, app shielding, and continuous threat telemetry exposed through public Grafana dashboards.
The product suite is organized around five mobile attack surfaces — app integrity, device integrity, channel integrity, credential integrity, and service integrity — and is delivered to enterprise customers across six verticals: Mobile Finance, Mobile Health, Automotive, Retail & eCommerce, Mobile Gaming & Gambling, and Government. Named enterprise customers include BMW, SIXT, Papara, MetalPay, Temi, Genopets, felyx, MV, Deindeal, and Scoffable, spanning automotive, financial services, gaming, retail, and robotics.
Approov generates revenue through annual enterprise subscriptions sold on a quote-based model, supplemented by a product-led growth motion offering free trials and a free mobile app assessment tool. The company closed its first disclosed institutional round, a £5 million (~$6.7M) Series A led by Maven Capital Partners in August 2025, and opened a new Edinburgh headquarters in December 2025 to support team expansion. Strategic positioning emphasizes Zero Trust for the "agentic AI era," though no proprietary AI models are disclosed.
Approov firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Approov
- Legal name
- Approov Limited
- Website
- https://approov.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Approov provides mobile app and API security through Runtime Application Self Protection, cross-platform attestation, and a Zero Secrets architecture. It serves enterprises in finance, healthcare, automotive, retail, gaming, and government, with named customers including BMW, SIXT, and Papara.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Approov industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mobile Application and API Security
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (51321)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Runtime Application Self-Protection & In-App Detection (HDADACAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Mobile Application Security (App Shielding, Anti-Tamper) (HDADACAL), Web Application Security (WAF, RASP) (HDADACAA), Application & API Security for Digital Health (WAF/RASP/API gateways) (HLACAJAH)
Keywords
Where Approov is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Edinburgh
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Approov business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Subscription-based Mobile Security: Recurring subscription model for mobile app and API security services. Provides continuous attestation, threat intelligence, and runtime protection as an ongoing service.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Enterprise subscription with full platform access |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Approov product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Approov provides a Runtime Application Self Protection (RASP) platform that continuously attests mobile apps and protects backend APIs from abuse. The platform verifies that only genuine, untampered mobile apps running on trusted devices can access protected APIs, and secures API keys by keeping them in-the-cloud and delivering them just-in-time only to fully attested apps. It serves enterprise customers in finance, healthcare, automotive, retail, gaming, and government across Android, iOS, and HarmonyOS Next.
Product overview
Approov offers a unified mobile app and API security platform providing Runtime Application Self Protection (RASP) for Android, iOS, and HarmonyOS Next. The platform combines App Attestation, Runtime Secrets Protection, Real Time Threat Intelligence, API Security, Dynamic Certificate Pinning, and App Shielding as integrated sub-products. The core RASP solution continuously verifies device, app, API, and channel integrity, providing runtime protection against tampering, man-in-the-middle attacks, bots, and other mobile threats. Approov protects five attack surfaces: App Integrity, Device Integrity, Channel Integrity, Credential Integrity, and Service Integrity.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Runtime Application Self Protection (RASP) Dynamic runtime protection platform for mobile apps and APIs that continuously verifies trust, attests genuine apps on trusted devices, protects API keys via the Zero Secrets Architecture, and secures backend APIs against tampering, bots, and credential abuse. Targeted at enterprises in finance, healthcare, automotive, retail, gaming, and government that need mobile-first API protection across Android, iOS, and HarmonyOS Next.
- Mobile Threat Detection Dashboard Publicly accessible real-time dashboard providing live visibility into threats detected by Approov across mobile platforms, categorized by threat type, Android, and iOS threat categories. Enables prospective and current customers to see the volume and types of mobile attacks the platform detects.
- Free Mobile App Security Assessment Free mobile app security assessment tool that scans an app to identify vulnerabilities and exposures, enabling prospective customers to evaluate Approov's security findings before engaging sales or starting a trial.
Quantifiable outcome
- 95% of 224 Android financial apps across Africa exposed secrets, potentially impacting 272 million users
Companies that use Approov
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Approov technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Feature8 records
Approov partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered research and thought_leadership.
- CyLab-AfricaresearchResearch collaboration with CyLab-Africa at Carnegie Mellon University Africa to examine security of financial apps across Africa, surveying 224 Android apps.
- Upanzi NetworkresearchCollaborated with Upanzi Network to conduct security research on mobile financial applications in Africa.
- TAG Cyberthought_leadershipCollaborative analysis with TAG Cyber cybersecurity experts on Zero Trust principles in mobile app security, positioning Approov as an expert in extending Zero Trust to mobile environments.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Approov competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Cloudflare: Cloudflare's API Shield, Bot Management, and Workers platform address overlapping mobile API abuse and bot detection use cases, though as part of a much broader network and developer platform rather than mobile-native RASP.
- HUMAN Security (formerly PerimeterX): HUMAN Security offers bot mitigation and account protection that extends to mobile API abuse prevention, competing with Approov's API security and bot/tampered-app blocking capabilities but as a broader account-protection platform.
- Akamai (App & API Protector): Akamai's App & API Protector and bot management products compete with Approov's API security layer, particularly for large enterprises already routing traffic through Akamai's edge network.
Direct peers
- Guardsquare: Guardsquare offers DexGuard and iXGuard for mobile app shielding, code obfuscation, and runtime protection on Android and iOS, overlapping directly with Approov's RASP and app shielding features.
- Appdome: Appdome provides mobile app security and RASP including runtime attestation, anti-tampering, and bot protection for Android and iOS apps, directly competing with Approov's mobile attestation and app shielding capabilities.
- Verimatrix (formerly Inside Secure): Verimatrix's app shielding and code protection suite (e.g., Whitebox, App Protection) targets the same mobile app and API security use cases as Approov, including runtime integrity and anti-tampering.
- NowSecure: NowSecure provides mobile app security testing, runtime instrumentation, and continuous compliance for iOS and Android apps, addressing adjacent but overlapping mobile security buyer needs.
- Build38: Build38 delivers mobile app protection with runtime attestation, anti-tampering, and in-app threat detection for Android and iOS, making it a direct competitor in the mobile RASP and attestation space.
- Promon: Promon provides mobile app shielding, anti-malware, and runtime protection (Promon SHIELD & Promon App Protection) for banking, fintech, and enterprise apps, directly comparable to Approov's mobile RASP offering.
Emerging players
- DataDome: DataDome focuses on bot and fraud management with growing mobile API protection coverage, overlapping with Approov's real-time threat analytics and botnet blocking but with stronger web heritage.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Approov social profiles
Digital presenceApproov financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Approov leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Approov funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Approov M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Approov
What does Approov do?
Approov provides a Runtime Application Self Protection (RASP) platform that continuously attests mobile apps and protects backend APIs from abuse. The platform verifies that only genuine, untampered mobile apps running on trusted devices can access protected APIs, and secures API keys by keeping them in-the-cloud and delivering them just-in-time only to fully attested apps. It serves enterprise customers in finance, healthcare, automotive, retail, gaming, and government across Android, iOS, and HarmonyOS Next.
Is Approov a public or private company?
Approov is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Approov founded?
Approov was founded in 2001. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Approov based?
Approov is headquartered in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Approov make money?
One revenue line is on record: subscription-based Mobile Security.
Who are Approov's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Cloudflare, HUMAN Security (formerly PerimeterX) and Akamai (App & API Protector). Direct peers are Guardsquare, Appdome, Verimatrix (formerly Inside Secure), NowSecure, Build38 and Promon. DataDome is listed as an emerging player.
Does Approov have an API?
Yes. Approov provides developer documentation at https://ext.approov.io/docs/ and quickstarts for integration. The SDK integrates with CI/CD pipelines and enables app attestation, runtime secrets protection, and API security. Documentation URL: https://ext.approov.io/docs/ Developer documentation is at ext.approov.io/docs.
What industry is Approov in?
Approov's product category is Mobile Application and API Security. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDADACAI, Runtime Application Self-Protection & In-App Detection, with a secondary code of HDADACAL, Mobile Application Security (App Shielding, Anti-Tamper). Its NAICS code is 51321 and its SIC code is 7372.