The Best MQTT Broker Software in 2026
AWS IoT Core is the top-ranked MQTT broker of the 46 we ranked (9.4/10), best for AWS-centric managed IoT deployments. Azure Event Grid MQTT broker is the runner-up (9.2/10), and Apache BifroMQ is the highest-ranked option with a free plan (9.1/10). We researched MQTT broker software using vendors’ official websites, including pricing pages, plan tables, and product documentation. Our rankings focus on the category’s core job: routing and managing MQTT messaging for connected devices and applications. We compare value for money and verified capabilities such as deployment options, message retention, and clustering.
Our top picks
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Top ranked
AWS IoT Core#1 of 469.4/10A managed MQTT broker with device tools and message routing for AWS-centric IoT systems.
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Runner-up
Azure Event Grid MQTT broker#2 of 469.2/10A managed MQTT broker with Azure routing, flexible authentication, and usage-based pricing.
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Top-ranked free plan
Apache BifroMQ#3 of 469.1/10A self-hosted broker with clustering, distributed storage, and support for MQTT 3.1 through 5.0.
Free plan
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
The full ranking 46 tools, best first
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Best forAWS-centric managed IoT deployments
A managed MQTT broker with device tools and message routing for AWS-centric IoT systems.
- Retained messages
9.4/10★★★★★Visit AWS IoT Core -
Best forAzure-centric managed IoT deployments
A managed MQTT broker with Azure routing, flexible authentication, and usage-based pricing.
- Retained messages
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Microsoft -
Best forTeams building self-hosted, clustered MQTT systems
A self-hosted broker with clustering, distributed storage, and support for MQTT 3.1 through 5.0.
- Clustering
- Retained messages
9.1/10★★★★★Visit Apache BifroMQ -
Best forTeams needing MQTT alongside JMS messaging
An open-source broker combining MQTT delivery options with JMS and extensible protocols.
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Eclipse Amlen -
Best forTeams needing MQTT with broad protocol connectivity
A flexible MQTT platform with protocol gateways, durable queues, and cloud or self-hosted options.
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit EMQX -
Best forTeams needing managed or self-managed MQTT with QoS 2
Flexible managed or self-managed MQTT with QoS 2, clustering, and broad integrations.
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit HiveMQ -
Best forA straightforward free self-hosted MQTT broker
A free, self-hosted MQTT broker with core messaging, security, and bridging features.
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit Mosquitto -
Best forTeams managing Mosquitto across production deployments
Managed Mosquitto adds clustering, persistent queues and centralized administration.
- Clustering
- Retained messages
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit Cedalo -
Best forFree MQTT broker embedded in Java applications
A free, self-hosted choice for Java projects that need a flexible MQTT broker.
- Retained messages
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit HiveMQ -
Best forTeams needing MQTT alongside AMQP
A self-hosted broker for teams that need MQTT alongside broader messaging support.
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Apache Artemis -
Best forTeams already using RabbitMQ messaging
An established general-purpose broker that adds MQTT to a broader messaging stack.
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit RabbitMQ -
Best forExisting ActiveMQ deployments adding MQTT
A free, self-hosted multi-protocol broker for teams adding MQTT to ActiveMQ messaging.
8.2/10★★★★☆Try Apache ActiveMQ -
Best forTeams needing low-cost MQTT clustering
A flexible MQTT core with a free self-hosted edition and paid managed options.
- Clustering
- Retained messages
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit TBMQ -
Best forTeams running self-hosted MQTT 5 with clustering
A self-hosted MQTT broker with clustering, persistence, bridges, and plugin options.
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit VerneMQ -
Best forEvent-mesh deployments that also need MQTT
A multi-protocol event broker for event meshes that also need MQTT.
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Solace -
Best forManaged MQTT clients needing cloud-function integrations
A managed MQTT adapter for clients that need Ably channels and cloud-function integrations.
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit Ably -
Best forManaged device onboarding and telemetry operations
MQTT messaging with device onboarding, telemetry, and data routing for IoT operations.
- Clustering
7.5/10★★★★☆Try Everyware Cloud -
Best forSelf-hosted MQTT at the edge with protocol gateways
An open-source, self-hosted MQTT broker with persistence, SQL rules, and protocol gateways.
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit NanoMQ -
Best forDevelopers embedding a flexible MQTT 5 broker
A flexible, self-hosted MQTT broker for developers who want to embed or run it standalone.
7.3/10★★★★☆Explore Mochi MQTT -
Best forSmall teams wanting a one-time broker purchase
A self-hosted MQTT broker with a free Developer tier and a $299 one-time Starter license.
- Retained messages
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit Bevywise -
Best forSmall self-hosted MQTT deployments
A focused self-hosted broker for MQTT 3.1.1 and MQTT 5 essentials.
- Retained messages
7.1/10★★★★☆Visit rumqttd -
Best forFree, single-node MQTT with persistent sessions
A self-hosted Linux broker with persistent sessions, retained state, and MQTT 3.1 through 5.0.
- Retained messages
7.0/10★★★★☆Visit FlashMQ -
Best forEmbedding an MQTT broker in .NET applications
A flexible MQTT client and broker library for developers embedding MQTT in .NET apps.
- Retained messages
6.9/10★★★☆☆Visit MQTTnet -
Best forKafka-centric deployments requiring MQTT access
A focused MQTT-to-Kafka broker for teams that already run Kafka-compatible streaming.
- Clustering
- Retained messages
6.8/10★★★☆☆Contact Waterstream -
Best forManaged MQTT with shared subscriptions and REST controls
A managed MQTT broker with shared subscriptions and REST controls, priced from €130/month.
- Retained messages
6.7/10★★★☆☆Visit flespi -
Best forIndustrial IoT teams connecting equipment and systems
An MQTT broker with industrial connectors and automation, but a costly Growth tier.
- Clustering
6.6/10★★★☆☆Visit Coreflux -
Best forDevelopers building self-hosted Node.js MQTT systems
An open-source Node.js broker with pluggable components and MQTT 3.x support.
6.5/10★★★☆☆Visit Aedes -
Best forSmall teams needing broker access controls
A managed MQTT workspace for isolated brokers, scoped credentials, and topic policies.
- Retained messages
6.4/10★★★☆☆Visit RunMQTT -
Best forSmall managed deployments with live topic monitoring
A managed MQTT option for small deployments that need live topic monitoring.
- Retained messages
6.3/10★★★☆☆Visit ConnectMQ -
Best forTeams self-hosting MQTT 3.1.1 with Redis and Kafka
A self-hosted MQTT 3.1.1 broker with Redis clustering and optional Kafka forwarding.
- Clustering
- Retained messages
6.2/10★★★☆☆Visit MqttWk -
Best forManaged MQTT 3.1.1 with web-based device controls
A managed MQTT 3.1.1 broker with device controls, message filters, and durable stashing.
6.1/10★★★☆☆Visit MyQttHub -
Best forTeams needing AMQP streams plus basic MQTT
A flexible AMQP-centered broker for teams that also need basic MQTT support.
6.0/10★★★☆☆Visit LavinMQ -
Best forSolo users managing MQTT devices in a browser
A browser-based MQTT workspace for managing devices, topics, and message flows.
- Clustering
5.9/10★★★☆☆Visit OpenMQTT -
Best forDevelopers building channel-based messaging for apps or IoT
A channel-based messaging service with MQTT, WebSockets, message history, and self-hosting.
5.8/10★★★☆☆Visit Emitter -
Best forSmall self-hosted MQTT 3.1.1 deployments
A self-hosted broker for small MQTT 3.1.1 deployments that need plugin-based authentication.
5.7/10★★★☆☆Visit aMQTT -
Best forSmall projects using MQTT 5 features in-process
A self-hosted Java broker with MQTT 3 and 5 features for small projects.
5.6/10★★★☆☆Visit Moquette -
Best forVert.x developers implementing MQTT server endpoints
A programmable MQTT component for Vert.x, not a turnkey standalone broker.
5.5/10★★★☆☆Visit Vert.x MQTT -
Best forSelf-hosted MQTT 3.1.1 with MySQL-based clustering
A focused open-source broker for teams that want self-hosted MQTT 3.1.1 with MySQL clustering.
- Clustering
5.4/10★★★☆☆Visit Jmqtt -
Best forSelf-hosted MQTT with dashboard and cluster plugins
A self-hosted MQTT broker with a monitoring dashboard and plugin-based clustering.
- Clustering
5.3/10★★★☆☆Visit smart-mqtt -
Best forTeams needing clustered, self-hosted MQTT with JMS
Self-hosted MQTT clustering and JMS connectivity, with pricing available by contacting sales.
- Clustering
5.2/10★★★☆☆Contact ScalAgent DT -
Best forTeams wanting a free broker with database-backed access
A self-hosted MQTT broker with QoS 0–2, TLS, WebSockets, and configurable access controls.
5.1/10★★★☆☆Visit Cassandana -
Best forSmall IoT projects needing a managed MQTT endpoint
A low-cost managed MQTT broker with private endpoints and a public test broker.
- Retained messages
5.0/10★★☆☆☆Visit MQTTserver.eu -
Best forTeams building XMPP messaging services
A mature XMPP server for real-time messaging, but a poor fit for MQTT brokerage.
4.9/10★★☆☆☆Visit ProcessOne -
Best forDevelopers seeking a minimal, free clustered MQTT broker
A free, self-hosted MQTT broker fork with Apache licensing and cluster mode.
- Clustering
4.8/10★★☆☆☆Visit LibreMQ -
Best forIoT teams normalizing device data across protocols
An edge middleware platform for normalizing device data—not a dedicated MQTT broker.
1.6/10★☆☆☆☆Visit EdgeX Foundry -
Best forC# developers writing tests in .NET projects
Useful for .NET tests, but it does not perform MQTT broker functions.
0.0/10☆☆☆☆☆Visit Moq
No tools match those filters.
Compare at a glance
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | MQTT versions | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AWS IoT Core | No | 3.1.1, 5.0 | 9.4 | |
| 2 | Azure Event Grid MQTT broker | No | MQTT 3.1.1, MQTT 3.1.1 over WebSocket, MQTT 5, MQTT 5 over WebSocket | 9.2 | |
| 3 | Apache BifroMQ | Yes | Free | 3.1, 3.1.1, 5.0 | 9.1 |
| 4 | Eclipse Amlen | Yes | Free | 9.0 | |
| 5 | EMQX | Yes | $234/mo | 8.9 | |
| 6 | HiveMQ MQTT Broker | Yes | 8.8 | ||
| 7 | Eclipse Mosquitto | Yes | Free | 8.7 | |
| 8 | Cedalo Pro Mosquitto | No | €39/mo | 3.1.1, 5.0 | 8.6 |
| 9 | HiveMQ Community Edition | Yes | Free | MQTT 3.1, MQTT 3.1.1, MQTT 5.0 | 8.5 |
| 10 | Apache Artemis | Yes | Free | 8.4 | |
| 11 | RabbitMQ | Yes | Free | 8.3 | |
| 12 | Apache ActiveMQ | Yes | Free | 8.2 | |
| 13 | TBMQ | Yes | MQTT 3.1, MQTT 3.1.1, MQTT 5.0 | 7.9 | |
| 14 | VerneMQ | No | Free | 7.8 | |
| 15 | Solace PubSub+ Event Broker | Yes | 7.7 | ||
| 16 | Ably MQTT Broker | Yes | $29/mo | 3.1.1 | 7.6 |
| 17 | Everyware Cloud | No | 7.5 | ||
| 18 | NanoMQ | Free | 7.4 | ||
| 19 | Mochi MQTT | Free | 7.3 | ||
| 20 | Bevywise CrystalMQ | Yes | $299 one-time | MQTT 3.1, 3.1.1, 5 | 7.2 |
| 21 | rumqttd | Yes | Free | MQTT 3.1.1, MQTT 5 | 7.1 |
| 22 | FlashMQ | Yes | Free | MQTT 3.1, 3.1.1, 5.0 | 7.0 |
| 23 | MQTTnet | Yes | Free | 4, 5 | 6.9 |
| 24 | Waterstream | No | MQTT 3.1, MQTT 5 | 6.8 | |
| 25 | flespi MQTT Broker | Yes | €130/mo | 3.1, 3.1.1, 5.0 | 6.7 |
| 26 | Coreflux | Yes | $2,450/unit/yr | 3.1.1, 5.0 | 6.6 |
| 27 | Aedes | Free | 6.5 | ||
| 28 | RunMQTT | No | $150/yr | MQTT 3.1.1, MQTT 5 | 6.4 |
| 29 | ConnectMQ | Yes | $39/mo | MQTT 3.1.1, MQTT 5 | 6.3 |
| 30 | MqttWk | Yes | Free | 3.1.1 | 6.2 |
| 31 | MyQttHub | Yes | MQTT 3.1.1 | 6.1 | |
| 32 | LavinMQ | Yes | 6.0 | ||
| 33 | OpenMQTT | Yes | MQTT 5.0 | 5.9 | |
| 34 | Emitter | Yes | 5.8 | ||
| 35 | aMQTT | Yes | Free | MQTT 3.1.1 | 5.7 |
| 36 | Moquette | Yes | Free | 5.6 | |
| 37 | Vert.x MQTT | Yes | Free | 3.1.1, 5.0 | 5.5 |
| 38 | Jmqtt | Yes | Free | 3.1.1 | 5.4 |
| 39 | smart-mqtt | Yes | MQTT 3.1, 3.1.1, 5.0 | 5.3 | |
| 40 | JoramMQ | No | 3.1, 3.1.1, 5.0 | 5.2 | |
| 41 | Cassandana | Yes | Free | 5.1 | |
| 42 | MQTTserver.eu | Yes | €2/mo | 5.0 | |
| 43 | ejabberd | Yes | 4.9 | ||
| 44 | LibreMQ | Yes | Free | 4.8 | |
| 45 | EdgeX Foundry | Yes | Free | 1.6 | |
| 46 | Moq | Yes | Free | 0.0 |
Head-to-head All 28 comparisons →
- AWS IoT Core vs Azure Event Grid MQTT broker
- AWS IoT Core vs Apache BifroMQ
- AWS IoT Core vs Eclipse Amlen
- AWS IoT Core vs EMQX
- AWS IoT Core vs HiveMQ MQTT Broker
- AWS IoT Core vs Eclipse Mosquitto
- AWS IoT Core vs Cedalo Pro Mosquitto
- Azure Event Grid MQTT broker vs Apache BifroMQ
- Azure Event Grid MQTT broker vs Eclipse Amlen
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How we rank MQTT broker software
Every tool on this page was researched by iTechGuides Editors from its official website — pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation. We rank on how well each one does this category's core job, what the free or entry plan includes, and where it falls short. Where we have enough verified facts, the score out of 10 is a rubric — job fit, value and how much we could verify — shown with its breakdown on every tool's page; a tool we have not verified enough to score yet shows its rank without a number. Scores are re-checked when a product changes its plans. Read the full editorial policy, or submit a tool we missed.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Nov 2026
Last updated · How we research and update