Ably Chat vs Tinode

Ably Chat8.1Visit Tinode6.5Visit

Higher score Ably Chat #4 in Chat APIs 8.1/10 Free plan · paid from $29/mo Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Ably Chat

vs

Tinode #14 in Chat APIs 6.5/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Tinode

• Ably Chat fits best

  Budget-conscious apps needing modern chat

• Tinode fits best

  Open-source teams building hosted chat

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Side by side

Feature	Ably Chat 8.1/10 Visit ↗	Tinode 6.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.1	6.5
Ranking	#4 in Chat APIs	#14 in Chat APIs
Best for	Budget-conscious apps needing modern chat	Open-source teams building hosted chat
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	$29/mo	Not published
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Mobile	Cloud, Mobile, Self-hosted
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android	Web, iOS, Android
Integrations	8 integrations	3 integrations
Features Ably Chat 4/4 · Tinode 4/4
Presence support	✓	✓
Typing indicators	✓	✓
Push notifications	✓	✓
Moderation tools	✓	✓
Specs
SDK platforms	JavaScript, React, React Native, Kotlin (Android), Kotlin (JVM), Swift	JavaScript, Java
Delivery methods	WebSocket realtime streaming, REST API, push notifications via channels or direct delivery	WebSocket, Tinode Push Gateway, Google FCM, stdout
Message history	30 days	Not published
Our review
Pros	Free plan includes 6M monthly messages Presence, reactions, push, and moderation workflows included React UI Kit plus web, iOS, Android, and API support	Persistent history, presence, typing indicators, and read receipts Self-hosting plus hosted Cloud deployment and support tiers Access controls, moderation tools, push adapters, and gRPC bindings
Cons	Standard and Pro plans add usage charges Default message history retention is 30 days Verified SDK coverage is narrower than leading alternatives	Verified client SDK coverage centers on JavaScript and Java Advanced management and support require paid plans Cloud and support pricing is listed without a displayed currency for Cloud
Our verdict	Ably Chat is a developer-focused SDK and API for adding realtime messaging to applications. It supports 1:1 conversations, group chat rooms, livestream chat, presence, typing indicators, reactions, message editing and deletion, persistent… Read the review →	Tinode is an open-source messaging platform for organizations building chat experiences or private messaging services. It supports web, iOS, Android, API, and self-hosted deployments, with one-to-one conversations, group topics, read-only… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Ably Chat — where it wins

  • Free plan includes 6M monthly messages
  • Presence, reactions, push, and moderation workflows included
  • React UI Kit plus web, iOS, Android, and API support

  Where it doesn't

  • Standard and Pro plans add usage charges
  • Default message history retention is 30 days
  • Verified SDK coverage is narrower than leading alternatives

• Tinode — where it wins

  • Persistent history, presence, typing indicators, and read receipts
  • Self-hosting plus hosted Cloud deployment and support tiers
  • Access controls, moderation tools, push adapters, and gRPC bindings

  Where it doesn't

  • Verified client SDK coverage centers on JavaScript and Java
  • Advanced management and support require paid plans
  • Cloud and support pricing is listed without a displayed currency for Cloud

• Ably Chat8.1/10 · Free plan · paid from $29/mo

  A cost-conscious chat API with strong realtime features and a focused SDK footprint.

  Visit Ably ChatFull verdict →
• Tinode6.5/10 · Free plan

  A flexible open-source chat stack with self-hosting, moderation, and hosted deployment options.

  Visit TinodeFull verdict →