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Head-to-head · Chat Api

Agora Chat vs Ably Chat

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 3 checks side by side
Higher score Agora Chat #6 in Chat Api 8.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 4 features Visit Agora Chat
Ably Chat #7 in Chat Api 8.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 4 features Visit Ably Chat

Agora Chat leads on 0 checks, Ably Chat on 1, and 2 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 3 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreAgora Chat · 8.3/10
  • Lowest starting priceAbly Chat · $29/mo
  • Free planboth

Agora Chat scores higher on our rubric for chat api: 8.3 against 8.2 out of 10; our editors rank them #6 and #7.

Ably Chat is cheaper to start at $29/mo against $349/mo.

Agora Chat is the better fit for apps needing rich media and large-community chat. Ably Chat is the better fit for developers adding realtime chat to apps.

  • Agora Chat fits best

    Apps needing rich media and large-community chat

  • Ably Chat fits best

    Developers adding realtime chat to apps

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Side by side

Feature Agora Chat 8.3/10 Visit ↗ Ably Chat 8.2/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.3 8.2
Ranking #6 in Chat Api #7 in Chat Api
Best for Apps needing rich media and large-community chat Developers adding realtime chat to apps
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free plan + paid
Starting price $349/mo $29/mo (best)
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Desktop, Mobile Cloud, Mobile
Platforms Web, Windows, iOS, Android Web, iOS, Android
Integrations 2 integrations 8 integrations
Features Agora Chat 1/4 · Ably Chat 1/4
Group chat Not checked yet Not checked yet
Self-hosted option Not checked yet Not checked yet
End-to-end encryption Not checked yet Not checked yet
Moderation tools ✓ ✓
Specs
SDK platforms Android, iOS, Web, Windows, Flutter, React Native, Unity JavaScript, React, React Native, Kotlin (Android), Kotlin (JVM), Swift
Group size limit Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Supports one-to-one, group, and large-community messaging
  • Rich media, offline delivery, receipts, translation, and moderation
  • SDK coverage spans web, mobile, desktop, Flutter, React Native, and Unity
  • Supports 1:1 chat, group rooms, presence, typing indicators and reactions
  • Includes persistent history, push notifications and moderation workflows
  • Free plan includes 6M monthly messages and 200 concurrent connections
Cons
  • Starter and Pro plans charge $0.05 per user beyond included thresholds
  • Enterprise requires a minimum commitment of 100,000 monthly active users
  • Analytics integrations are centered on Agora Analytics and Datadog
  • Standard and Pro plans also charge for usage
  • Free plan is capped at 200 concurrent channels and connections
  • Enterprise pricing is custom
Our verdict

Agora Chat is a real-time messaging SDK and API from Agora, Inc. It targets developers adding private, group, or large-community chat to mobile, web, desktop, and cross-platform applications. Use cases named by the vendor include…

Read the review →

Ably Chat gives developers a chat SDK and API for adding realtime conversations to applications. It covers 1:1 messaging, group rooms and livestream chat, with presence, typing indicators, reactions, message editing and deletion. The…

Read the review →
  1. Agora ChatChat Api 8.3Free plan
  2. Ably ChatChat Api 8.2Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Agora Chat — where it wins

    • Supports one-to-one, group, and large-community messaging
    • Rich media, offline delivery, receipts, translation, and moderation
    • SDK coverage spans web, mobile, desktop, Flutter, React Native, and Unity

    Where it doesn't

    • Starter and Pro plans charge $0.05 per user beyond included thresholds
    • Enterprise requires a minimum commitment of 100,000 monthly active users
    • Analytics integrations are centered on Agora Analytics and Datadog

  • Ably Chat — where it wins

    • Supports 1:1 chat, group rooms, presence, typing indicators and reactions
    • Includes persistent history, push notifications and moderation workflows
    • Free plan includes 6M monthly messages and 200 concurrent connections

    Where it doesn't

    • Standard and Pro plans also charge for usage
    • Free plan is capped at 200 concurrent channels and connections
    • Enterprise pricing is custom

More comparisons

All chat api comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update