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Head-to-head · Message Broker Software

Amazon SQS vs HiveMQ MQTT Broker

  • Updated Nov 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 3 checks side by side
Higher score Amazon SQS #8 in Message Broker Software 8.5/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 1 features Visit Amazon SQS
HiveMQ MQTT Broker #13 in Message Broker Software 8.0/10 Free plan · 15-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 1 of 1 features Visit HiveMQ

Amazon SQS leads on 0 checks, HiveMQ MQTT Broker 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 scoreAmazon SQS · 8.5/10
  • Free planboth
  • Free trialonly HiveMQ MQTT Broker

Amazon SQS scores higher on our rubric for message broker software: 8.5 against 8.0 out of 10; our editors rank them #8 and #13.

On deployment model, HiveMQ MQTT Broker gives you Hybrid where Amazon SQS offers Cloud. HiveMQ MQTT Broker leads on maximum message size: 256 MB versus 1 MB.

Amazon SQS is the better fit for managed AWS queues. HiveMQ MQTT Broker is the better fit for managed MQTT at scale.

  • Amazon SQS fits best

    Managed AWS queues

  • HiveMQ MQTT Broker fits best

    Managed MQTT at scale

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Side by side

Feature Amazon SQS 8.5/10 Visit ↗ HiveMQ MQTT Broker 8.0/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.5 8.0
Ranking #8 in Message Broker Software #13 in Message Broker Software
Best for Managed AWS queues Managed MQTT at scale
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free plan + paid
Starting price — $299/mo
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — 15 days
Deployment Cloud Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms Web Windows, Linux
Support Docs Community, Docs
Compliance SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, PCI DSS SOC 2, ISO 27001
Integrations 8 integrations 13 integrations
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Amazon SQS 1/1 · HiveMQ MQTT Broker 1/1
Dead-letter queues ✓ ✓
Specs
Deployment model Cloud Hybrid
Delivery guarantees Configurable Configurable
Ordering guarantees Per_queue Not checked yet
Maximum message size 1 MB 256 MB (best)
Supported protocols AWS JSON, AWS Query, HTTPS, TLS MQTT 3.1, MQTT 3.1.1, MQTT 5, TCP, TLS, WebSocket
Our review
Pros
  • Standard and FIFO queues support different delivery guarantees
  • Dead-letter queues, redrive, batching, and long polling are built in
  • Integrates with Lambda, SNS, S3, DynamoDB, and other AWS services
  • Supports MQTT 3.1, 3.1.1, and 5 with QoS 0, 1, and 2
  • Offers clustering, persistent sessions, queuing, and WebSocket connectivity
  • Connects with Kafka, databases, data lakes, and observability platforms
Cons
  • Best-effort ordering applies to standard queues
  • Usage-based pricing varies by queue type and request characteristics
  • Designed for AWS environments rather than broad multi-cloud portability
  • Lab and Launch limit deployments to one broker
  • Serverless uses a shared MQTT broker
  • Run and Launch paid plans start at $499 and $299 monthly
Our verdict

Amazon SQS is a fully managed cloud message queuing service for decoupling microservices, distributed systems, and serverless applications. It is suited to teams building around AWS services and accessing queues through the AWS Management…

Read the review →

HiveMQ MQTT Broker is an enterprise messaging broker for connecting devices, applications, and enterprise systems through MQTT. It is aimed at industrial IoT, connected products, automotive, logistics, and other workloads that require…

Read the review →
  1. Amazon SQSMessage Broker Software 8.5Free plan
  2. HiveMQ MQTT BrokerMessage Broker Software 8.0Free plan · 15-day trial

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Amazon SQS — where it wins

    • Standard and FIFO queues support different delivery guarantees
    • Dead-letter queues, redrive, batching, and long polling are built in
    • Integrates with Lambda, SNS, S3, DynamoDB, and other AWS services

    Where it doesn't

    • Best-effort ordering applies to standard queues
    • Usage-based pricing varies by queue type and request characteristics
    • Designed for AWS environments rather than broad multi-cloud portability

  • HiveMQ MQTT Broker — where it wins

    • Supports MQTT 3.1, 3.1.1, and 5 with QoS 0, 1, and 2
    • Offers clustering, persistent sessions, queuing, and WebSocket connectivity
    • Connects with Kafka, databases, data lakes, and observability platforms

    Where it doesn't

    • Lab and Launch limit deployments to one broker
    • Serverless uses a shared MQTT broker
    • Run and Launch paid plans start at $499 and $299 monthly

Amazon SQS vs HiveMQ MQTT Broker: questions

Which is better for message broker software, Amazon SQS or HiveMQ MQTT Broker?

Amazon SQS scores higher on our rubric for message broker software: 8.5 against 8.0 out of 10; our editors rank them #8 and #13.

How do Amazon SQS and HiveMQ MQTT Broker compare?

Of the 3 checks we put side by side, Amazon SQS leads on none, HiveMQ MQTT Broker on 1, and 2 are level. Maximum message size: 256 MB on HiveMQ MQTT Broker vs 1 MB.

Do Amazon SQS and HiveMQ MQTT Broker have a free plan?

Amazon SQS: Yes. HiveMQ MQTT Broker: Yes.

More comparisons

All message broker software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Nov 2026

Last updated · How we research and update