Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

Head-to-head · MQTT Broker Software

Azure Event Grid MQTT broker vs Eclipse Amlen

  • Updated Nov 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 2 checks side by side
Higher score Azure Event Grid MQTT broker #2 in MQTT Broker Software 9.2/10 Paid ✓ 1 of 2 features Visit Microsoft
Eclipse Amlen #4 in MQTT Broker Software 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 2 features Visit Eclipse Amlen

Azure Event Grid MQTT broker leads on 0 checks, Eclipse Amlen on 1, and 1 is even. Who comes out ahead on the 2 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreAzure Event Grid MQTT broker · 9.2/10
  • Free planonly Eclipse Amlen
  • Most featuresAzure Event Grid MQTT broker · 1 of 2

Azure Event Grid MQTT broker scores higher on our rubric for mqtt broker software: 9.2 against 9.0 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #4.

Eclipse Amlen offers free plan; Azure Event Grid MQTT broker doesn't.

Azure Event Grid MQTT broker is the better fit for azure-centric managed IoT deployments. Eclipse Amlen is the better fit for teams needing MQTT alongside JMS messaging.

  • Azure Event Grid MQTT broker fits best

    Azure-centric managed IoT deployments

  • Eclipse Amlen fits best

    Teams needing MQTT alongside JMS messaging

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.

Side by side

Feature Azure Event Grid MQTT broker 9.2/10 Visit ↗ Eclipse Amlen 9.0/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.2 9.0
Ranking #2 in MQTT Broker Software #4 in MQTT Broker Software
Best for Azure-centric managed IoT deployments Teams needing MQTT alongside JMS messaging
Pricing model Paid Free
Starting price — Free plan
Free plan — ✓ (best)
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms Web Web, Linux
Support Docs Community, Docs
Integrations 5 integrations 3 integrations
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Azure Event Grid MQTT broker 1/2 · Eclipse Amlen 0/2
Retained messages ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Clustering Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Deployment model Managed Not checked yet
MQTT versions MQTT 3.1.1, MQTT 3.1.1 over WebSocket, MQTT 5, MQTT 5 over WebSocket Not checked yet
Connection limit Not checked yet Not checked yet
Authentication methods CA-signed or self-signed certificates; Microsoft Entra ID JWT; third-party OAuth 2.0 JWT; custom webhook (can validate SAS tokens, username/password, or certificate revocation) Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Supports MQTT 3.1.1 and MQTT 5, including WebSocket transport
  • Routes MQTT messages to Azure services and webhooks
  • Offers certificate, Entra ID, OAuth JWT, and webhook authentication
  • Supports MQTT versions 3 through 5 over TCP/IP and WebSockets
  • Offers at-most-once, at-least-once, and exactly-once delivery
  • Includes JMS support, custom protocol plug-ins, and REST administration
Cons
  • Paid Event Grid Standard Tier is required
  • Pricing varies with throughput units and operations
  • MQTT connection capacity depends on configured throughput units
  • Requires teams to deploy and operate the broker themselves
  • Its scope extends beyond MQTT into JMS and point-to-point messaging
  • Support is centered on community resources and documentation
Our verdict

Azure Event Grid MQTT broker provides managed MQTT messaging in an Event Grid namespace, for teams connecting IoT devices and applications to Azure services. It supports MQTT 3.1.1 and MQTT 5, including WebSocket transport, and covers core…

Read the review →

Eclipse Amlen is an open-source message broker for IoT, mobile, and web workloads. It suits teams that want to host their own messaging service and need MQTT alongside other messaging approaches. MQTT versions 3 through 5 run over TCP/IP…

Read the review →
  1. Azure Event Grid MQTT brokerMQTT Broker Software 9.2Paid
  2. Eclipse AmlenMQTT Broker Software 9.0Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Azure Event Grid MQTT broker — where it wins

    • Supports MQTT 3.1.1 and MQTT 5, including WebSocket transport
    • Routes MQTT messages to Azure services and webhooks
    • Offers certificate, Entra ID, OAuth JWT, and webhook authentication

    Where it doesn't

    • Paid Event Grid Standard Tier is required
    • Pricing varies with throughput units and operations
    • MQTT connection capacity depends on configured throughput units

  • Eclipse Amlen — where it wins

    • Supports MQTT versions 3 through 5 over TCP/IP and WebSockets
    • Offers at-most-once, at-least-once, and exactly-once delivery
    • Includes JMS support, custom protocol plug-ins, and REST administration

    Where it doesn't

    • Requires teams to deploy and operate the broker themselves
    • Its scope extends beyond MQTT into JMS and point-to-point messaging
    • Support is centered on community resources and documentation

More comparisons

All MQTT broker software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Nov 2026

Last updated · How we research and update