CometChat vs Ably Chat

CometChat9.1Visit Ably Chat9.0Visit

Higher score CometChat #3 in Chat APIs 9.1/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit CometChat

vs

Ably Chat #4 in Chat APIs 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Ably Chat

• CometChat fits best

  Teams wanting a complete chat platform

• Ably Chat fits best

  Budget-conscious apps needing modern chat

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Side by side

Feature	CometChat 9.1/10 Visit ↗	Ably Chat 9.0/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.1	9.0
Ranking	#3 in Chat APIs	#4 in Chat APIs
Best for	Teams wanting a complete chat platform	Budget-conscious apps needing modern chat
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	—	$29/mo
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Mobile	Cloud, Mobile
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android	Web, iOS, Android
Integrations	12 integrations	8 integrations
Features CometChat 4/4 · Ably Chat 4/4
Presence support	✓	✓
Typing indicators	✓	✓
Push notifications	✓	✓
Moderation tools	✓	✓
Specs
SDK platforms	JavaScript, React Native, iOS, Android, Flutter, Ionic/Capacitor	JavaScript, React, React Native, Kotlin (Android), Kotlin (JVM), Swift
Delivery methods	push, email, SMS, custom provider	WebSocket realtime streaming, REST API, push notifications via channels or direct delivery
Message history	Not checked yet	30 days
Our review
Pros	Free Build plan includes all features for up to 100 users Supports chat, calling, notifications, moderation, and AI features SDKs, APIs, UI Kits, webhooks, and broad framework coverage	Free plan includes 6M monthly messages Presence, reactions, push, and moderation workflows included React UI Kit plus web, iOS, Android, and API support
Cons	Build is limited to up to 100 users Higher concurrency is reserved for Enterprise The broad feature set may exceed basic chat needs	Standard and Pro plans add usage charges Default message history retention is 30 days Verified SDK coverage is narrower than leading alternatives
Our verdict	CometChat provides communication infrastructure for developers adding real-time messaging and calling to websites, web apps, and mobile applications. Its capabilities cover one-to-one and group chat, media sharing, presence, typing… Read the review →	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 →

Strengths and trade-offs

• CometChat — where it wins

  • Free Build plan includes all features for up to 100 users
  • Supports chat, calling, notifications, moderation, and AI features
  • SDKs, APIs, UI Kits, webhooks, and broad framework coverage

  Where it doesn't

  • Build is limited to up to 100 users
  • Higher concurrency is reserved for Enterprise
  • The broad feature set may exceed basic chat needs

• 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

• CometChat9.1/10 · Free plan

  A complete chat platform with a free tier and broad SDK coverage.

  Visit CometChatFull verdict →
• Ably Chat9.0/10 · Free plan

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

  Visit Ably ChatFull verdict →