EMQX vs HiveMQ MQTT Broker

EMQX8.9Visit HiveMQ MQTT Broker8.8Visit

Higher score EMQX #5 in MQTT Broker Software 8.9/10 Free plan · 14-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 0 of 2 features Visit EMQX

vs

HiveMQ MQTT Broker #6 in MQTT Broker Software 8.8/10 Free plan · 15-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 0 of 2 features Visit HiveMQ

• EMQX fits best

  Teams needing MQTT with broad protocol connectivity

• HiveMQ MQTT Broker fits best

  Teams needing managed or self-managed MQTT with QoS 2

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Side by side

Feature	EMQX 8.9/10 Visit ↗	HiveMQ MQTT Broker 8.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.9	8.8
Ranking	#5 in MQTT Broker Software	#6 in MQTT Broker Software
Best for	Teams needing MQTT with broad protocol connectivity	Teams needing managed or self-managed MQTT with QoS 2
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	$234/mo	—
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	14 days	15 days
Free trial length	14 days	15 days · no card needed
Deployment	Cloud, Self-hosted	Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms	Web	Windows, Linux
Support	Email, Tickets, Docs	Community, Docs
Compliance	SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR	SOC 2, ISO 27001
Integrations	50+ integrations	13 integrations
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Mid-market, Enterprise
Features EMQX 0/2 · HiveMQ MQTT Broker 0/2
Retained messages	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Clustering	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Deployment model	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
MQTT versions	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Connection limit	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Authentication methods	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Connects MQTT with protocols including CoAP, STOMP, and NATS Routes and transforms data with SQL rules and a visual flow designer Offers TLS/mTLS, authentication controls, ACL/RBAC, and audit logs	Supports MQTT 3.1, 3.1.1, and 5 with all three QoS levels Offers managed and self-managed deployment options Connects with data platforms including Kafka, Kinesis, and Snowflake
Cons	Dedicated Flex starts at $234/month Serverless charges for usage beyond its free monthly quota Plan, capacity, cloud provider, and region affect pricing	Self-managed Lab and Launch plans are limited to one broker deployment Listed monthly self-managed plans start at $299 Several enterprise plan prices depend on custom capacity
Our verdict	EMQX provides MQTT publish/subscribe messaging for IoT, AI, and connected-device workloads. Its mix of managed cloud, bring-your-own-cloud, and self-hosted Enterprise options suits teams that need to connect device fleets or real-time data… Read the review →	HiveMQ MQTT Broker connects devices, applications, and enterprise systems through MQTT messaging. It supports MQTT 3.1, 3.1.1, and 5, with QoS 0, 1, and 2, persistent sessions, message queuing, clustering, and security controls. Managed… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• EMQX — where it wins

  • Connects MQTT with protocols including CoAP, STOMP, and NATS
  • Routes and transforms data with SQL rules and a visual flow designer
  • Offers TLS/mTLS, authentication controls, ACL/RBAC, and audit logs

  Where it doesn't

  • Dedicated Flex starts at $234/month
  • Serverless charges for usage beyond its free monthly quota
  • Plan, capacity, cloud provider, and region affect pricing

• HiveMQ MQTT Broker — where it wins

  • Supports MQTT 3.1, 3.1.1, and 5 with all three QoS levels
  • Offers managed and self-managed deployment options
  • Connects with data platforms including Kafka, Kinesis, and Snowflake

  Where it doesn't

  • Self-managed Lab and Launch plans are limited to one broker deployment
  • Listed monthly self-managed plans start at $299
  • Several enterprise plan prices depend on custom capacity

• EMQX8.9/10 · Free plan · 14-day trial

  A flexible MQTT platform with protocol gateways, durable queues, and cloud or self-hosted options.

  Visit EMQXFull verdict →
• HiveMQ MQTT Broker8.8/10 · Free plan · 15-day trial

  Flexible managed or self-managed MQTT with QoS 2, clustering, and broad integrations.

  Visit HiveMQFull verdict →