HiveMQ MQTT Broker vs Eclipse Mosquitto

HiveMQ MQTT Broker8.8Visit Eclipse Mosquitto8.7Visit

Higher score 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

vs

Eclipse Mosquitto #7 in MQTT Broker Software 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 2 features Visit Mosquitto

• HiveMQ MQTT Broker fits best

  Teams needing managed or self-managed MQTT with QoS 2

• Eclipse Mosquitto fits best

  A straightforward free self-hosted MQTT broker

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Side by side

Feature	HiveMQ MQTT Broker 8.8/10 Visit ↗	Eclipse Mosquitto 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.8	8.7
Ranking	#6 in MQTT Broker Software	#7 in MQTT Broker Software
Best for	Teams needing managed or self-managed MQTT with QoS 2	A straightforward free self-hosted MQTT broker
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free
Starting price	—	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	15 days	—
Deployment	Cloud, Self-hosted	Self-hosted
Platforms	Windows, Linux	Windows, macOS, Linux
Support	Community, Docs	Community, Docs
Built for	Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features HiveMQ MQTT Broker 0/2 · Eclipse Mosquitto 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	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	Supports MQTT 5.0, 3.1.1, and 3.1 with QoS 0, 1, and 2 Includes TLS, authentication, and topic access control lists Offers retained messages, durable sessions, bridging, and WebSockets
Cons	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	Requires self-hosted deployment and broker administration Support channels are community and documentation No official paid plans for buyers seeking a paid support tier
Our verdict	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 →	Eclipse Mosquitto is an open-source MQTT message broker for clients, IoT devices, embedded systems, and servers. It suits solo developers and small or mid-market teams that want a free, self-hosted broker with standard MQTT messaging… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• 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

• Eclipse Mosquitto — where it wins

  • Supports MQTT 5.0, 3.1.1, and 3.1 with QoS 0, 1, and 2
  • Includes TLS, authentication, and topic access control lists
  • Offers retained messages, durable sessions, bridging, and WebSockets

  Where it doesn't

  • Requires self-hosted deployment and broker administration
  • Support channels are community and documentation
  • No official paid plans for buyers seeking a paid support tier

• 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 →
• Eclipse Mosquitto8.7/10 · Free plan

  A free, self-hosted MQTT broker with core messaging, security, and bridging features.

  Visit MosquittoFull verdict →