PubNub Chat vs Tinode

PubNub Chat7.7Visit Tinode6.5Visit

Higher score PubNub Chat #6 in Chat APIs 7.7/10 Free plan · paid from $98/mo Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit PubNub

vs

Tinode #14 in Chat APIs 6.5/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Tinode

• PubNub Chat fits best

  Teams needing polished real-time chat features

• Tinode fits best

  Open-source teams building hosted chat

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Side by side

Feature	PubNub Chat 7.7/10 Visit ↗	Tinode 6.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	7.7	6.5
Ranking	#6 in Chat APIs	#14 in Chat APIs
Best for	Teams needing polished real-time chat features	Open-source teams building hosted chat
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	$98/mo	Not published
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Mobile, Desktop	Cloud, Mobile, Self-hosted
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux	Web, iOS, Android
Integrations	8 integrations	3 integrations
Features PubNub Chat 4/4 · Tinode 4/4
Presence support	✓	✓
Typing indicators	✓	✓
Push notifications	✓	✓
Moderation tools	✓	✓
Specs
SDK platforms	JavaScript, Kotlin, Swift, Unity, Unreal	JavaScript, Java
Delivery methods	publish/subscribe, signals, mobile push notifications	WebSocket, Tinode Push Gateway, Google FCM, stdout
Message history	Not published	Not published
Our review
Pros	Supports threads, reactions, history, presence, typing indicators, and moderation Works across web, mobile, desktop, and API-based applications Free plan includes up to 200 MAU or 1M transactions	Persistent history, presence, typing indicators, and read receipts Self-hosting plus hosted Cloud deployment and support tiers Access controls, moderation tools, push adapters, and gRPC bindings
Cons	Paid access starts at $98/month on the Starter plan Pro pricing uses custom MAU packages rather than a listed fixed price Advanced capabilities and custom integrations are reserved for Pro	Verified client SDK coverage centers on JavaScript and Java Advanced management and support require paid plans Cloud and support pricing is listed without a displayed currency for Cloud
Our verdict	PubNub Chat is a developer SDK for adding real-time messaging to mobile apps, games, browsers, and other applications. It supports direct, group, and public conversations, with features including presence, typing indicators, read receipts,… Read the review →	Tinode is an open-source messaging platform for organizations building chat experiences or private messaging services. It supports web, iOS, Android, API, and self-hosted deployments, with one-to-one conversations, group topics, read-only… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• PubNub Chat — where it wins

  • Supports threads, reactions, history, presence, typing indicators, and moderation
  • Works across web, mobile, desktop, and API-based applications
  • Free plan includes up to 200 MAU or 1M transactions

  Where it doesn't

  • Paid access starts at $98/month on the Starter plan
  • Pro pricing uses custom MAU packages rather than a listed fixed price
  • Advanced capabilities and custom integrations are reserved for Pro

• Tinode — where it wins

  • Persistent history, presence, typing indicators, and read receipts
  • Self-hosting plus hosted Cloud deployment and support tiers
  • Access controls, moderation tools, push adapters, and gRPC bindings

  Where it doesn't

  • Verified client SDK coverage centers on JavaScript and Java
  • Advanced management and support require paid plans
  • Cloud and support pricing is listed without a displayed currency for Cloud

• PubNub Chat7.7/10 · Free plan · paid from $98/mo

  A feature-rich chat SDK with a free entry plan and paid growth tiers.

  Visit PubNubFull verdict →
• Tinode6.5/10 · Free plan

  A flexible open-source chat stack with self-hosting, moderation, and hosted deployment options.

  Visit TinodeFull verdict →