Stream Chat vs OpenIM

Stream Chat9.2Visit OpenIM8.7Visit

Higher score Stream Chat #2 in Chat APIs 9.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Stream Chat

vs

OpenIM #7 in Chat APIs 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit OpenIM

• Stream Chat fits best

  Feature-rich apps needing broad SDK coverage

• OpenIM fits best

  Self-hosted large-scale group chat

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Side by side

Feature	Stream Chat 9.2/10 Visit ↗	OpenIM 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.2	8.7
Ranking	#2 in Chat APIs	#7 in Chat APIs
Best for	Feature-rich apps needing broad SDK coverage	Self-hosted large-scale group chat
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free
Starting price	—	Free
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Mobile	Cloud, Mobile, Self-hosted
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android	Web, iOS, Android
Integrations	7 integrations	7 integrations
Features Stream Chat 4/4 · OpenIM 4/4
Presence support	✓	✓
Typing indicators	✓	✓
Push notifications	✓	✓
Moderation tools	✓	✓
Specs
SDK platforms	React, iOS (Swift), Android, Flutter, React Native, JavaScript, Unity, Unreal, Angular, Node, Python, Ruby, PHP, Java, .NET, Go, REST	Web, iOS, Android, Flutter, React Native, uni-app, Electron, C/C++, Unity
Delivery methods	WebSocket events, REST API, webhooks, Amazon SQS, Amazon SNS, push notifications	Online push, offline push, offline message synchronization, multi-device synchronization
Message history	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Supports direct, group, public, and private conversations Prebuilt UI plus client, server, and REST SDKs Offline support, moderation, push notifications, and presence	Supports groups of up to 100,000 members Offers offline messages and multi-device synchronization Includes Server APIs, webhooks, and rich message types
Cons	Paid plans start at $399/month when billed annually Build is limited to 1,000 monthly active users and 100 connections Advanced capabilities are reserved for higher plans	Business and Enterprise editions use contact-sales licensing Advanced voice and video features are limited to Enterprise The integration set is focused rather than broad
Our verdict	Stream Chat is a hosted chat API and SDK platform for adding real-time messaging to web and mobile applications. It suits teams building feature-rich products that need direct messages, group conversations, public or private channels,… Read the review →	OpenIM is open-source communication infrastructure for developers adding in-app chat and messaging to web, mobile, desktop, and cross-platform applications. Its self-hosted server components, client SDKs, Server APIs, and webhooks cover… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Stream Chat — where it wins

  • Supports direct, group, public, and private conversations
  • Prebuilt UI plus client, server, and REST SDKs
  • Offline support, moderation, push notifications, and presence

  Where it doesn't

  • Paid plans start at $399/month when billed annually
  • Build is limited to 1,000 monthly active users and 100 connections
  • Advanced capabilities are reserved for higher plans

• OpenIM — where it wins

  • Supports groups of up to 100,000 members
  • Offers offline messages and multi-device synchronization
  • Includes Server APIs, webhooks, and rich message types

  Where it doesn't

  • Business and Enterprise editions use contact-sales licensing
  • Advanced voice and video features are limited to Enterprise
  • The integration set is focused rather than broad

• Stream Chat9.2/10 · Free plan

  A broad chat toolkit for feature-rich apps, with a high paid entry price.

  Visit Stream ChatFull verdict →
• OpenIM8.7/10 · Free plan

  A self-hosted chat stack for large groups, synchronized messaging, and developer control.

  Visit OpenIMFull verdict →