aMQTT review
A self-hosted broker for small MQTT 3.1.1 deployments that need plugin-based authentication.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Nov 2026
aMQTT is an open-source MQTT broker and client implemented with Python’s asyncio. It is suited to solo developers and small teams running a self-hosted MQTT 3.1.1 deployment, either as a command-line broker or as part of a Python project. Its documented scope includes TCP and WebSocket listeners, SSL/TLS connections, QoS 0–2 message flows, and client command-line tools for publishing and subscribing. A Docker container is also described as an option for running the broker.
Authentication and extensibility are central to aMQTT’s fit. The plugin framework includes topic authorization and status publishing, while authentication options include x509 certificates, file-based passwords, databases, HTTP, LDAP, and JWT. Listed integrations include MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQLite alongside HTTP and LDAP. A session persistence plugin is also available, and clients can automatically reconnect after network loss. These options give a small deployment several ways to connect authentication and storage to its existing environment, though setup involves operating the broker yourself and choosing the relevant plugins.
The project documents MQTT 3.1.1, so aMQTT is a reasonable candidate when that version and a compact self-hosted broker meet the requirement. Its published scope is less suited to teams seeking broader broker operations or capabilities beyond the documented protocol and plugin features. Community support and documentation are the listed support channels. Choose aMQTT for a small Python-oriented deployment that values configurable authentication and session persistence; consider another broker if broader protocol coverage or operational capabilities are central to the project.
aMQTT pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Supports QoS 0–2 over TCP and WebSocket listeners
- Offers TLS plus authentication plugins including LDAP and JWT
- Includes client command-line tools and session persistence
- Where it doesn't
- Documents MQTT 3.1.1 only
- Requires self-hosted deployment
- Broker operations are a narrower focus than protocol breadth
aMQTT fact sheet, pricing and score →
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
Last updated · How we research and update