Azure Event Grid MQTT broker review
A managed MQTT broker with Azure routing, flexible authentication, and usage-based pricing.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Nov 2026
Azure Event Grid MQTT broker provides managed MQTT messaging in an Event Grid namespace, for teams connecting IoT devices and applications to Azure services. It supports MQTT 3.1.1 and MQTT 5, including WebSocket transport, and covers core broker needs such as retained messages, persistent sessions, QoS 0 and 1, and shared subscriptions. Its fit is strongest for Azure-centric deployments; teams seeking a standalone broker outside this service ecosystem may prefer a different option.
Its Azure integrations are a central reason to consider it. MQTT messages can be routed to Azure Functions, Event Hubs, Stream Analytics, Logic Apps, Microsoft Fabric eventstreams, or webhooks. The HTTP Publish API also allows messages to be sent over HTTPS. Client lifecycle events report connection and resource changes, which can support operational workflows around client activity. These capabilities make the broker more than a message endpoint for organizations already building around Azure services.
The broker is included in the paid Event Grid Standard Tier, with charges based on throughput units and operations performed; the plan includes 1,000,000 MQTT operations free per month. Connection capacity is tied to configured throughput units, at 10,000 clients per throughput unit, so deployment sizing is part of the cost and capacity decision. Authentication options include CA-signed or self-signed certificates, Microsoft Entra ID JWT, third-party OAuth 2.0 JWT, and custom webhooks that can validate SAS tokens, usernames and passwords, or certificate revocation. Choose it when managed MQTT and Azure routing belong together; consider alternatives if the priority is a broker independent of Azure or pricing that is not usage-based.
Azure Event Grid MQTT broker pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Supports MQTT 3.1.1 and MQTT 5, including WebSocket transport
- Routes MQTT messages to Azure services and webhooks
- Offers certificate, Entra ID, OAuth JWT, and webhook authentication
- Where it doesn't
- Paid Event Grid Standard Tier is required
- Pricing varies with throughput units and operations
- MQTT connection capacity depends on configured throughput units
Azure Event Grid MQTT broker fact sheet, pricing and score →
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