Best Tinode Alternatives in 2026
The top Tinode alternatives are Tencent Cloud Chat, Stream Chat and CometChat: 15 chat APIs our editors would look at instead of Tinode, in our ranking order.
Tinode: A flexible open-source chat stack with self-hosting, moderation, and hosted deployment options. Where it falls short: verified client SDK coverage centers on JavaScript and java.
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Best forMultiplatform chat with deep message features
A feature-rich chat backend for teams building messaging across multiple platforms.
- Typing indicators
- Moderation tools
9.7/10★★★★★Visit Tencent Cloud -
Best forFeature-rich apps needing broad SDK coverage
A broad chat toolkit for feature-rich apps, with a high paid entry price.
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8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Stream Chat -
Best forTeams wanting a complete chat platform
A complete chat platform with a free tier and broad SDK coverage.
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8.3/10★★★★☆Visit CometChat -
Best forBudget-conscious apps needing modern chat
A cost-conscious chat API with strong realtime features and a focused SDK footprint.
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8.1/10★★★★☆Visit Ably Chat -
Best forOpen-source teams needing full chat control
A broad, self-hosted chat stack for teams that want control over messaging infrastructure.
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7.9/10★★★★☆Visit PrivChat -
Best forTeams needing polished real-time chat features
A feature-rich chat SDK with a free entry plan and paid growth tiers.
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7.7/10★★★★☆Visit PubNub -
Best forSelf-hosted large-scale group chat
A self-hosted chat stack for large groups, synchronized messaging, and developer control.
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7.5/10★★★★☆Visit OpenIM -
Best forChat apps needing calls and self-hosting
A broad real-time communications API for teams that need calls and self-hosting.
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7.5/10★★★★☆Visit mesibo -
Best forMultichannel customer conversations
A developer-focused API for customer conversations across chat and major messaging channels.
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7.2/10★★★★☆Visit Twilio -
Best forStandard in-app messaging with moderation
A focused chat API for teams needing messaging, moderation, and offline delivery.
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7.1/10★★★★☆Visit Sceyt -
Best forChat with translation and analytics
A flexible chat API with translation, moderation, analytics, and a free tier.
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7.0/10★★★★☆Visit Agora Chat -
Best forBusiness chat with search and compliance options
A broad chat API with search, moderation, offline delivery, and compliance-focused hosting.
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6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit QuickBlox -
Best forBroad-platform chat with free access
A broad-platform chat API with free access and scalable messaging features.
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6.7/10★★★☆☆Visit Easemob -
Best forMature open-source messaging infrastructure
A mature, protocol-rich choice for teams building self-hosted real-time communications.
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6.5/10★★★☆☆Visit ProcessOne -
Best forEstablished teams needing enterprise chat controls
A paid chat API suite for teams that need moderation, analytics, and export controls.
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6.4/10★★★☆☆Visit Sendbird
Tinode Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Tinode?
Tencent Cloud Chat: #1 in our Chat APIs ranking, with an editor score of 9.7 out of 10. A feature-rich chat backend for teams building messaging across multiple platforms.
Is there a free alternative to Tinode?
Yes. Tencent Cloud Chat, Stream Chat, CometChat, Ably Chat and PrivChat have a free plan or a free tier (14 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
What is the cheapest paid alternative to Tinode?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, Ably Chat starts lowest, at $29/mo.
Tinode vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Presence support | Typing indicators | Push notifications | SDK platforms | Message history | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Tinode | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | JavaScript, Java | — | 6.5 |
| 1 | Tencent Cloud Chat | Yes | $399/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, Web, Flutter, Electron, Unity, React Native, C, C++ | 7 days | 9.7 |
| 2 | Stream Chat | Yes | $399/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | React, iOS (Swift), Android, Flutter, React Native, JavaScript, Unity, Unreal, Angular, Node, Python, Ruby, PHP, Java, .NET, Go, REST | — | 8.9 |
| 3 | CometChat | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | JavaScript, React Native, iOS, Android, Flutter, Ionic/Capacitor | — | 8.3 |
| 4 | Ably Chat | Yes | $29/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | JavaScript, React, React Native, Kotlin (Android), Kotlin (JVM), Swift | 30 days | 8.1 |
| 5 | PrivChat | Yes | None | Yes | Yes | Yes | Web, Android, iOS, desktop, Cocos/game engines | — | 7.9 |
| 6 | PubNub Chat | Yes | $98/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | JavaScript, Kotlin, Swift, Unity, Unreal | — | 7.7 |
| 7 | OpenIM | Yes | None | Yes | Yes | Yes | Web, iOS, Android, Flutter, React Native, uni-app, Electron, C/C++, Unity | — | 7.5 |
| 8 | mesibo | Yes | $49/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Android, iOS, Flutter, JavaScript, Python, C++, Linux, macOS, Windows, Raspberry Pi, ARM64 | — | 7.5 |
| 9 | Twilio Conversations | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | web, iOS, Android | — | 7.2 |
| 10 | Sceyt | Yes | $99/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | web, ios, android | — | 7.1 |
| 11 | Agora Chat | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Android, iOS, Web, Windows, Flutter, React Native, Unity | — | 7.0 |
| 12 | QuickBlox Chat API | Yes | $107/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Android, iOS, Flutter, React Native, JavaScript/web | — | 6.8 |
| 13 | Easemob IM | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Android, iOS, Web, HarmonyOS, Windows, Linux, Unity, Flutter, React Native, mini-programs, uni-app, Electron | 7 days | 6.7 |
| 15 | ejabberd | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | iOS, Android, Web | — | 6.5 |
| 16 | Sendbird Chat | No | $349/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | iOS, Android, JavaScript, Flutter, Unity, Unreal, .NET | — | 6.4 |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026
Last updated · How we research and update