vioscaleAI
Comparison

PubNub vs Pusher Channels

On the evidence we track, PubNub leads this comparison with a composite score of 81/100. Scores are only directly comparable because these tools share a category; the full breakdown and every source is below.

PubNub full profile →Pusher Channels full profile →
Machine formatsMarkdownJSONGraphQLMarkdown is open. JSON and GraphQL need a free key.
★PubNub81
Pusher Channels51
Score
vioscaleAI score
PubNub81 / 100medium · 61%
Pusher Channels51 / 100medium · 61%
Pricing
Free tier
PubNub✓
Pusher Channels✓
Model
PubNubfreemium
Pusher Channelsfreemium
Price level
PubNubhigh
Pusher Channelsmid
Starting price
PubNub$98
Pusher Channels$49
Transparent
PubNub✓
Pusher Channels✓
Integrations
Count
PubNub–
Pusher Channels2
Security
Certifications
PubNubISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II, SOC 3
Pusher Channels–
Gdpr
PubNub✓
Pusher Channels✓
Hipaa
PubNub✓
Pusher Channels✓
Iso27001
PubNub✓
Pusher Channels✓
Soc2
PubNub✓
Pusher Channels–
Reliability
Sla pct
PubNub99.999
Pusher Channels–
Status page
PubNub✓
Pusher Channels✓
Market
Availability
Content
Faq
PubNub5 items
Pusher Channels6 items

Capabilities

Feature-by-feature on the axes that matter for realtime messaging infra. “-” means undocumented, not absent.

Capabilities
Presence
PubNub✓
Pusher Channels-
Message history replay
PubNub✓
Pusher Channels-
Delivery guarantee
PubNub-
Pusher Channels-
Global edge network
PubNub✓
Pusher Channels-
Scaling model
PubNub-
Pusher Channels-
Offline reconnect catchup
PubNub✓
Pusher Channels-
Push notification bridge
PubNub✓
Pusher Channels-
Auth model
PubNubToken/JWT
Pusher Channels-
Self hostable
PubNub-
Pusher Channels-
Mqtt support
PubNub-
Pusher Channels-
Deployment
PubNubCloud hosted
Pusher Channels-
Pricing model
PubNubMAU metered
Pusher Channels-

What each one is

The product in its own terms, so the numbers below have context.

PubNub

Leader

PubNub provides a cloud-based pub/sub messaging service with integrated presence tracking, message playback, access control, and serverless functions running on a global network with 11 points of presence. The platform consolidates multiple communication services into a single SDK and billing model, with options for regional data residency.

Independently observed

Pusher Channels

A platform delivering APIs that enable real-time communication and collaboration functionality in applications, with SDKs available for web browsers, mobile devices, and backend servers.

Independently observed

Pricing

List pricing as published by each vendor, with the date we read it. Always verify at the source before you buy.

PubNub

Leader
from $98/moUsage-basedFree tier

Free tier with up to 200 MAU. Starter at $98/month for 1,000 MAU. Pro with tiered usage-based pricing starting around $370/month for 5,000 MAU.

  • FreeFree
    • Presence tracking
    • Chat
    • Push notifications
    • Message history
    • Access control
    • +1 more
  • Starter$98/mo
    • User management
    • Insights
    • 6-month chat history
    • Advanced analytics
    • 99.999% SLA
    • +2 more
  • ProContact sales
    • Unlimited chat storage
    • Custom allowances
    • Volume discounts
    • Premium support options
    • All Starter features
as of verify ↗

Pusher Channels

from $49/moSubscriptionFree tier

From $49/month for Startup plan. Free Sandbox tier available.

  • SandboxFree
    • Standard support
  • Startup$49/month
  • Pro$99/month
    • Monitoring integrations
  • Business$299/month
  • Premium$499/month
    • Premium support
  • Growth$699/month
    • Annual price discount
  • Plus$899/month
  • Growth Plus$1,199/month
    • Premium customer support
  • EnterpriseContact sales
    • Custom plan
    • Outstanding uptime
    • Top-tier support
as of verify ↗

Platform & deployment

Where each product runs and how it can be hosted. A dash means undocumented, not unsupported.

Platforms
Web
PubNub✗
Pusher Channels✓
iOS
PubNub✓
Pusher Channels✓
Android
PubNub✓
Pusher Channels✓
Deployment
Cloud / SaaS
PubNub✓
Pusher Channels✓

Integrations

What each product connects to. Counts come from the vendor's own integration directory where one exists.

PubNub

Leader

Not documented yet.

Pusher Channels

2 total
  • Librato
  • Datadog
Independently observed
Still deciding?

PubNub or Pusher Channels: which one depends on you

A composite score cannot know your constraints. Describe them and both get re-weighted against what you actually need, with the evidence behind every position.

Free to run, no account needed to start. How the evaluation works

Comparison generated from independently-sourced facts. Every value links to its source and retrieval date. See the method.