Quick answer
Stream - Stream wins for most builders because its free tier is cardless, more generous on usage, and closer to the paid product shape for chat apps, while ConnectyCube is better if you need calling and media features in a smaller app.
How the free tiers compare
These free tiers solve different problems. ConnectyCube is a lighter starter pack for messaging plus voice and video, with public cloud hosting, 1,000 users, 5 GB storage, and a 1 month retention limit on the free plan. It is useful if you want to test chat and calling together, but the free tier feels like a capped starter environment, and the paid ladder stays relatively small and flat-priced until you reach enterprise. Stream is more chat-first and more usage-friendly: 1,000 MAU and 100 concurrent connections on the free Build plan, no credit card required, and a paid path that starts much higher at $399/mo for 10,000 MAU. Stream’s free tier is better documented as a perpetual entry point for app builders, especially if you care about chat scale and concurrency. ConnectyCube is the better fit when the feature mix matters more than scale.
ConnectyCube vs Stream free tier, side by side
| ConnectyCubeFTV 58 | StreamFTV 79 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free users / MAUConnectyCube lists users per account; Stream lists monthly active users. | 1,000 users | 1,000 MAU |
| Free concurrencyOnly Stream publishes a concurrency cap on the free tier. | Not stated | 100 concurrent connections |
| Storage on free tierConnectyCube includes storage in the free plan; Stream did not provide a storage quota here. | 5 GB | Not stated |
| Retention on free tierConnectyCube publishes retention; Stream did not provide a retention quota here. | 1 month | Not stated |
| Calling / media on free tierStream’s input here is focused on chat and concurrency rather than media quotas. | P2P audio/video calls, client-side video recording | Not stated |
| Credit card required for free tierStream explicitly says no credit card is required. | Not stated | No |
After you outgrow the free tier
Both products use flat-priced plans at the low end, then move upward in bigger steps. ConnectyCube starts at $39/mo for 10,000 users and stays flat through $99 and $199 tiers before enterprise from $599/mo. Stream starts much higher at $399/mo billed annually, or $499 monthly, for 10,000 MAU and 500 concurrent connections, then rises to $599/mo for Elevate. For a small team, ConnectyCube is the cheaper paid path by a wide margin. Stream’s pricing only makes sense if you need its chat feature set and are willing to pay for that jump.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | ConnectyCube | Stream |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 users / 1,000 MAUConnectyCube measures users per account; Stream measures MAU. | Free (within tier) | Free (within tier) |
| 10,000 users / 10,000 MAUThis is the first paid threshold for both products, but Stream’s paid entry is much higher. | ~$39/mo | $399/mo billed annually, or $499/mo monthly |
| 25,000 users / 25,000 MAUStream’s provided plans do not show a 25k MAU tier. | ~$99/mo | At least $399/mo, likely higher plan needs sales guidance if above included limits |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick ConnectyCube when…
- You are building chat plus P2P audio/video calling and want those pieces in one SDK.
- Your app is small and you care more about having a usable starter environment than about scaling MAU.
- You want public cloud hosting with simple flat-priced upgrades.
- You need client-side video recording on the free plan.
Pick Stream when…
- You want a cardless free tier for a chat app and do not want to enter payment details up front.
- Your build is chat-heavy and you care about monthly active users and concurrent connections.
- You expect to outgrow the free tier quickly and want a clearer jump to a larger paid plan.
- You want advanced chat features like moderation, offline support, data export, or message translations on the paid path.
Bottom line
For the most common builder use case, Stream is the better free-tier pick because it is cardless, clearly perpetual, and better aligned with chat apps that may scale beyond a hobby project. ConnectyCube wins if your main need is not just chat but chat plus voice and video, especially when you want a low-cost flat-priced upgrade path. If you are choosing strictly on the free tier, Stream gives you more room before you have to pay. If you need calling features, ConnectyCube is the more relevant starter.
Read the full listings: ConnectyCube and Stream. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.