Quick answer
Pusher - Pusher wins for most builders who want the simplest path from free to paid, while PubNub is the better free-tier fit if you need more room for monthly transactions, storage, and serverless testing before paying.
How the free tiers compare
These two free tiers solve similar realtime messaging problems, but they cap usage in very different ways. PubNub’s free plan is shaped around monthly product usage: up to 200 MAU, 1M transactions, 1 GB of storage for 7 days, 5 test Functions, and 1M push notifications. That makes it more useful if you are testing a fuller app stack, not just messaging volume. Pusher’s Sandbox is narrower but more generous on throughput: 200k messages per day and 100 concurrent connections, with Functions included, but no monitoring integrations on the free plan. If you are building something connection-heavy or message-heavy, Pusher’s free ceiling is easier to understand. If you need storage and serverless experiments in the same tier, PubNub gives you more dimensions to work with. On price, both jump to flat monthly plans, but Pusher’s first paid tier is much cheaper.
PubNub vs Pusher free tier, side by side
| PubNubFTV 75 | PusherFTV 52 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free user capPubNub’s free tier is user-based; Pusher’s free tier is framed around messages and connections. | Up to 200 MAU | Not stated |
| Free message volumeThese are different quota units, so this is directionally useful, not directly comparable. | Up to 1M transactions monthly | 200,000 messages/day |
| Free storagePubNub includes short-term storage on free; Pusher’s free items do not mention storage. | 1GB data storage for 7 days | Not included |
| Free FunctionsPubNub limits Functions on free; Pusher says Functions are included but does not give a count here. | 5 test Serverless Functions with 7-day runtime | Functions available |
| Free push notificationsPubNub explicitly includes push notifications in free. | 1M push notifications per month | Not stated |
| Concurrent connectionsPusher exposes a connection cap on free. | Not stated | 100 simultaneous connections |
| Credit card required?Only state this for PubNub because the field is present. | No credit card required | Not stated |
After you outgrow the free tier
Both products move from free to flat monthly plans, but Pusher’s first paid step is much cheaper and easier to model. PubNub starts at Starter for $98/month with 1,000 MAU, longer storage, and more Functions, then moves to custom Pro pricing. Pusher starts at Startup for $49/month with 1,000,000 messages/day and 500 connections. For small teams that just need a paid upgrade path, Pusher is cheaper. PubNub costs more but bundles broader realtime platform features and a more expansive free tier around storage, push, and Functions.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | PubNub | Pusher |
|---|---|---|
| At the free tier capPubNub within 200 MAU, 1M transactions/month, 1GB storage for 7 days, and 5 test Functions; Pusher within 200k messages/day and 100 connections. | Free | Free |
| Small production app needing a paid planThis is the first meaningful paid tier shown for each product. | $98/mo | $49/mo |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick PubNub when…
- You are building a prototype that needs message persistence or short-term data storage, not just live delivery.
- You want to test serverless Functions alongside realtime messaging before committing to paid usage.
- Your app has a small monthly user base and you are watching MAU more than daily message spikes.
- You want a free tier with no credit card required.
Pick Pusher when…
- You expect steady message volume and want a clearer daily throughput cap to plan around.
- You need room for concurrent connections on the free tier while you validate a chat or live-updates app.
- You want the lower-cost first paid step after free.
- You do not need free storage depth or MAU-based planning as much as raw realtime traffic.
Bottom line
For the most common builder use case, Pusher is the better pick because the paid step is far cheaper and the free plan is straightforward for realtime messaging and connection testing. PubNub is the better free tier if you need more than chat or live updates and want to experiment with storage, push notifications, and serverless Functions before paying. If your priority is staying free longer across more parts of the stack, PubNub wins. If your priority is a cleaner, lower-cost upgrade path once you outgrow free, Pusher wins.
Read the full listings: PubNub and Pusher. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.