Arduino Cloud vs Particle: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Arduino Cloud and Particle side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Arduino Cloud
Build, control, and monitor your IoT projects with an all-in-one cloud platform.
Best for you if:
- • You want easy to get started with and use, even for beginners
Particle
An integrated IoT Platform-as-a-Service for intelligent devices, from hardware to cloud.
Best for you if:
- • You want comprehensive end-to-end IoT solution from hardware to cloud
| At a Glance | Arduino Cloud | Particle |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free plan, paid from $1.67/member/mo, billed yearly School plan | Free plan, paid from $299/mo, billed monthly Basic plan |
Category | IoT Platforms Low-Code Backend | IoT Platforms Cloud & Infrastructure |
Rating | 4.5/5 G2 4.5 147 reviews | n/a |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Watch out for | n/a | Rapid scaling of devices/data operations increases cost significantly. |
Choose Arduino Cloud or Particle?
Choose Arduino Cloud if
- You want easy to get started with and use, even for beginners
- You want supports a wide variety of hardware, including Arduino, ESP, and third-party devices
Choose Particle if
- You want comprehensive end-to-end IoT solution from hardware to cloud
- You want strong emphasis on security with built-in features and best practices
In-Depth Analysis
Arduino Cloud
Build, control, and monitor your IoT projects with an all-in-one cloud platform.
The pricing for Arduino Cloud seems fair, especially for individual makers at $72/year.
Strengths
- Pro: Easy to get started with and use, even for beginners
- Pro: Supports a wide variety of hardware, including Arduino, ESP, and third-party devices
- Pro: Offers a free plan for basic IoT projects
- Pro: Provides mobile app for remote control and monitoring
- Pro: Includes AI assistance for coding and debugging
Weaknesses
- Con: Limited data retention and daily records on lower-tier plans
- Con: Number of 'Things' (connected objects) is limited on free and lower-tier plans
- Con: Advanced features like white labeling and enterprise support are only available on higher-tier plans
Key features
Particle
An integrated IoT Platform-as-a-Service for intelligent devices, from hardware to cloud.
Particle's pricing structure is fair for small-scale IoT projects with its generous Free tier.
Watch out
Rapid scaling of devices/data operations increases cost significantly.
Strengths
- Pro: Comprehensive end-to-end IoT solution from hardware to cloud.
- Pro: Strong emphasis on security with built-in features and best practices.
- Pro: Reliable multi-radio connectivity simplifies global deployments.
- Pro: Developer-friendly tools and extensive documentation accelerate development.
- Pro: Scalable platform capable of managing millions of messages and updates monthly.
Weaknesses
- Con: Specific pricing details are not immediately available on the main pages.
- Con: Some features like 'Configuration' and 'Insights' are listed as 'COMING SOON'.
- Con: Requires some hardware knowledge for development board integration.
Key features
Plans and prices: Arduino Cloud vs Particle
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Arduino Cloud |
| cloud.arduino.cc/plans read Nov 1, 2026 |
| Particle |
| particle.io/pricing read Oct 27, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Arduino Cloud pricing and Particle pricing.
Key Takeaways
Arduino Cloud
- Choose if you want build, control, and monitor your IoT projects with an all-in-one cloud platform
Particle
- Choose if you want an integrated IoT Platform-as-a-Service for intelligent devices, from hardware to cloud
What the data shows
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.
- Only Arduino Cloud has a published user rating (4.5/5 from 147 reviews); Particle has none we can show.
- Entry prices are not ranked, they are charged on different bases: Arduino Cloud $1.67/member/mo, billed yearly; Particle $299/mo, billed monthly.
- Both have a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Arduino Cloud and Particle compare in 2026?
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair. Only Arduino Cloud has a published user rating (4.5/5 from 147 reviews); Particle has none we can show. Entry prices are not ranked, they are charged on different bases: Arduino Cloud $1.67/member/mo, billed yearly; Particle $299/mo, billed monthly. Both have a free plan.
What are Arduino Cloud and Particle used for?
Arduino Cloud: Build, control, and monitor your IoT projects with an all-in-one cloud platform. Particle: An integrated IoT Platform-as-a-Service for intelligent devices, from hardware to cloud.
What does Arduino Cloud cost vs Particle?
Arduino Cloud's cheapest paid plan is School at $1.67/member/mo, billed yearly; it also has a free plan. Particle's cheapest paid plan is Basic at $299/mo, billed monthly; it also has a free plan. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Nov 1, 2026.
What's the main difference between Arduino Cloud and Particle?
Arduino Cloud's main strength: easy to get started with and use, even for beginners. Particle's main strength: comprehensive end-to-end IoT solution from hardware to cloud.