EMQX vs ThingsBoard: 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 EMQX and ThingsBoard 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:
EMQX
Massive IoT connections & real-time data streaming
Best for you if:
- • You want combines real-time and durable messaging, reducing infrastructure complexity
ThingsBoard
Open-source IoT platform for device management, data collection, processing, and visualization.
Best for you if:
- • You want open-source with a community edition available
| At a Glance | EMQX | ThingsBoard |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free plan, paid from $234/mo, billed monthly Dedicated Flex plan | Free plan |
Category | IoT Platforms Data & Databases | IoT Platforms Cloud & Infrastructure |
Rating | 4.6/5 G2 4.6 23 reviews | 4.1/5 G2 4.1 · SourceForge 4.0 6 reviews |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Watch out for | Pay-as-you-go beyond Serverless free quota | n/a |
Choose EMQX or ThingsBoard?
Choose EMQX if
- You want combines real-time and durable messaging, reducing infrastructure complexity
- You want achieves extremely high scalability and low latency for demanding applications
Choose ThingsBoard if
- You want open-source with a community edition available
- You want highly scalable and fault-tolerant due to microservices architecture
In-Depth Analysis
EMQX
Massive IoT connections & real-time data streaming
EMQX offers a generous Serverless tier with a free quota, making it accessible for small projects and testing.
Watch out
Pay-as-you-go beyond Serverless free quota
Strengths
- Pro: Combines real-time and durable messaging, reducing infrastructure complexity.
- Pro: Achieves extremely high scalability and low latency for demanding applications.
- Pro: Offers robust security features suitable for enterprise and regulated environments.
- Pro: Provides extensive data integration capabilities with various cloud and enterprise systems.
- Pro: Supports AI-driven workflows with native LLM integrations.
Weaknesses
- Con: Custom pricing for BYOC and Enterprise plans requires direct contact, lacking transparency.
- Con: Self-managed Enterprise plan requires customers to handle monitoring and maintenance.
Key features
ThingsBoard
Open-source IoT platform for device management, data collection, processing, and visualization.
The Community Edition offers a generous free option for basic needs.
Strengths
- Pro: Open-source with a community edition available.
- Pro: Highly scalable and fault-tolerant due to microservices architecture.
- Pro: Supports a wide range of industry-standard IoT protocols.
- Pro: Flexible deployment options (cloud, on-premises, self-managed, managed).
- Pro: Comprehensive features for device management, data processing, and visualization.
Weaknesses
- Con: Advanced features like white-labeling and enhanced RBAC are only available in paid editions.
- Con: Self-managed deployments require technical expertise for setup and maintenance.
- Con: Pricing for Professional Edition and Cloud is not explicitly listed on the public pages.
Key features
Plans and prices: EMQX vs ThingsBoard
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| EMQX |
| emqx.io/pricing read Nov 2, 2026 |
| ThingsBoard |
| thingsboard.io read Sep 29, 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 EMQX pricing and ThingsBoard pricing.
Key Takeaways
EMQX
- Choose if you want massive IoT connections & real-time data streaming
ThingsBoard
- Choose if you want open-source IoT platform for device management, data collection, processing, and visualization
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.
- User ratings rest on too few reviews to rank (4.6/5 from 23 reviews for EMQX, 4.1/5 from 6 reviews for ThingsBoard; we compare ratings only above 20 reviews on both sides).
- EMQX starts at $234/mo, billed monthly; ThingsBoard has no public paid plan price on file.
- 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 EMQX and ThingsBoard 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. User ratings rest on too few reviews to rank (4.6/5 from 23 reviews for EMQX, 4.1/5 from 6 reviews for ThingsBoard; we compare ratings only above 20 reviews on both sides). EMQX starts at $234/mo, billed monthly; ThingsBoard has no public paid plan price on file. Both have a free plan.
What are EMQX and ThingsBoard used for?
EMQX: Massive IoT connections & real-time data streaming. ThingsBoard: Open-source IoT platform for device management, data collection, processing, and visualization.
What does EMQX cost vs ThingsBoard?
EMQX's cheapest paid plan is Dedicated Flex at $234/mo, billed monthly; it also has a free plan. ThingsBoard has no public paid-plan price on file. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Nov 2, 2026.
What's the main difference between EMQX and ThingsBoard?
EMQX's main strength: combines real-time and durable messaging, reducing infrastructure complexity. ThingsBoard's main strength: open-source with a community edition available.