Golioth vs Mainflux: 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 Golioth and Mainflux 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:
Golioth
IoT infrastructure as code for hardware teams, connecting devices and routing data with ease.
Best for you if:
- • You want significantly reduces time and cost for building IoT cloud infrastructure (e.g., 6+ months saved)
Mainflux
Open-source IoT platform for secure, performant, and scalable connected solutions.
Best for you if:
- • You want eliminates vendor lock-in and licensing issues with open-source model
| At a Glance | Golioth | Mainflux |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free plan, one-time packs from $50 | Free plan, paid from $500/mo, billed monthly Managed Cloud Edition plan |
Category | IoT Platforms Cloud & Infrastructure | IoT Platforms DevOps |
Rating | 4.5/5 G2 4.4 · Capterra 5.0 67 reviews | n/a |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Watch out for | Connect bills every active device every month. Sleepy sensors still count if they stay connected. | Support tiers are 'From' prices, implying potential higher costs. |
Choose Golioth or Mainflux?
Choose Golioth if
- You want significantly reduces time and cost for building IoT cloud infrastructure (e.g., 6+ months saved)
- You want device, connectivity, and service agnostic, offering flexibility in hardware and RTOS choices
Choose Mainflux if
- You want eliminates vendor lock-in and licensing issues with open-source model
- You want provides robust security features for IoT deployments
In-Depth Analysis
Golioth
IoT infrastructure as code for hardware teams, connecting devices and routing data with ease.
Golioth has no seat SKU.
Watch out
Connect bills every active device every month. Sleepy sensors still count if they stay connected.
Strengths
- Pro: Significantly reduces time and cost for building IoT cloud infrastructure (e.g., 6+ months saved).
- Pro: Device, connectivity, and service agnostic, offering flexibility in hardware and RTOS choices.
- Pro: Built-in security features from day one, including encryption and certificate authentication.
- Pro: Simplifies data routing and transformation with easy-to-configure pipelines.
- Pro: Enables hybrid AI for faster decisions at the edge and continuous model improvement.
Weaknesses
- Con: Additional usage beyond free tiers for OTA bandwidth, logs, and data streaming incurs extra costs.
- Con: Advanced features like custom retention for data storage, advanced permissions, audit logs, SSO, and private cloud are only available in higher-tier or custom plans.
- Con: Community support is the primary option for the free tier, with dedicated support only for paid plans.
Key features
Mainflux
Open-source IoT platform for secure, performant, and scalable connected solutions.
Mainflux offers a generous Free tier for its open-source IoT platform, making it accessible for developers and small projects.
Watch out
Support tiers are 'From' prices, implying potential higher costs.
Strengths
- Pro: Eliminates vendor lock-in and licensing issues with open-source model
- Pro: Provides robust security features for IoT deployments
- Pro: Highly performant and scalable due to modern architecture
- Pro: Flexible deployment options (on-prem, hybrid, cloud)
- Pro: Comprehensive consulting services available for complex IoT projects
Weaknesses
- Con: Requires technical expertise for self-hosted deployments
- Con: Managed Cloud Edition and advanced support plans can be costly
- Con: Reliance on community support for the free tier
Key features
Plans and prices: Golioth vs Mainflux
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Golioth |
| golioth.io/pricing read Oct 14, 2026 |
| Mainflux |
| mainflux.com/pricing read Oct 26, 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 Golioth pricing and Mainflux pricing.
Key Takeaways
Golioth
- Choose if you want IoT infrastructure as code for hardware teams, connecting devices and routing data with ease
Mainflux
- Choose if you want open-source IoT platform for secure, performant, and scalable connected solutions
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 Golioth has a published user rating (4.5/5 from 67 reviews); Mainflux has none we can show.
- Mainflux starts at $500/mo, billed monthly; Golioth sells one-time credit packs from $50 (no subscription).
- 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 Golioth and Mainflux 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 Golioth has a published user rating (4.5/5 from 67 reviews); Mainflux has none we can show. Mainflux starts at $500/mo, billed monthly; Golioth sells one-time credit packs from $50 (no subscription). Both have a free plan.
What are Golioth and Mainflux used for?
Golioth: IoT infrastructure as code for hardware teams, connecting devices and routing data with ease. Mainflux: Open-source IoT platform for secure, performant, and scalable connected solutions.
What does Golioth cost vs Mainflux?
Golioth sells one-time credit packs from $50 (no subscription). Mainflux's cheapest paid plan is Managed Cloud Edition at $500/mo, billed monthly; it also has a free plan. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 26, 2026.
What's the main difference between Golioth and Mainflux?
Golioth's main strength: significantly reduces time and cost for building IoT cloud infrastructure (e.g., 6+ months saved). Mainflux's main strength: eliminates vendor lock-in and licensing issues with open-source model.