PubNub Pricing 2026
Plans, costs, and free options for PubNub
Last updated: February 2, 2026
TL;DR: PubNub Pricing
Pricing Model
Freemium
Starting Price
$98/month
Free Option
Yes ✓
Freemium
Pricing Model
PubNub offers a free tier with basic features, plus paid plans for users who need more advanced functionality.
Free Tier Available
Basic features included at no cost
Paid Upgrades
Premium features with paid plans
Free trial available (14 days)
Available Plans
Free Plan
Free
- 200 MAU or 1M transactions Usage Allowance
- 1GB data storage (7 days)
- Community support
- Up to 1M transactions monthly
Starter Plan
$98/month
- 1,000 MAU included
- Includes add-on Bizops Workspace for user and channel management
- Up to 6 months data storage
- Standard support (24/5)
- Insights into your users, channels and messages
Pro Plan
Custom
- Custom MAU packages
- Significant volume discounts
- Unlimited data storage
- Dedicated support team
- Advanced analytics & monitoring
- 99.999% uptime SLA
- +1 more features
PubNub vs Competitors: Pricing Comparison
See how PubNub pricing compares to similar tools in API Tools
| Tool | Free Tier | Starting Price | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
PubNubCurrent Build, manage, and optimize real-time in... | Yes | $98/month | —/100 | Details → |
Talkjs Chat API for websites and apps | Yes | $279/mo | 82/100 | Pricing → |
 Backendless Backend as a service with visual app dev... | Yes | — | 80/100 | Pricing → |
 AppwriteBest Value Open source backend platform | Yes | $25/mo | 84/100 | Pricing → |
Prices shown are starting prices. Actual pricing may vary based on features and team size.
See all alternatives →PubNub Pricing FAQ
How much does PubNub cost?
PubNub offers the following plans: Free Plan (Free), Starter Plan ($98/month), Pro Plan (Custom). A free tier is available. A 14-day free trial is offered.
Is there a free version of PubNub?
Yes, PubNub offers a free tier with basic features. Upgrade to a paid plan for more functionality.
Does PubNub offer a free trial?
Yes, PubNub offers a 14-day free trial so you can test before committing.
What are cheaper alternatives to PubNub?
Free or freemium alternatives include Talkjs, Backendless, Appwrite. View our full comparison to find the best value.
How much does PubNub cost?
PubNub offers almost limitless pricing options, from simple pay-as-you-go models to custom solutions tailored to business needs and growth objectives. Specific pricing details are available on their website.
Is PubNub free?
Yes, PubNub offers a free tier for up to 200 Monthly Active Users (MAUs) with no credit card required. This free tier includes access to all PubNub SDKs and complete feature access to over 100 integrations.