Top 6 Sendbird alternatives in 2025

SendBird is one of the first if not the only choice when it comes to integrating the real-time communication APIs into mobile or web applications. SendBird integration presents itself with a suite of products which not only includes real-time communication APIs but, also includes push notifications, audio/video, customer support, and many more. With the increasing influence of real-time communication in the apps, it is one of the integral part of development of the applications. SendBird holds a good market-share in the world of realtime communication APIs.

• Used by 150 million+ users across leading digital apps.

• 300 million+ monthly active users.

• Over 7 billion monthly conversations.

While these statistics make SendBird an obvious choice for integrating in the app, developer do seek the SendBird alternatives for various reasons. Sometimes, it essential to get the work done and usecases sufficed rather than going with the one that is popular and hence there are many alternatives to SendBird that developers tend to go with considering various parameters. Since, its difficult to select and analyze all the alternatives of SendBird, we being a top app development company have selected top 6 SendBird alternatives to integrate in the apps. This blog will delve into the technicalities and comparisons on which alternative to choose depending on the usecases and requirements.

Top 6 SendBird alternatives

Considering all the available SendBird alternatives, we have selected the best alternatives of SendBird that can be integrated to the apps. According to us, one of these would be the best suit. Twilio, PubNub, Stream, CometChat, Ably, Firebase.

1. Twilio Conversations

Twilio Conversations is a powerful API-based solution for creating cross-channel messaging experiences, connecting users across SMS, WhatsApp, web chat, and mobile apps under a single thread. Unlike Sendbird, Twilio integration allows seamless multi-channel orchestration beyond just app messaging, making it ideal for businesses with hybrid communication needs. With Twilio’s strong underlying infrastructure, developers have an access to a wide set of tools for building scalable, programmable communication apps with full control over the messaging layer, backed by Twilio's cloud network.

SendBird vs Twilio conversations

  - PARAMETERS

  - SENDBIRD

  - TWILIO CONVERSATIONS








  - Core Features

  - Messaging, voice/video, moderation tools

  - Messaging across SMS, WhatsApp, Web, In-app chat



 

  - Customization

  - Good UI customization via UIKit

  - Requires building custom UIs





  - Security & Compliance

  - GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2 compliant

  - SOC 2, GDPR, HIPAA compliant



 

  - Pricing Model

  - Free till 1000 MAU.

  - Starts at $0.05/active user/month Free till 200 MAU.



 

  - Real-time Protocol Used

  - WebSockets + proprietary enhancements

  - REST APIs + WebSockets



 

  - Message Storage

  - Yes, configurable TTL and history

  - Yes, conversation history available





  - Message Moderation

  - In-built moderation and reporting tools

  - Limited native moderation; needs custom build





  - Localization

  - Supports multiple languages + auto-translation

  - Multi-language support, but basic compared to Sendbird

2. PubNub

PubNub is a global Data Stream Network and real-time infrastructure-as-a-service platform that enables real-time communication features like messaging, presence detection, and signalling for apps. Unlike Sendbird, PubNub integration excels at powering real-time systems such as live dashboards, IoT communication, and multiplayer gaming in addition to chat. Ultra-low latency, massive scalability, and event-driven architectures makes it a perfect choice for the developers.

SendBird vs PubNub

  - PARAMETERS

  - SENDBIRD

  - PubNub








  - Core Features

  - Messaging, voice/video, moderation tools

  - Real-time pub/sub messaging, presence detection



 

  - Customization

  - Good UI customization via UIKit

  - Custom UI required; SDKs only for backend





  - Security & Compliance

  - GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2 compliant

  - HIPAA-ready, TLS/SSL encryption



 

  - Pricing Model

  - Free till 1000 MAU.

  - $98/month Free till 200 MAU.



 

  - Real-time Protocol Used

  - WebSockets + proprietary enhancements

  - Pub/Sub protocol over WebSockets



 

  - Message Storage

  - Yes, configurable TTL and history

  - Optional message persistence via Storage & Playback





  - Message Moderation

  - In-built moderation and reporting tools

  - No in-built moderation; requires external logic





  - Localization

  - Supports multiple languages + auto-translation

  - Supports i18n via API integration, manual

3. Stream

Stream specializes in activity feeds and real-time chat APIs that prioritize speed, scalability, and developer experience. While Sendbird focuses broadly on in-app communication, Stream's chat service is known for its advanced moderation tools, customizable UI kits, and extreme performance. Its focus on developer-friendly SDKs, GDPR and HIPAA compliance, and machine learning-based moderation gives it an edge when building chat into consumer-facing or social apps that require high performance and security.

SendBird vs Stream

  - PARAMETERS

  - SENDBIRD

  - STREAM








  - Core Features

  - Messaging, voice/video, moderation tools

  - In-app chat, activity feeds, AI moderation



 

  - Customization

  - Good UI customization via UIKit

  - Highly customizable via UI kits





  - Security & Compliance

  - GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2 compliant

  - GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2 compliant



 

  - Pricing Model

  - Free till 1000 MAU.

  - $399//month [10,000 MAU] Free till 100 MAU.



 

  - Real-time Protocol Used

  - WebSockets + proprietary enhancements

  - WebSockets



 

  - Message Storage

  - Yes, configurable TTL and history

  - Yes, configurable retention policies





  - Message Moderation

  - In-built moderation and reporting tools

  - Advanced moderation dashboard





  - Localization

  - Supports multiple languages + auto-translation

  - Supports localization and language settings

Looking to integrate SendBird or it's alternative in the apps? Connect with us today! **Contact us

4. CometChat

CometChat is a plug-and-play communication platform offering messaging, voice, and video SDKs, particularly strong for SaaS and marketplace apps. Different from Sendbird, CometChat also provides white-labeling and on-premise hosting options, making it a preferred choice for businesses with strict brand control and regulatory needs. The platform is especially popular among community apps, healthcare apps, and educational platforms requiring moderated, private conversations at scale.

SendBird vs CometChat

  - PARAMETERS

  - SENDBIRD

  - COMETCHAT








  - Core Features

  - Messaging, voice/video, moderation tools

  - Messaging, voice/video, group chat, bots



 

  - Customization

  - Good UI customization via UIKit

  - Pre-built UI kits + full white-labeling





  - Security & Compliance

  - GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2 compliant

  - HIPAA, GDPR compliant



 

  - Pricing Model

  - Free till 1000 MAU.

  - $298.5/month [1,000 users] Free till 100 users.



 

  - Real-time Protocol Used

  - WebSockets + proprietary enhancements

  - WebSockets + XMPP



 

  - Message Storage

  - Yes, configurable TTL and history

  - Yes, with offline message storage





  - Message Moderation

  - In-built moderation and reporting tools

  - Admin panel for moderation





  - Localization

  - Supports multiple languages + auto-translation

  - In-built translation API and localization support

5. Ably

Ably is a real-time messaging infrastructure service built to power live and collaborative applications — chat, data sync, IoT, multiplayer games, and more. Unlike Sendbird, which is chat-centric, Ably focuses on pub/sub messaging patterns, real-time synchronization, and guaranteed message delivery across complex distributed systems. It is widely used by companies like HubSpot, Toyota, and Webflow for event-driven, high-availability communications.

SendBird vs Ably

  - PARAMETERS

  - SENDBIRD

  - ABLY








  - Core Features

  - Messaging, voice/video, moderation tools

  - Real-time data synchronization, pub/sub messaging



 

  - Customization

  - Good UI customization via UIKit

  - UI must be built manually





  - Security & Compliance

  - GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2 compliant

  - ISO 27001, GDPR, SOC 2 compliant



 

  - Pricing Model

  - Free till 1000 MAU.

  - Pay-as-you-go based on messages/bandwidth



 

  - Real-time Protocol Used

  - WebSockets + proprietary enhancements

  - Pub/Sub protocol over WebSockets



 

  - Message Storage

  - Yes, configurable TTL and history

  - Persist history via channels if enabled





  - Message Moderation

  - In-built moderation and reporting tools

  - No native moderation, manual implementation





  - Localization

  - Supports multiple languages + auto-translation

  - Multi-region support but basic i18n support

6. Firebase

Firebase, developed by Google, is a broadsuite of backend services of which FCM is commonly used to build basic messaging systems. Unlike Sendbird’s ready-to-go chat platform, Firebase provides the building blocks to create customized real-time messaging experiences but requires much more development effort. The key advantage lies in its seamless integration with other Google Cloud products, powerful serverless architecture, and affordability for small-scale apps.

SendBird vs Firebase

  - PARAMETERS

  - SENDBIRD

  - FIREBASE








  - Core Features

  - Messaging, voice/video, moderation tools

  - Realtime database sync, FCM notifications



 

  - Customization

  - Good UI customization via UIKit

  - Requires manual UI development





  - Security & Compliance

  - GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2 compliant

  - GDPR, ISO 27001 compliant (Google Cloud standards)



 

  - Pricing Model

  - Free till 1000 MAU.

  - Mostly free, minimal costs for higher usage



 

  - Real-time Protocol Used

  - WebSockets + proprietary enhancements

  - WebSockets (Realtime DB) and proprietary transport



 

  - Message Storage

  - Yes, configurable TTL and history

  - Native data sync; history managed via Firestore rules





  - Message Moderation

  - In-built moderation and reporting tools

  - No built-in moderation tools





  - Localization

  - Supports multiple languages + auto-translation

  - Manual localization; language settings via client-side

Conclusion

So, while SendBird enjoys a good market-share, it’s alternatives are still being used and still the first choice for the developers. Consider Firebase for example which provide provides the trust of Google and also allows the developers to access the other tools in the Google Suite with the same Firebase account. CometChat is more focused towards the end customer facing apps in the healthcare, education, and private conversational apps. Twilio conversations and Pubnub too are good choice for integration of real-time communication module in the apps. Depending on the concept of the app and non-functioning requirements, the developers choose the alternative to SendBird they want. Being into mobile app development since quite a long time we are experienced in integrating all the alternatives mentioned in the blog.