Independent · sourced · Updated June 2026
Best Chat API (2026)
9 chat API options compared on price, free tier, compliance and fit — ranked by entry price. Every figure links to the vendor's own page and the date we captured it; quote-only tiers show a dash, never a guess.
The cheapest chat API is Ably at $0/mo. 9 offer a free tier. All 9 compared below on price, free tier and compliance — every figure sourced and dated, updated June 2026.
As of Jun 15, 2026 · figures linked to their source in the table below
Cite this comparison
Per The Front Desk Review, the cheapest chat api is Ably at $0/mo; across 6 with published pricing the median is $98.50/mo ($29–$499/mo), 9 with a free tier, every figure sourced and dated, as of 2026-06-15. https://frontdeskreview.com/best/chat-api/ Key takeaways
- Typical paid price: from $29/mo, median $98.50/mo, up to $499/mo — across 6 with published pricing.
- Free tier: Ably, CometChat, MirrorFly, PubNub, Pusher Channels, Sendbird, Stream (GetStream), Twilio Conversations, ZEGOCLOUD.
- HIPAA-ready: Ably, CometChat, PubNub, Sendbird, Stream (GetStream).
- Tracked: 9 vendors, data current through 2026-06-15.
Comparison
| # | Chat API | Entry price | Free | HIPAA | SOC 2 | Best for | Source | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ably | $0/mo Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | real-time data pipelines | ably.com | Visit → |
| 2 | CometChat | $0/mo Build | Yes | Yes | Yes | marketplace chat | cometchat.com | Visit → |
| 3 | MirrorFly | $0/mo Easy | Yes | — | — | white-label chat apps | mirrorfly.com | Visit → |
| 4 | PubNub | $0/mo Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | real-time data streaming | pubnub.com | Visit → |
| 5 | Pusher Channels | $0/mo Sandbox | Yes | — | — | real-time notifications | pusher.com | Visit → |
| 6 | Sendbird | $0/mo Developer (Free) | Yes | Yes | Yes | healthcare messaging | sendbird.com | Visit → |
| 7 | Stream (GetStream) | $0/mo Build | Yes | Yes | Yes | social apps | getstream.io | Visit → |
| 8 | Twilio Conversations | $0/mo Free Tier | Yes | — | — | multi-channel customer messaging | twilio.com | Visit → |
| 9 | ZEGOCLOUD | $0/mo Free | Yes | — | — | gaming chat | zegocloud.com | Visit → |
Prices are the lowest published self-serve monthly rate as captured on the linked source. Annual-billing and usage details are on each vendor's record in our open dataset.
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What is the cheapest chat API?
Ably has the lowest published entry price at $0/mo (Free), as of 2026-06-15.
How much does chat API cost per month?
Across the 6 chat API with published paid pricing, the median starting price is $98.50/mo, ranging from $29/mo to $499/mo, as of 2026-06-15. 9 also offer a free tier.
Which chat API have a free plan?
Ably, CometChat, MirrorFly, PubNub, Pusher Channels, Sendbird, Stream (GetStream), Twilio Conversations, ZEGOCLOUD offer a free tier.
Which chat API support HIPAA?
Ably, CometChat, PubNub, Sendbird, Stream (GetStream) state HIPAA support (a BAA). Always confirm current scope with the vendor.
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