Best Chat API · head-to-head
Ably vs CometChat
A sourced, side-by-side comparison for chat api. Ably has the lower entry price. Every figure links to the vendor's own page and the date we captured it.
At a glance
- Price: Ably $0/mo vs CometChat $0/mo — Ably is cheaper to start.
- Free tier: Ably Yes; CometChat Yes.
- HIPAA: Ably Yes; CometChat Yes.
Side by side
| Ably | CometChat | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $0/mo (Free) | $0/mo (Build) |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA (BAA) | Yes | Yes |
| SOC 2 | Yes | Yes |
| GDPR | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | real-time data pipelines | marketplace chat |
Sources — Ably: ably.com (verified 2026-06-15). CometChat: cometchat.com (verified 2026-06-15).
Key features
Ably: Connection + channel-minute consumption billing model; HIPAA BAA on Enterprise; SOC2 Type 2 certified; Data residency options (EU, US, Australia)
CometChat: AI smart replies and summaries on Advanced+; HIPAA + BAA on Advanced+; SOC2 Type 2, ISO27001, GDPR certified; OpenAI-powered moderation on Enterprise