Free and open first

Best Chat APIs in 2026

Chat APIs provide messaging functions that developers can add to software. Services and SDKs here can be used with web, API, iOS, Android, self-hosted, and Linux environments.

32 apps
Research read 23 Sept 2026
How the order is worked out

1

Ably Chat

Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+1

7.7 Free plan · paid from $29/mo Visit site
2

ChatKitty

Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+3

7.6 Free plan · paid from $400/mo Visit site
3

CometChat

Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+1

7.5 Free plan Visit site
4

Easemob IM

Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+4

7.5 Free plan Visit site
5

ejabberd

Free plan APILinuxMac+2

7.5 Free plan · paid from €200/mo Visit site
6

Dendri

Free plan APISelf-hostedWeb

7.4 Free plan · paid from $29/mo Visit site
7

Emitter

Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted+2

7.4 Free plan · paid from $10/mo Visit site
8

mesibo

Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+5

7.4 Free plan · paid from $49/mo · 30-day trial Visit site
9

Openfire

Free plan APILinuxMac+2

7.3 Open source Visit site
10

OpenIM

Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+5

7.3 Free plan Visit site
11

PrivChat

Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+5

7.3 Free plan Visit site
12

MongooseIM

Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted

7.2 Free plan Visit site
13

PubNub Chat

Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+4

7.2 Free plan · paid from $98/mo Visit site
14

QuickBlox Chat API

Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+2

QuickBlox combines messaging, media sharing, moderation, and multiple hosting options for app developers.

7.2 From $50/mo Visit site
15

Scaledrone

Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+1

7.1 Free plan · paid from $19/mo Visit site
16

Sceyt

Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+2

7.1 Free plan · paid from $99/mo Visit site
17

Stream Chat

Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+1

7.1 Free plan · paid from $399/mo (annual) Visit site
18

Tigase XMPP Server

Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted+1

7.0 Free plan · paid from $175/mo Visit site
19

Tinode

Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+2

7.0 Free plan Visit site
20

Prosody IM

Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+3

6.9 Free plan Visit site
21

TalkJS

Free plan AndroidiPhoneWeb

6.9 Free plan · paid from $279/mo Visit site
22

Twilio Conversations

Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+1

6.9 Free plan · paid from $0.05/user/mo Visit site
23

ZEGOCLOUD In-app Chat

Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+3

6.9 Free plan · paid from $99/mo Visit site
24

Agora Chat

Free plan AndroidiPhoneWeb+1

6.8 Free plan · paid from $0.05/user/mo Visit site
25

Applozic

Free trial AndroidAPIiPhone+1

6.5 28-day trial Visit site

#1Places #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 on this list can be bought by the makers of the software on it. See the price

Compare free plans, trial terms, paid starting prices, and the platforms you need. When code access or modification is important, review the licence alongside delivery methods, message history, moderation, presence, typing indicators, push notifications, and SDK availability.

Questions

Do Chat APIs have free plans?

Yes. Ably Chat, Agora Chat, ChatKitty, CometChat, Dendri, Easemob IM, ejabberd, and Emitter are among the tools with a listed free plan.

Are free trials available?

Trial terms vary. Applozic shows a 28-day trial, whereas JuggleIM offers a free trial.

What platforms do these Chat APIs support?

The represented platforms are web, API, iOS, Android, self-hosted, and Linux. Use each tool's platform details to verify fit.

Are any options open source?

JuggleIM is listed as open source. Review its licence and the licence of any other tool if code access matters.

What chat features can I compare?

The comparison includes presence support, typing indicators, push notifications, SDK platforms, delivery methods, message history, and moderation tools.

Questions

More in Communication