Top 10 CometChat Alternatives in 2025

With the increase in online communication, businesses and communities seek dependable tools to communicate. Today, people expect smooth chatting, video calls, and file sharing without any delay or interruption. Since CometChat works for many, others search for easier, cheaper, and stronger choices. This article discovers the top 10 CometChat alternatives for those building apps or managing online communities.

What is CometChat?

CometChat is a powerful platform that allows developers to add instant chat, voice, and video features easily. Moreover, CometChat offers many features that enable you to make HD voice calls with individuals or groups for live interaction.

In addition, it provides scalable infrastructure with 99.99% uptime and even offers a prebuilt UI for faster integration. Still, some seek scalability, leading them to explore the best CometChat alternatives for 2025.

Why You Need a CometChat Alternative?

Exploring different CometChat competitors makes sense for teams that want flexibility and growth. Below, you will explore multiple reasons why developers need and seek other CometChat competitors:

• Advanced Integration: Applications today require deeper AI functions like automated replies and efficient chatbot interactions. So, CometChat offers limited AI support, while other competitors provide advanced capabilities that developers require for modern apps.
• User Experience: Casual users prefer clean designs with simple interfaces, reducing confusion and avoiding unnecessary learning steps. Nowadays, competitors focus on intuitive designs to create smoother onboarding for businesses and diverse online communities.
• Extra Collaboration: Businesses demand more features than chats, including task management, file storage, and project collaboration. Thus, some alternatives extend collaboration tools to empower teamwork and support businesses with improved productivity.
• Higher Pricing: Small startups and businesses struggle with CometChat’s higher prices, which reduce budgets for innovation. Hence, affordable competitors reduce costs while providing reliable tools to help teams manage communication requirements.
• Limited Customization: Some companies need unique designs or features, but CometChat limits flexibility. Therefore, better competitors allow branding freedom to support personalized customer experiences and smoother creative workflows.

What to Consider in a CometChat Alternative?

Upon finding CometChat alternatives, developers pick tools that match business needs and deliver smooth experiences. However, here are some essential points that help you choose the right platform and utilize it:

Factor	What to Check	Why It Matters
Latency & Performance	Real-time (WebRTC) vs Broadcast (HLS/RTMP)	For interactive sessions, latency under 200ms is crucial. Broadcast latency (~5–12s) works for one-to-many, so matching latency to your use case prevents user frustration.
AI & Automation	Chatbots, smart replies, transcription, translation	Modern apps need AI support, like auto-replies, live transcription, or instant translation, to enhance user experience and reduce manual workload.
Security & Compliance	GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2, end-to-end encryption	Strong compliance ensures safety in healthcare, fintech, and enterprise use cases. Encryption keeps conversations private and protects user trust.
Scalability & Reliability	Uptime SLAs, participant capacity, and multi-region hosting	As user bases grow, reliable uptime and scalability prevent service crashes during peak usage or global events.
Streaming & Media Options	Multi-device support, RTMP/HLS, cloud recording	Supporting hybrid events means allowing video recording, simulcast streaming, and a smooth experience across devices and networks.

Top 10 CometChat Competitors in 2025

In 2025, many options will offer strong features, reliability, and flexibility for developers. So, this section will discover the top 10 best CometChat alternatives to help developers improve communication for apps and websites:

1. ZEGOCLOUD

ZEGOCLOUD is a robust communication platform that allows developers to embed quality voice, video, and chat features. Plus, many businesses explore it when comparing CometChat competitors, as it delivers voice calls with AI noise reduction. Moreover, users enjoy fun audio effects, spatial sound, and live volume adjustment to improve engagement during calls. Besides, live video streaming can support interactive sessions with large audiences with ultra-low latency of approximately 300ms.

In addition, this API/SDK platform can accommodate 10,000 participants and 15,000+ device models, and thus it is relatively broad. Furthermore, in-app chat features include 1:1 messaging, group chats, public channels, and rich media sharing. Plus, ZEGOCLOUD also has strong user and group management options, message history up to a year, and GDPR-compliant encryption. Conversational AI enhances this further by enabling natural, multi-turn interactions, making apps smarter and more engaging.

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Key Features

• 20+ prebuilt UIKits for faster app launch without coding from scratch.
• Inference latency under 200 ms enables real-time conversational experiences.
• Integrates with in-app chat SDK to enhance messaging capabilities within modern applications.
• Deliver crisp and HD video calling with up to 4K resolution support.
• Accurately identifies 148 unique facial keypoints for advanced digital interactions.

Pros

• Multi-device support across all platforms.
• Multiple AI agents with LLM+TTS.
• Enhances visual appeal for livestreams.
• Record video and voice calls for preview.

Con

• Beautification and AR features are not in the starter plan.

Pricing Plans

Voice Call	$0.99/1,000 participant minutes
Video Call	$3.99/1,000 participant minutes
Live Streaming	$0.39/1,000 minutes
In-app Chat	$99 for 10,000 MAU

2. PubNub

Many businesses consider PubNub while exploring CometChat alternatives for scalable, secure, and reliable messaging solutions. Its Pub/Sub system also allows developers to broadcast messages to multiple subscribers efficiently. Furthermore, this platform offers mobile push notifications that deliver instant updates via APNS and FCM to users. In addition, ultra-low latency of around 30ms ensures near-instant message delivery globally.

Key Features

• File sharing allows users to send images, videos, and documents smoothly.
• Sends callbacks to servers or APIs whenever user state updates occur.
• Chat SDK simplifies building messaging interfaces with prebuilt templates and moderation tools.

Pros

• Supports IoT, mobile, web, and server apps.
• Supports millions of concurrent users easily.

Cons

• Some integrations require additional development effort.
• UI templates may not fit all designs.

Pricing Plans

Starter Plan	$98/month pay as you grow
Pro Plan	Custom

3. Rocket.Chat

Among the best CometChat alternatives, Rocket.Chat is a secure communication platform designed for messaging, voice, video, and AI-powered collaboration. So, this dedicated platform supports one-on-one and group conversations across all supported devices instantly. Besides, it even enables seamless VoIP calling through SIP protocol, dial pad access, and external connections. In addition, the site even supports video calls to deliver HD quality for clear visual collaboration during meetings.

Key Features

• AI integration supports chatbots and automated responses for faster user interactions.
• Enables classified network use, supports NIPRNet, SIPRNet, JWICS, and DoD IL6 compliance.
• Detailed Audit Logs are used to monitor, track, and audit compliance and security.

Pros

• Granular data retention policies included.
• Powerful APIs, Webhooks, and SDKs for seamless integration.

Cons

• Customization options require coding knowledge.
• Mobile app experience may vary slightly.

Pricing Plans

Starter (Limited Plan)	$0 user/month up to 50 users
Pro	$8 user/month from 51 to 500 users

4. Ably

A large number of developers also use Ably as it is a real-time communication platform built for scale and low latency performance. Alongside that, the platform offers Pub/Sub messaging, presence, message history, and data synchronization. In addition to its capabilities, its global edge network ensures fast, fault-tolerant delivery. While exploring top CometChat competitors, Ably also provides various essential features like 99.99% uptime and GDPR compliance.

Key Features

• 50ms median round-trip latency delivers near instant communication between devices.
• SOC 2 Type II certification provides security and appropriate data management.
• Supports over 1 billion connections per month for large-scale applications.

Pros

• Encrypted payloads protect sensitive user data.
• Tracks presence for online user monitoring.

Cons

• No built-in chat UI components are available.
• Voice and video features require development.

Pricing Plans

Messages	$2.50/million
Channels	$1.00/million mins
Connections	$1.00/million mins

5. Vonage

Vonage is a leading CPaaS platform offering messaging, voice, and video APIs for businesses worldwide. As one of the best CometChat alternatives, the platform supports SMS, MMS, RCS, and social messaging apps. Besides, Vonage video API will enable integrating interactive video, and the voice API will make WebRTC and PSTN calls personal. It also delivers quality, cost-effective communication for applications with 99.999% uptime and global reach.

Key Features

• Global carrier network ensures reliable, high-quality voice and messaging delivery.
• Group messaging enables sending messages to a group of recipients together.
• Rich messaging allows for images, GIFs, files, and interactive content sharing.

Pros

• Low-code/no-code video integration available.
• Programmable APIs allow scalable app solutions.

Cons

• Occasional delays in SMS integration.
• Voice and video quality depend on the internet.

Pricing Plans

Video API	$0.0041 per participant per minute
SMS API	$0.00809/message
Voice API	$0.01446/minute
In-App Messaging API	$0.00080/message sent

6. TalkJS

Another versatile chat API and SDK platform that helps developers build in-app messaging quickly is TalkJS. Among the best CometChat alternatives, it supports private one-on-one chats, group conversations, message threads, read receipts, and notifications. Moreover, TalkJS offers a fully documented REST API enabling scalable, custom integrations across multiple applications. The platform’s multi-framework support ensures seamless integration across web and mobile applications efficiently.

Key Features

• Add clickable action buttons inside chat UI for instant task execution and navigation.
• Message translation supports communication across different languages automatically.
• Connect chats with CRM or tools, ensuring smoother data sharing and management.

Pros

• Voice and video calls integration included.
• File sharing supports media attachments efficiently.

Cons

• SSO is limited to premium tiers.
• Real-time is restricted to WebSocket only.

Pricing Plans

Basic	$279/month
Growth	$569/month
Enterprise	Customized

7. Twilio

Twilio is a flexible communications platform that provides messaging, voice, and video APIs. Alongside that, its messaging API supports SMS, MMS, RCS, and WhatsApp communication reliably. In addition, Twilio video enables two-way video calls and conferencing, which makes it stand out among the top CometChat competitors. Besides, voice recording captures call audio for quality assurance and analysis purposes.

Key Features

• This WebRTC platform facilitates real-time video and audio communication.
• Provides composition tools to generate downloadable MP4/WebM recordings for future playback.
• Multimedia support enables rich communication with images, video, and files.

Pros

• OTP verification improves security and authentication.
• IVR automates call routing efficiently.

Cons

• High usage increases monthly service costs.
• Multimedia messaging requires extra configuration.

Pricing Plans

Voice API	Start at $0.0085 for receiving and $0.014 for making calls
Video API	$0.004 per minute per participant
SMS API	Starts from $0.0083 for a message

8. Agora

It is also a powerful platform that supports ultra-low latency below 40ms average to ensure real-time communication with minimal delay globally. Moreover, Agora’s video call API enables HD video and voice calls, which come with crystal-clear audio across all supported platforms. Also, it provides versatile SDKs/APIs supporting Unity, Unreal Engine, Web, and mobile frameworks. While exploring top CometChat alternatives, the platform offers plug-and-play conversational AI capabilities powered by OpenAI integration support.

Key Features

• 3D spatial audio makes sound realistic and immersive to users.
• Provides versatile SDKs/APIs supporting Unity, Unreal Engine, Web, and mobile frameworks.
• Pushes live streams to global CDNs for scalable distribution to viewers.

Pros

• 200+ countries’ coverage ensures reliable connectivity.
• Screen sharing enables effective collaboration easily.

Cons

• Livestream UI feels visually outdated.
• SDK setup demands RTC expertise.

Pricing Plans

Video Calling	Starting at $3.99 per 1000 minutes
Voice Calling	Starting at $0.99 per 1000 minutes
Interactive Live Streaming	Starting at $0.99 per 1000 minutes

9. Dyte

A lot of developers choose Dyte among the best CometChat alternatives, as it offers video, audio, live streaming, and chat features. Along with that, its audio SDK provides crystal-clear sound for immersive real-time communication. The platform’s video conferencing API also enables video using WebRTC, ensuring synchronized playback with minimal delays. During this, multi-screen sharing allows participants to share one or multiple screens simultaneously.

Key Features

• Auto bandwidth switching provides smooth video even in changing network conditions.
• Streams sessions externally via RTMP, broadcasting live events to YouTube or Twitch.
• Enables organizations to personalize UI with logos and branded elements.

Pros

• Whiteboard allows real-time brainstorming sessions.
• Breakout rooms allow focused group discussions.

Cons

• Offline support is limited for participants.
• Unstable network causing call interruptions.

Pricing Plans

Video Calls	$0.004 per user per minute
Audio Calls	$0.001 per user per minute
RTMP Live Streaming	$0.015 per minute

10. Sendbird

This platform is a powerful CometChat alternative, as it supports 6 billion+ users globally for reliable communication. Moreover, Sendbird brings omnichannel integration into a single 360° view, giving businesses clearer insights and better decision-making power. It also comes with 99.9% uptime and enterprise-grade security across all communications. Additionally, 24/7 technical support and global success teams ensure a seamless customer experience worldwide.

Key Features

• Customizable UI enables branding and visual adjustments to fit app design.
• Webhooks allow real-time event notifications to external systems for automation.
• SLA plans provide guaranteed uptime, reliability, and enterprise-level support services.

Pros

• Push notifications keep users always informed.
• AI agents improve customer support efficiency.

Cons

• Integration with legacy systems can be challenging.
• Notifications occasionally experience slight delays.

Pricing Plans

Starter 5K	$349/month
Pro 5K	$499/month

Conclusion

In conclusion, many platforms offer strong messaging, video, and voice features for developers globally nowadays. As explored, businesses need smooth and low-latency communication tools to improve engagement and collaboration across teams.

Here, exploring top CometChat alternatives helps teams find scalable and flexible platforms that match their technical and budget needs. Among these options, ZEGOCLOUD stands out, offering quality calls, interactive video, and robust chat features for modern app development.

FAQ

Q1. Is there a free alternative to CometChat?

Yes. Some platforms such as ZEGOCLOUD offer generous free trial minutes for developers, while options like ConnectyCube and Rocket.Chat provide freemium plans. These free or low-cost tiers are ideal for early-stage apps that want to test chat and RTC features.

Q2. What is the best CometChat alternative?

The best alternative depends on your use case. For developers who need all-in-one real-time communication (chat, voice, video, and conversational AI), ZEGOCLOUD is a strong option thanks to ultra-low latency, AI noise reduction, and support for 10,000+ participants. Other notable competitors include Twilio, Sendbird, and Vonage.

Q3. Is there a cheaper alternative to CometChat?

Yes. ZEGOCLOUD is often chosen for its competitive pricing model, which combines per-minute billing with free trial credits, making it cost-effective for scaling apps. Compared to CometChat’s flat plans, it helps startups and enterprises control costs better while still accessing enterprise-grade features.