PubNub vs Ably: Which is Better?

When developing an application, choosing the real-time communication platform can feel like a task. However, PubNub vs Ably, two famous names, are promising speed, scalability, and seamless data streaming. Hence, when creating a live chat app, multiplayer game, or IoT solution, this guide can be a great help if you ever get confused between these options.

What is PubNub?

PubNub is a real-time communication platform that allows developers to create apps where speed and live interaction are priorities. Since it is based on a publish-subscribe model, it allows you to send instant messages and activate device signals across a global network.

It is compatible with large programming languages, JavaScript frameworks, and IoT hardware such as Raspberry Pi and Arduino. Furthermore, serverless functions allow developers to add custom logic. Hence, the platform is suitable for chat applications, collaboration, multiplayer games, IoT device management, and live dashboards.

Advantages and Disadvantages of PubNub

When comparing PubNub vs. Ably, it’s essential to consider the benefits and drawbacks of PubNub to select the most suitable option. Therefore, below we have given 5 positive and negative aspects of this communication platform for your clarity:

Advantages

• PubNub runs on 15+ data centers worldwide.
• Users get extremely low latency globally.
• It promises 99.999% uptime reliability.
• Apps stay available even during traffic surges.
• Data is always synchronized across regions.

Disadvantages

• PubNub doesn’t guarantee full delivery under severe conditions.
• Strict message order isn’t enforced.
• If a user is offline, messages may drop.
• It discards over 100 queued messages.
• Apps relying on complete logs may struggle.

What is Ably?

Ably is a cloud-based platform that powers live digital experiences, including chat, notifications, and multiplayer collaboration. Additionally, it utilizes a WebSocket-based publish/subscribe system to send and receive data in real-time. Hence, having a globally distributed network, it delivers sub-50ms latency and 99.999% uptime and supports billions of devices.

Other than this, Ably includes presence detection, push notifications, message history, and strong access controls. So, all these features ensure you make a real-time application that offers smooth and hassle-free interaction. Due to this, one can use it for audience engagement, collaborative editing, gaming, live dashboards, and connected devices.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Ably

To know which one is the best option between PubNub vs Ably, do you have an idea of Ably’s advantages and disadvantages? If not, review the given points and determine if this platform is the right choice to make a communication app:

Advantages

• Messages arrive in the exact order they were sent.
• Apps stay fast across continents and regions.
• Typing indicators improve chat experiences.
• Protocol translation adds multi-system flexibility.
• Enterprise options suit larger workloads.

Disadvantages

• Ably doesn’t support built-in video/audio calling; it needs third-party tools.
• Developers must design interfaces manually, and chat UIs take extra time.
• No built-in analytics or A/B testing tools.
• Dashboard metrics are basic and less customizable.
• It uses a usage-based model; costs grow as connection counts or message volume increase.

PubNub vs Ably: Which One is Right for You?

If you don’t have enough time to compare PubNub vs Ably in detail and search every aspect, we’ve got you sorted. Hence, in this section, we have given you a detailed comparison of both platforms to skim and scan the features:

Metric	PubNub	Ably
Message Delivery Guarantees	At-least-once / persistent history & replay	At least once / history by plan
Message Ordering	In order per channel	Strict ordering guarantees within each channel
Protocol Support	WebSocket, HTTP/2, proprietary protocol	WebSockets, MQTT, SSE, HTTP/2
SDK Coverage	50+ SDKs, broad OS/device support	Major platforms, slightly fewer SDKs
Concurrent Connections	Proven scale: 25.5M+	Strong scale, claims billions, but less public benchmarking
Message Throughput	3 trillion+ msgs/month	Claims high throughput; no published records
Latency	Global edge (70+ PoPs), sub-250ms typical	Sub-50ms latency, 25+ data centers
Presence/Online Detection	1M+ per channel	Supported, but scalability is not public
Message History/Storage	Yes, configurable	Yes, with limitations depending on the plan
Channel Management	Channel groups, wildcards, fan-in, 20K/group	Individual channels, limited grouping
File/Binary Data Support	Native images/audio/video/files	Limited, via base64
Edge Compute/Cloud Functions	Built-in (PubNub Functions)	Requires external (AWS Lambda, etc.)
Analytics/LiveOps Toolkit	PubNub Insights, A/B tests, LiveOps built-in	Basic dashboards, no A/B tools
AI Integration	Native support (MCP Server)	None
Integrations	Kafka, Kinesis, Pulsar, SQS, REST out of the box	Webhooks mainly have fewer streaming options
Security/Encryption	AES, TLS, partial payload encryption	End-to-end, all-or-nothing encryption
Compliance	SOC2, HIPAA, ISO, GDPR, transparent docs	SOC2, HIPAA, GDPR, details sometimes limited
Availability/SLAs	99.999% uptime, public RCAs	99.999% SLA, RCAs not always public
Developer Experience	Easy for all teams, unified docs	Great for enterprise, steeper learning curve
Documentation	Clear, extensive, practical	Comprehensive, can be overwhelming
Pricing Model	Transparent per-MAU or transaction	Complex, multi-component, connection-based
Free Tier	200 MAUs, clear limits	6M messages/month, 200 concurrent connections
Moderation Tools	Must use custom/external	Must use custom/external
Industry/Vertical Toolkits	IoT, gaming SDKs, mature channel tools	More general-purpose, industry kits are less mature
Pricing Predictability	No surprises, no billing on connections/channels	Connection-based, can be unpredictable

ZEGOCLOUD: A Better Alternative to Ably and PubNub

When comparing PubNub vs Ably, if you find that these platforms lack pre-built UIKits, consider ZEGOCLOUD. This platform offers over 20 pre-built UIKits for seamless development and comes with affordable pricing plans. Additionally, the platform not only focuses on messaging but also enables you to add voice, video call, and live streaming features in the app. Hence, one can do this by using easy-to-integrate SDKs with detailed documentation.

ZEGOCLOUD vs Ably vs PubNub: Feature Comparison

Feature	ZEGOCLOUD	Ably	PubNub
Core Focus	Real-time video, voice, and messaging SDKs	Real-time messaging APIs	Real-time messaging APIs
Pre-built UIKits	20+ ready-to-use UIKits for quick integration	❌	❌
Supported Features	Video call, voice chat, live streaming, in-app chat	Messaging, presence, pub/sub	Messaging, push notifications
Integration Difficulty	Easy to integrate within minutes using SDKs	Requires manual UI development	Requires manual UI development
Global Latency	300 ms worldwide	400–600 ms	400–700 ms
Weak Network Performance	Up to 70% packet loss tolerance	Limited resilience	Limited resilience
Participant Capacity	10,000 in one video call	Limited to messaging scale	Limited to messaging scale
Video Quality	Up to 4K resolution	❌	❌
AI Enhancements	AI noise reduction, echo cancellation	❌	❌
Device & OS Compatibility	15,000+ device models across iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS	Limited SDK coverage	Limited SDK coverage
Scalability & Reliability	Global edge network with 500+ nodes	Regional network	Regional network
Documentation & SDKs	Detailed, developer-friendly docs	Moderate	Moderate
Best For	All-in-one real-time engagement apps	Chat-heavy apps	Basic messaging apps

ZEGOCLOUD goes beyond traditional messaging by offering an all-in-one CPaaS solution that combines real-time audio, video, and chat capabilities. With pre-built UIKits, AI-powered optimizations, and ultra-low latency performance, it helps developers deliver smooth, immersive user experiences that Ably and PubNub cannot match.

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Conclusion

Summing up, between PubNub vs Ably, if you want to choose the right option without exploring details, review this guide. We have explained all aspects of these platforms in a detailed comparison table to help you make the best choice. However, if you want a beginner-friendly and easy-to-develop solution, ZEGOCLOUD offers you pre-built kits with accessible SDKs.

FAQ

Q1: What makes Ably different from PubNub?

Ably focuses on transport flexibility and multi-protocol support, while PubNub offers simplicity and built-in edge functions. Both focus on messaging, but neither supports real-time video or voice natively.

Q2: Which is faster in real-time messaging — Ably or PubNub?

Ably achieves slightly lower latency in dynamic updates, while PubNub provides stable global performance. If you need consistent real-time quality even under poor network conditions, ZEGOCLOUD maintains about 300 ms latency worldwide.

Q3: Do Ably and PubNub offer developer-friendly SDKs?

Yes. Both provide complete SDKs and documentation. Developers who want to build faster can try ZEGOCLOUD’s 20+ pre-built UIKits to launch video, voice, or chat features in minutes.

Q4: How does pricing compare between Ably and PubNub?

PubNub’s pricing is simpler, while Ably offers more flexibility but may become complex at scale.