CometChat
In-app chat and voice/video calling SDKs with UI kits and a no-code widget.
Updated · AppBreakup editorial · Web, iOS, Android
Is CometChat free?
No, it's a paid product
- Starting price:
- $239/month billed annually
- Free plan:
- Development only, up to 100 users
Checked on CometChat's site Nov 8, 2026
5 alternatives with a free option Full CometChat pricing and plansSwitch from CometChat to
All 7- Verified facts
- 5 of 5
- Alternatives ranked
- 7
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 2
About CometChat
CometChat provides chat and calling infrastructure that developers add to apps through UI kits, SDKs and APIs for React, iOS, Android, Flutter and other platforms, or through a no-code widget that can be embedded on any website. Features include one-to-one, group and broadcast messaging, presence, rich media, AI moderation, push, email and SMS notification fallbacks, multi-tenancy, and voice and video calls. It also sells AI agent plans and a self-hosted internal messenger called CometChat Air. Pricing is per monthly active user: a free Build plan for development with up to 100 users and test calling minutes, then Basic and Advanced plans billed monthly or annually, and enterprise contracts with no overages. Going live requires a paid plan, so the free tier is for building and testing only.
Best for: Teams that want in-app chat and calling with prebuilt UI or a no-code website widget.
CometChat pricing (checked Nov 8, 2026)
Each line is quoted from CometChat's own site, with the page it came from.
| Plan or term | What it says | Checked | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Development only, up to 100 users | Nov 8, 2026 | cometchat.com |
| Starting price | $239/month billed annually | Nov 8, 2026 | cometchat.com |
| MAU overage | $0.10 per MAU | Nov 8, 2026 | cometchat.com |
Pros and cons
What works
- No-code widget option alongside full SDKs and UI kits
- Lower entry price than several chat API rivals
- Compliance coverage including HIPAA, SOC 2 and ISO 27001
Why people leave
- Free Build plan is for development only, capped at 100 users
- MAU and concurrent connection overages on Basic and Advanced plans
- Email and SMS notification fallbacks need the Advanced plan
CometChat vs Stream, Firebase and Sendbird
From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.
| Attribute | CometChat | Stream | Firebase | Sendbird |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid | Paid |
| Verified price | $239/month billed annually | $399 a month billed annually, or $499 monthly (Chat Start) | — | $349/month billed annually |
| Free plan | Development only, up to 100 users | Yes, Build plan with 10K MAU | Yes, Spark plan | No |
| Open source | No | No | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No | No | No |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android |
Top CometChat alternatives
See all 7- 1
Stream68.8Free production tier for small apps and extra products like activity feeds.
- 2
Firebase66.2Build your own chat on Firestore's realtime listeners and Firebase Auth, trading ready-made UI kits for full control and usage pricing.
- 3
Sendbird64.8Established chat API with business messaging and a moderation dashboard.
- 4
Ably54.4Realtime messaging infrastructure with a Chat SDK, good when you want strong delivery guarantees and to build more of the UI yourself.
- 5
Twilio52.6Twilio Conversations ties in-app chat to SMS and WhatsApp threads, useful if you already use Twilio for messaging.
Why people left CometChat
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
No switching stories yet. If you moved away from CometChat, review the app you switched to and tell us why.
Reviews
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CometChat: common questions
What is CometChat?
CometChat: In-app chat and voice/video calling SDKs with UI kits and a no-code widget. Best for teams that want in-app chat and calling with prebuilt UI or a no-code website widget. Available for Web, iOS and Android.
Is CometChat free?
No, CometChat is a paid product. Free plan: Development only, up to 100 users (checked on CometChat's own site).
How much does CometChat cost?
CometChat is a paid product. Free plan: Development only, up to 100 users; Starting price: $239/month billed annually; MAU overage: $0.10 per MAU. Checked on CometChat's own site, November 2026.
Is CometChat open source?
No, CometChat is not open source. Open-source alternatives include LiveKit.
What platforms does CometChat run on?
CometChat is available for Web, iOS and Android.
What are the best alternatives to CometChat?
The highest-ranked CometChat alternatives right now are Stream, Firebase and Sendbird. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.
CometChat vs Stream: what's the difference?
CometChat is a paid product; Stream is free with paid plans. Verified prices: CometChat $239/month billed annually, Stream $399 a month billed annually, or $499 monthly (Chat Start). Both run on Web, iOS and Android.