Software · head to head
Blynk vs Particle
Blynk
Software
IoT cloud platform with mobile app builder for connected devices
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Blynk the free tier covers 5 devices, 1 user, 100,000 messages and one week of data retention; Particle paid capacity is sold in blocks of 100 devices rather than per device, so 101 devices costs the same as 200
- They diverge on capability: Blynk covers Mobile App Builder, Particle covers Device OS.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Blynk and Particle actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Blynk
- Mobile App Builder
- No-Code Interface
- Real-Time Control
- Cloud Storage
- Mobile app
- Cloud platform
- IOS support
- Android support
Only in Particle
- Device OS
- Cloud Platform
- Device Management
- OTA Updates
- Integration marketplace
- 3rd party services
- Particle devices support
- Custom hardware support
Both cover
- REST API
- WebHooks
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Blynk
- Connecting IoT hardware to a hosted dashboard and mobile appnot Particle
- Over-the-air firmware updates to fleets of devicesnot Particle
- Automations triggered by device datanot Particle
- White-label device apps for a hardware productnot Particle
- Prototyping connected devices before committing to infrastructurenot Particle
Particle
- Connecting cellular and wifi IoT devices to a managed cloud platformnot Blynk
- Deploying firmware updates and collecting device telemetry at fleet scalenot Blynk
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Blynk
- The free tier covers 5 devices, 1 user, 100,000 messages and one week of data retention
- Data retention is tiered all the way up, reaching 12 months only on Enterprise
- Automations and webhooks are rationed, from 5 scenarios and 1 webhook on free to 100 or more on Production
- Over-the-air update campaigns are capped by tier, at 2 shipments on free and Starter
- Production plans run from $199 to $1,099 a month depending on device count
Particle
- Paid capacity is sold in blocks of 100 devices rather than per device, so 101 devices costs the same as 200
- The Basic block is $299 a month and the Plus block $599 a month
- The free tier allows 100 devices and 100,000 data operations a month
- Data operations are the billing unit, so chatty firmware costs more than the device count suggests
- No overage rates are published at any tier, so exceeding an allowance has no stated cost
Pricing, plan by plan
Blynk
Free- FreeFree
- 5 devices
- Basic widgets
- Cloud sync
- Premium$5/month
- Unlimited devices
- Advanced widgets
- Priority support
Particle
Free- MakerFree
- 5 free devices
- Cloud access
- Basic features
- Production$100/month
- Unlimited devices
- Advanced analytics
- Enterprise support
Which should you pick?
Choose Blynk if
- You need mobile app builder.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on IOS, Android, Web, Any IoT device.
- You also want no-code interface.
Choose Particle if
- You need device os.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Particle devices, Custom hardware, Cloud, Mobile apps.
- You also want cloud platform.
Questions people ask
- Is Blynk or Particle better?
- Neither clearly leads. Blynk starts at Free and Particle at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Blynk or Particle?
- Blynk starts at Free and Particle at Free.
- Does Blynk or Particle run on more platforms?
- Blynk runs on IOS, Android, Web, Any IoT device. Particle runs on Particle devices, Custom hardware, Cloud, Mobile apps.
- Can I use Blynk for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Blynk best used for?
- Blynk is most often used for connecting iot hardware to a hosted dashboard and mobile app, over-the-air firmware updates to fleets of devices, automations triggered by device data, white-label device apps for a hardware product. Of those, connecting iot hardware to a hosted dashboard and mobile app and over-the-air firmware updates to fleets of devices are not what Particle is typically brought in for.
- What can Blynk do that Particle cannot?
- Blynk covers Mobile App Builder, No-Code Interface, Real-Time Control, Cloud Storage. Particle covers Device OS, Cloud Platform, Device Management, OTA Updates. Both handle REST API, WebHooks.