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APIs · head to head

Enfuce vs PubNub

Enfuce logo

Enfuce

APIs

European issuer processor holding its own payment institution licence

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PubNub logo

PubNub

APIs

Realtime communication platform for chat, IoT, and live data apps

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only PubNub has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Enfuce coverage is European, so a programme that also needs US or Asian issuing requires a separate processor and a separate integration.; PubNub free plan storage history is limited to 7 days, which is short for apps needing longer message retention.
  • They diverge on capability: Enfuce covers Licensed issuing, PubNub covers Pub/sub messaging.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Enfuce and PubNub actually diverge.

Attributes where Enfuce and PubNub differ
AttributeEnfucePubNub
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, REST APIweb, ios, android, api

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (APIs).

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 Enfuce

  • Licensed issuing
  • Card processing
  • Tokenisation
  • Spend controls
  • Multi-currency programmes
  • Carbon and data services

Only in PubNub

  • Pub/sub messaging
  • Presence tracking
  • Message persistence
  • Serverless Functions
  • File sharing
  • Encryption and access controls

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Enfuce

  • A European fintech launching cards without spending two quarters finding a sponsor banknot PubNub
  • A corporate issuing fuel or expense cards across several EU countries on one programmenot PubNub
  • A bank migrating an existing European card portfolio off a legacy processornot PubNub
  • A programme that must report cardholder transaction carbon data to meet sustainability commitmentsnot PubNub

PubNub

  • Building realtime chat applicationsnot Enfuce
  • Streaming live IoT sensor datanot Enfuce
  • Adding presence indicators to collaborative appsnot Enfuce
  • Running edge logic with serverless Functions on realtime eventsnot Enfuce

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Enfuce

  • Coverage is European, so a programme that also needs US or Asian issuing requires a separate processor and a separate integration.
  • Where Enfuce acts as the licensed issuer it takes on regulatory risk and prices accordingly, so the convenience of skipping a sponsor bank is not free.
  • European interchange caps limit programme revenue far below US levels, so business cases imported from a US card model do not survive the move.
  • It is a smaller supplier than Marqeta or i2c, which means less negotiating room on scheme fees and a thinner partner ecosystem around it.
  • Pricing is entirely quoted with monthly minimums, so low-volume programmes carry a fixed cost that does not scale down with a slow launch.

PubNub

  • Free plan storage history is limited to 7 days, which is short for apps needing longer message retention.
  • MAU-based pricing means costs scale directly with user growth, which can be less predictable than flat message-based pricing.
  • Pro-tier custom pricing above 50,000 MAU requires contacting sales rather than self-serve checkout.

Pricing, plan by plan

Enfuce

On request
  • Enfuce issuing and processing$undefined/year
    • Per-active-card and per-transaction fees with monthly minimums
    • Higher pricing where Enfuce acts as licensed issuer rather than processor only
    • Interchange arrangements depend on who holds the issuing licence

PubNub

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 200 MAU or 1M transactions
    • 1GB data storage (7 days)
    • 5 test Serverless Functions
  • Starter$98/month
    • 1,000 MAU included
    • User management
    • Insights
  • Pro$undefined/month
    • Custom MAU packages
    • Volume discounts
    • Enterprise-scale configurations

Which should you pick?

Choose Enfuce if

  • You need licensed issuing.
  • You work on Web, REST API.
  • You also want card processing.
Enfuce review

Choose PubNub if

  • You need pub/sub messaging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, ios, android, api.
  • You also want presence tracking.
PubNub review

Questions people ask

Is Enfuce or PubNub better?
Neither clearly leads. Enfuce starts at On request and PubNub at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Enfuce or PubNub?
PubNub has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Enfuce and Free for PubNub.
Does Enfuce or PubNub run on more platforms?
Enfuce runs on Web, REST API. PubNub runs on web, ios, android, api.
Can I use PubNub for free?
Yes. PubNub has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Enfuce starts at On request.
What is Enfuce best used for?
Enfuce is most often used for a european fintech launching cards without spending two quarters finding a sponsor bank, a corporate issuing fuel or expense cards across several eu countries on one programme, a bank migrating an existing european card portfolio off a legacy processor, a programme that must report cardholder transaction carbon data to meet sustainability commitments. Of those, a european fintech launching cards without spending two quarters finding a sponsor bank and a corporate issuing fuel or expense cards across several eu countries on one programme are not what PubNub is typically brought in for.
What can Enfuce do that PubNub cannot?
Enfuce covers Licensed issuing, Card processing, Tokenisation, Spend controls. PubNub covers Pub/sub messaging, Presence tracking, Message persistence, Serverless Functions.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Enfuce: Do I need my own licence to use Enfuce?

Not necessarily. Enfuce holds Finnish payment institution authorisation and can act as issuer, or process under your own licence if you have one.

PubNub: What does PubNub cost?

PubNub offers a free plan for up to 200 MAU or 1 million transactions, a Starter plan at $98/month for 1,000 MAU, and custom Pro pricing for larger volumes, e.g. around $550/month for 10,000 MAU.

Source
Enfuce: Which regions does it cover?

Europe. It is not a route to issuing cards in the United States or Asia.

PubNub: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

Yes, the free plan supports up to 200 monthly active users or 1 million transactions, includes 1GB of data storage retained for 7 days, and requires no credit card.

Source
Enfuce: How does interchange work?

Who holds the issuing licence determines who receives interchange, so the licensing choice and the revenue model are the same decision.

PubNub: How is usage metered?

PubNub bills primarily by Monthly Active Users, defined as a unique user who connects at least once in a billing cycle; messages are bundled into MAU pricing with no separate per-message fees, and overage is billed proportionally.

Source
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