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APIs · head to head

Fintech Farm vs PubNub

Fintech Farm logo

Fintech Farm

APIs

"Neobank in a box" for banks in emerging markets, paid on a performance basis

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: Fintech Farm the performance-based model means a bank is entering an ongoing revenue-sharing relationship rather than buying a one-time or fixed-fee software licence, which changes long-term cost dynamics as the neobank grows.; PubNub free plan storage history is limited to 7 days, which is short for apps needing longer message retention.
  • They diverge on capability: Fintech Farm covers End-to-end neobank stack, PubNub covers Pub/sub messaging.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fintech Farm and PubNub actually diverge.

Attributes where Fintech Farm and PubNub differ
AttributeFintech FarmPubNub
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Androidweb, 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 Fintech Farm

  • End-to-end neobank stack
  • Credit scoring engines
  • Debit, credit and BNPL products
  • Investment features
  • Performance-based partnership
  • Emerging market focus

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.

Fintech Farm

  • A mid-sized regulated bank in an emerging market wanting to launch a neobank without building digital product expertise in housenot PubNub
  • A bank wanting a partner compensated on growth outcomes rather than a fixed software licencenot PubNub
  • An institution needing credit scoring built specifically for thin-file, underbanked emerging market customersnot PubNub
  • A bank expanding into a new emerging market and wanting a proven neobank launch playbook rather than starting from scratchnot PubNub

PubNub

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

Where each one falls short

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

Fintech Farm

  • The performance-based model means a bank is entering an ongoing revenue-sharing relationship rather than buying a one-time or fixed-fee software licence, which changes long-term cost dynamics as the neobank grows.
  • It requires the partner bank to already hold a banking licence and balance sheet, so it is not usable by a company wanting to launch banking services without any existing regulatory status.
  • Focus on emerging markets means less proven track record in developed, heavily regulated markets such as the US or Western Europe.
  • As a smaller, founder-led company relative to Mambu or Temenos, its longevity and ability to support partner banks over a decade-plus relationship carries more vendor-risk uncertainty.
  • Being compensated on customer and revenue growth creates a natural incentive to prioritise growth-driving features over, for example, deep compliance tooling that does not directly move those metrics.

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

Fintech Farm

On request
  • Fintech Farm$undefined/year
    • Performance-based compensation tied to customer numbers and revenue generated
    • No published flat licence fee

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 Fintech Farm if

  • You need end-to-end neobank stack.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want credit scoring engines.
Fintech Farm 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 Fintech Farm or PubNub better?
Neither clearly leads. Fintech Farm 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, Fintech Farm or PubNub?
PubNub has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Fintech Farm and Free for PubNub.
Does Fintech Farm or PubNub run on more platforms?
Fintech Farm runs on Web, iOS, Android. 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. Fintech Farm starts at On request.
What is Fintech Farm best used for?
Fintech Farm is most often used for a mid-sized regulated bank in an emerging market wanting to launch a neobank without building digital product expertise in house, a bank wanting a partner compensated on growth outcomes rather than a fixed software licence, an institution needing credit scoring built specifically for thin-file, underbanked emerging market customers, a bank expanding into a new emerging market and wanting a proven neobank launch playbook rather than starting from scratch. Of those, a mid-sized regulated bank in an emerging market wanting to launch a neobank without building digital product expertise in house and a bank wanting a partner compensated on growth outcomes rather than a fixed software licence are not what PubNub is typically brought in for.
What can Fintech Farm do that PubNub cannot?
Fintech Farm covers End-to-end neobank stack, Credit scoring engines, Debit, credit and BNPL products, Investment features. PubNub covers Pub/sub messaging, Presence tracking, Message persistence, Serverless Functions.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Fintech Farm: How is Fintech Farm paid?

On a performance basis, tied to the number of customers and revenue its neobank product generates for the partner bank, rather than a flat licence fee.

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
Fintech Farm: Does the bank need its own licence?

Yes, Fintech Farm partners with banks that already hold a banking licence and balance sheet; it does not provide the licence itself.

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
Fintech Farm: Which markets does it focus on?

Emerging markets, including operations across regions such as Vietnam, Nigeria and increasingly India.

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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