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Arduino Cloud vs MQTT

Arduino Cloud logo

Arduino Cloud

Smart Home

Cloud platform for Arduino IoT devices and applications

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
MQTT logo

MQTT

Smart Home

Lightweight messaging protocol for IoT devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Arduino Cloud the free plan allows 2 connected devices, 5 variables each and one day of data retention; MQTT mQTT is an open-source protocol standard with no commercial pricing; not a commercial product
  • They diverge on capability: Arduino Cloud covers Device Connectivity, MQTT covers Publish-Subscribe.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Arduino Cloud and MQTT actually diverge.

Attributes where Arduino Cloud and MQTT differ
AttributeArduino CloudMQTT
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
PlatformsArduino devices, Cloud, Mobile app, Web dashboardAny platform, Embedded devices, Cloud, Edge computing
Founded20051999

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Smart Home).

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 Arduino Cloud

  • Device Connectivity
  • Cloud Storage
  • Real-Time Sync
  • Security
  • Arduino IDE
  • Mobile app
  • REST API
  • Integration services

Only in MQTT

  • Publish-Subscribe
  • Lightweight
  • QoS Levels
  • Retained Messages
  • IoT platforms
  • Home automation
  • Cloud services
  • Edge devices

Both cover

  • Cloud support

What people use each for

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

Arduino Cloud

  • Connecting Arduino boards to a cloud dashboardnot MQTT
  • Over-the-air firmware updates to deployed devicesnot MQTT
  • Logging sensor data and charting it over timenot MQTT
  • Triggering notifications from device thresholdsnot MQTT
  • Classroom IoT projects on the School plannot MQTT

MQTT

  • IoT messagingnot Arduino Cloud
  • Sensor datanot Arduino Cloud
  • Real-time updatesnot Arduino Cloud
  • Device telemetrynot Arduino Cloud

Where each one falls short

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

Arduino Cloud

  • The free plan allows 2 connected devices, 5 variables each and one day of data retention
  • Free accounts are limited to 25 compilations a day and 10 trigger notifications a day
  • The Maker plan at $72 a year lifts devices to 25 and retention to 3 months, still for a single user
  • Team pricing jumps to $1,000 a year
  • Two years of data retention and unlimited ingestion require Enterprise

MQTT

  • MQTT is an open-source protocol standard with no commercial pricing; not a commercial product

Pricing, plan by plan

Arduino Cloud

Free
  • MakerFree
    • 2 devices
    • Basic features
    • Cloud access
  • Maker Plus$7/month
    • Up to 10 devices
    • Advanced features
    • Better storage

MQTT

Free
  • Open ProtocolFree
    • Publish-subscribe
    • Lightweight
    • QoS levels

Which should you pick?

Choose Arduino Cloud if

  • You need device connectivity.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Arduino devices, Cloud, Mobile app, Web dashboard.
  • You also want cloud storage.
Arduino Cloud review

Choose MQTT if

  • You need publish-subscribe.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Any platform, Embedded devices, Cloud, Edge computing.
  • You also want lightweight.
MQTT review

Questions people ask

Is Arduino Cloud or MQTT better?
Neither clearly leads. Arduino Cloud starts at Free and MQTT at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Arduino Cloud or MQTT?
Arduino Cloud starts at Free and MQTT at Free.
Does Arduino Cloud or MQTT run on more platforms?
Arduino Cloud runs on Arduino devices, Cloud, Mobile app, Web dashboard. MQTT runs on Any platform, Embedded devices, Cloud, Edge computing.
Can I use Arduino Cloud for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Arduino Cloud best used for?
Arduino Cloud is most often used for connecting arduino boards to a cloud dashboard, over-the-air firmware updates to deployed devices, logging sensor data and charting it over time, triggering notifications from device thresholds. Of those, connecting arduino boards to a cloud dashboard and over-the-air firmware updates to deployed devices are not what MQTT is typically brought in for.
What can Arduino Cloud do that MQTT cannot?
Arduino Cloud covers Device Connectivity, Cloud Storage, Real-Time Sync, Security. MQTT covers Publish-Subscribe, Lightweight, QoS Levels, Retained Messages. Both handle Cloud support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

MQTT: Does MQTT have a commercial license cost?

MQTT is an open-source communication protocol and standard. No pricing is published because MQTT itself is not a commercial product for sale.

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