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IoT & Smart Home · head to head

MQTT vs Arduino Cloud

MQTT logo

MQTT

IoT & Smart Home

Lightweight messaging protocol for IoT devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Arduino Cloud logo

Arduino Cloud

IoT & Smart Home

Cloud platform for Arduino IoT devices and applications

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: MQTT mQTT is an OASIS standard messaging protocol maintained by a standards committee, not sold by a vendor; there is no company-controlled price list, subscription, or edition to compare because implementations are independent open source or commercial products built on the spec; Arduino Cloud the free plan allows 2 connected devices, 5 variables each and one day of data retention
  • They diverge on capability: MQTT covers Publish-Subscribe, Arduino Cloud covers Device Connectivity.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where MQTT and Arduino Cloud differ
AttributeMQTTArduino Cloud
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
PlatformsAny platform, Embedded devices, Cloud, Edge computingArduino devices, Cloud, Mobile app, Web dashboard
Founded19992005

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (IoT & 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 MQTT

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

Only in Arduino Cloud

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

Both cover

  • Cloud support

What people use each for

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

MQTT

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

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

Where each one falls short

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

MQTT

  • MQTT is an OASIS standard messaging protocol maintained by a standards committee, not sold by a vendor; there is no company-controlled price list, subscription, or edition to compare because implementations are independent open source or commercial products built on the spec

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

Pricing, plan by plan

MQTT

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

Arduino Cloud

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

Which should you pick?

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

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

Questions people ask

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