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IoT & Smart Home · head to head

MQTT vs Losant

MQTT logo

MQTT

IoT & Smart Home

Lightweight messaging protocol for IoT devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Losant logo

Losant

IoT & Smart Home

Cloud-based IoT platform with visualization and workflow automation

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; Losant no pricing is published at any tier, and the pricing page is a survey form rather than a rate card
  • They diverge on capability: MQTT covers Publish-Subscribe, Losant covers Device Connectivity.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MQTT and Losant actually diverge.

Attributes where MQTT and Losant differ
AttributeMQTTLosant
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
PlatformsAny platform, Embedded devices, Cloud, Edge computingCloud, Mobile app, Web dashboard, Device integration
Founded19992014

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 Losant

  • Device Connectivity
  • Data Visualization
  • Workflow Engine
  • REST API
  • Mobile app
  • Dashboard builder
  • Alert system
  • Data export

Both cover

  • Cloud support

What people use each for

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

MQTT

  • IoT messagingnot Losant
  • Sensor datanot Losant
  • Real-time updatesnot Losant
  • Device telemetrynot Losant

Losant

  • Building IoT applications with device management and visual workflowsnot MQTT
  • Collecting and acting on telemetry from connected equipmentnot 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

Losant

  • No pricing is published at any tier, and the pricing page is a survey form rather than a rate card
  • Device counts, data retention and payload allowances are all quoted rather than listed

Pricing, plan by plan

MQTT

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

Losant

Free
  • SandboxFree
    • Limited devices
    • Basic features
    • Community support
  • Enterprise$500/month
    • Unlimited devices
    • Advanced analytics
    • Premium support

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 Losant if

  • You need device connectivity.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Mobile app, Web dashboard, Device integration.
  • You also want data visualization.
Losant review

Questions people ask

Is MQTT or Losant better?
Neither clearly leads. MQTT starts at Free and Losant at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MQTT or Losant?
MQTT starts at Free and Losant at Free.
Does MQTT or Losant run on more platforms?
MQTT runs on Any platform, Embedded devices, Cloud, Edge computing. Losant runs on Cloud, Mobile app, Web dashboard, Device integration.
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 Losant is typically brought in for.
What can MQTT do that Losant cannot?
MQTT covers Publish-Subscribe, Lightweight, QoS Levels, Retained Messages. Losant covers Device Connectivity, Data Visualization, Workflow Engine, REST API. Both handle Cloud support.
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