Softwr

APIs · head to head

Neonomics vs PubNub

Neonomics logo

Neonomics

APIs

Nordic open banking payments and data, now with UK coverage through Ordo

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: Neonomics coverage outside the Nordics and the UK is comparatively shallow, so a pan European merchant will find gaps and inconsistent bank behaviour in southern and eastern markets.; PubNub free plan storage history is limited to 7 days, which is short for apps needing longer message retention.
  • They diverge on capability: Neonomics covers Payment initiation, PubNub covers Pub/sub messaging.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Neonomics and PubNub actually diverge.

Attributes where Neonomics and PubNub differ
AttributeNeonomicsPubNub
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, 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 Neonomics

  • Payment initiation
  • Account information
  • Nordic bank depth
  • UK coverage via Ordo
  • Variable recurring payments
  • Request to pay
  • White label journeys
  • Reconciliation data

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.

Neonomics

  • A Norwegian or Swedish merchant collecting payments directly from bank accounts to avoid card feesnot PubNub
  • A debt collection agency sending request to pay messages instead of chasing bank transfers manuallynot PubNub
  • A software vendor embedding pay by bank into an accounting or invoicing product for Nordic customersnot PubNub
  • A business needing both UK and Nordic bank payment coverage from one suppliernot PubNub

PubNub

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

Where each one falls short

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

Neonomics

  • Coverage outside the Nordics and the UK is comparatively shallow, so a pan European merchant will find gaps and inconsistent bank behaviour in southern and eastern markets.
  • It is a small company relative to Tink and TrueLayer, so supplier viability and the depth of engineering support behind bank API changes are genuine procurement questions.
  • Payment initiation only means the merchant handles settlement, reconciliation and refunds, and there is no chargeback framework to fall back on.
  • Integrating a recently acquired UK business means two regulatory entities and, for a period, two technology stacks, so cross market feature parity is a promise rather than an existing state.
  • Conversion is governed by each bank's own authentication experience, and Nordic BankID flows behave differently from UK app redirects, so a single UX cannot be assumed across the footprint.

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

Neonomics

On request
  • Neonomics platform$undefined/year
    • Quoted per customer, typically per initiated payment or per API call
    • Volume commitments and monthly minimums are common
    • Payment initiation only; merchant handles settlement and refunds

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 Neonomics if

  • You need payment initiation.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want account information.
Neonomics 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 Neonomics or PubNub better?
Neither clearly leads. Neonomics 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, Neonomics or PubNub?
PubNub has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Neonomics and Free for PubNub.
Does Neonomics or PubNub run on more platforms?
Neonomics runs on Web, 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. Neonomics starts at On request.
What is Neonomics best used for?
Neonomics is most often used for a norwegian or swedish merchant collecting payments directly from bank accounts to avoid card fees, a debt collection agency sending request to pay messages instead of chasing bank transfers manually, a software vendor embedding pay by bank into an accounting or invoicing product for nordic customers, a business needing both uk and nordic bank payment coverage from one supplier. Of those, a norwegian or swedish merchant collecting payments directly from bank accounts to avoid card fees and a debt collection agency sending request to pay messages instead of chasing bank transfers manually are not what PubNub is typically brought in for.
What can Neonomics do that PubNub cannot?
Neonomics covers Payment initiation, Account information, Nordic bank depth, UK coverage via Ordo. PubNub covers Pub/sub messaging, Presence tracking, Message persistence, Serverless Functions.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Neonomics: Is Neonomics authorised in the UK?

Yes, through the acquisition of Ordo, an FCA authorised open banking payments firm, approved by the FCA and the Norwegian regulator.

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
Neonomics: Does it support variable recurring payments?

Yes in the UK through the Ordo capability, subject to which banks support commercial VRP; support elsewhere is more limited.

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
Neonomics: Does Neonomics hold merchant funds?

No. It initiates payments; settlement, reconciliation and refunds remain with the merchant or its payment provider.

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
Share

Related pages

More on Neonomics

More on PubNub

Keep looking

Other head to heads