Softwr

APIs · head to head

Ozone API vs PubNub

Ozone API logo

Ozone API

APIs

Standards-compliant open banking API layer for banks and regulators

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: Ozone API it provides the API layer, not the core connectivity, so the bulk of the project is still integrating your own core banking systems and that cost is not in the licence.; PubNub free plan storage history is limited to 7 days, which is short for apps needing longer message retention.
  • They diverge on capability: Ozone API covers Multi-standard support, PubNub covers Pub/sub messaging.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ozone API and PubNub actually diverge.

Attributes where Ozone API and PubNub differ
AttributeOzone APIPubNub
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, REST API, Linuxweb, 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 Ozone API

  • Multi-standard support
  • Consent management
  • Developer portal
  • Regulatory reporting
  • Premium API monetisation
  • Deployment flexibility

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.

Ozone API

  • A building society facing an open banking compliance deadline with no API team of its ownnot PubNub
  • A bank operating in several jurisdictions that must satisfy different open banking standards at oncenot PubNub
  • A regulator or standards body building national open finance infrastructurenot PubNub
  • A bank wanting to sell premium APIs beyond the regulatory minimum without building entitlement plumbingnot PubNub

PubNub

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

Where each one falls short

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

Ozone API

  • It provides the API layer, not the core connectivity, so the bulk of the project is still integrating your own core banking systems and that cost is not in the licence.
  • Value is driven by regulatory obligation, so an institution not under a mandate struggles to build a business case for the spend.
  • It is a small UK vendor selling to large regulated institutions, which raises procurement and vendor viability questions during bank due diligence.
  • Premium API monetisation is a genuine capability but few banks have found real demand, so revenue projections used to justify the purchase often do not materialise.
  • Standards evolve continuously and each revision means a change programme in your own systems, even where Ozone absorbs the specification work at the API edge.

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

Ozone API

On request
  • Ozone API$undefined/year
    • Annual licence or managed service subscription, quoted
    • Scaling by institution size, standards in scope and API call volume
    • Implementation and core integration charged separately

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 Ozone API if

  • You need multi-standard support.
  • You work on Web, REST API, Linux.
  • You also want consent management.
Ozone API 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 Ozone API or PubNub better?
Neither clearly leads. Ozone API 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, Ozone API or PubNub?
PubNub has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Ozone API and Free for PubNub.
Does Ozone API or PubNub run on more platforms?
Ozone API runs on Web, REST API, Linux. 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. Ozone API starts at On request.
What is Ozone API best used for?
Ozone API is most often used for a building society facing an open banking compliance deadline with no api team of its own, a bank operating in several jurisdictions that must satisfy different open banking standards at once, a regulator or standards body building national open finance infrastructure, a bank wanting to sell premium apis beyond the regulatory minimum without building entitlement plumbing. Of those, a building society facing an open banking compliance deadline with no api team of its own and a bank operating in several jurisdictions that must satisfy different open banking standards at once are not what PubNub is typically brought in for.
What can Ozone API do that PubNub cannot?
Ozone API covers Multi-standard support, Consent management, Developer portal, Regulatory reporting. PubNub covers Pub/sub messaging, Presence tracking, Message persistence, Serverless Functions.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Ozone API: Is this a competitor to Plaid or TrueLayer?

No, the opposite side. Ozone is bought by the bank exposing data; Plaid and TrueLayer consume it on behalf of third parties.

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
Ozone API: Does it connect to my core banking system?

It provides the standards-compliant API surface and adapters, but connecting your core is an integration project you scope separately.

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
Ozone API: Which standards does it support?

UK Open Banking, Berlin Group, FDX, Consumer Data Right and Gulf regional standards, among others, from one platform.

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 Ozone API

More on PubNub

Keep looking

Other head to heads