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APIs · head to head

Paymentology vs Pusher

Paymentology logo

Paymentology

APIs

Cloud issuer processing across emerging and developed markets

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pusher logo

Pusher

APIs

Realtime messaging API for building live features into apps

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Pusher has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Paymentology paymentology processes but does not hold issuing licences, so every market still needs your own licence or a sponsor bank, which is usually the slowest and most expensive part of a launch.; Pusher the free Sandbox plan is capped at 100 concurrent connections, which is quickly outgrown by production apps.
  • They diverge on capability: Paymentology covers Global issuer processing, Pusher covers Pub/sub channels.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Paymentology and Pusher actually diverge.

Attributes where Paymentology and Pusher differ
AttributePaymentologyPusher
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 Paymentology

  • Global issuer processing
  • Real time transaction data
  • Virtual and physical issuance
  • Tokenisation
  • Multi currency and multi product
  • Card controls
  • Programme management tools
  • Fraud and risk integration

Only in Pusher

  • Pub/sub channels
  • Presence channels
  • Client libraries
  • Webhooks
  • 24/7 monitoring
  • Priority support

What people use each for

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

Paymentology

  • A neobank launching cards in an African or South East Asian market where hosted United States processors have no certificationnot Pusher
  • A mobile money operator adding a card product on top of an existing wallet basenot Pusher
  • A bank consolidating several regional card processors onto one platformnot Pusher
  • A fintech expanding an existing card programme into the Gulf without re platformingnot Pusher

Pusher

  • Adding live chat to a web or mobile appnot Paymentology
  • Showing realtime presence of online usersnot Paymentology
  • Pushing live notifications or dashboard updatesnot Paymentology
  • Building collaborative features without managing WebSocket serversnot Paymentology

Where each one falls short

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

Paymentology

  • Paymentology processes but does not hold issuing licences, so every market still needs your own licence or a sponsor bank, which is usually the slowest and most expensive part of a launch.
  • Fees include per active card charges and monthly minimums, so a portfolio with many dormant cards pays for plastic that generates no interchange.
  • Certification, settlement and scheme relationships differ by country, so a multi market rollout is a series of separate projects rather than one integration.
  • As a processor it sits between your product and the networks, meaning outages and scheme mandate changes reach your cardholders through a party you do not control.
  • Documentation and developer self service are weaker than the United States hosted processors, so early integration depends heavily on Paymentology implementation staff.

Pusher

  • The free Sandbox plan is capped at 100 concurrent connections, which is quickly outgrown by production apps.
  • Pricing jumps sharply between tiers (e.g. $49 to $99 to $299), leaving few options for teams with moderate but growing usage.
  • Priority support with faster response times costs an additional $3,000/month on top of plan pricing.

Pricing, plan by plan

Paymentology

On request
  • Paymentology processing$undefined/year
    • Quoted per programme and per market
    • Typically per transaction and per active card fees plus a monthly minimum
    • Issuing licence or sponsor bank required in each market and not provided

Pusher

Free
  • SandboxFree
    • 200k messages/day
    • 100 concurrent connections
    • Standard support
  • Startup$49/month
    • 1M messages/day
    • 500 concurrent connections
  • Pro$99/month
    • 4M messages/day
    • 2,000 concurrent connections
  • Business$299/month
    • 10M messages/day
    • 5,000 concurrent connections
    • Premium support

Which should you pick?

Choose Paymentology if

  • You need global issuer processing.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want real time transaction data.
Paymentology review

Choose Pusher if

  • You need pub/sub channels.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, ios, android, api.
  • You also want presence channels.
Pusher review

Questions people ask

Is Paymentology or Pusher better?
Neither clearly leads. Paymentology starts at On request and Pusher at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Paymentology or Pusher?
Pusher has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Paymentology and Free for Pusher.
Does Paymentology or Pusher run on more platforms?
Paymentology runs on Web, API. Pusher runs on web, ios, android, api.
Can I use Pusher for free?
Yes. Pusher has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Paymentology starts at On request.
What is Paymentology best used for?
Paymentology is most often used for a neobank launching cards in an african or south east asian market where hosted united states processors have no certification, a mobile money operator adding a card product on top of an existing wallet base, a bank consolidating several regional card processors onto one platform, a fintech expanding an existing card programme into the gulf without re platforming. Of those, a neobank launching cards in an african or south east asian market where hosted united states processors have no certification and a mobile money operator adding a card product on top of an existing wallet base are not what Pusher is typically brought in for.
What can Paymentology do that Pusher cannot?
Paymentology covers Global issuer processing, Real time transaction data, Virtual and physical issuance, Tokenisation. Pusher covers Pub/sub channels, Presence channels, Client libraries, Webhooks.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Paymentology: Does Paymentology provide the BIN and licence?

No. You need your own issuing licence or a sponsor bank in each market; Paymentology processes the transactions.

Pusher: What does Pusher cost?

Pusher Channels offers a free Sandbox plan (200k messages/day, 100 connections) and paid plans starting at $49/month for Startup, scaling up through Pro, Business, and several higher tiers up to $1,199/month, plus custom Enterprise pricing.

Source
Paymentology: What is the actual pricing model?

Per transaction and per active card, with a monthly minimum. Dormant cards still cost, so model your activation rate.

Pusher: Can I change or cancel my plan?

Yes, customers can log into the dashboard and adjust their plan at any time, including upgrading, downgrading, or cancelling.

Source
Paymentology: Why choose it over a United States issuer processor?

Network certification and live programmes in markets where those processors do not operate, which decides feasibility rather than preference.

Pusher: How is usage metered?

Usage is measured by concurrent connections and messages per day; a message counts both the publish and each delivery, so publishing one message to 50 subscribers counts as 51 messages.

Source
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