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APIs · head to head

PubNub vs TIBCO Mashery

PubNub logo

PubNub

APIs

Realtime communication platform for chat, IoT, and live data apps

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
TIBCO Mashery logo

TIBCO Mashery

APIs

Cloud-native API management for digital business

From
$2000/monthly
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only PubNub has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: PubNub free plan storage history is limited to 7 days, which is short for apps needing longer message retention.; TIBCO Mashery lack of support for open API standards requires workarounds
  • They diverge on capability: PubNub covers Pub/sub messaging, TIBCO Mashery covers Cloud-native Gateway.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PubNub and TIBCO Mashery actually diverge.

Attributes where PubNub and TIBCO Mashery differ
AttributePubNubTIBCO Mashery
Starting priceFree$2000/monthly
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Platformsweb, ios, android, apiCloud, Hybrid, Multi-cloud
FoundedUnknown1997

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 PubNub

  • Pub/sub messaging
  • Presence tracking
  • Message persistence
  • Serverless Functions
  • File sharing
  • Encryption and access controls

Only in TIBCO Mashery

  • Cloud-native Gateway
  • Developer Portal
  • API Analytics
  • TIBCO Cloud
  • AWS
  • Azure
  • GCP
  • Cloud support

What people use each for

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

PubNub

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

TIBCO Mashery

  • API Developmentnot PubNub
  • API Gatewaynot PubNub
  • API Testingnot PubNub
  • API Documentationnot PubNub
  • Microservicesnot PubNub

Where each one falls short

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

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.

TIBCO Mashery

  • Lack of support for open API standards requires workarounds
  • Policy management is difficult and sometimes requires support intervention for configuration changes
  • Monetization and customization features are inadequate for some enterprise use cases
  • Delays under heavy load conditions; stability issues reported affecting performance
  • Logging and monitoring limitations; logs are hard to follow when calls cannot be filtered by keys

Pricing, plan by plan

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

TIBCO Mashery

$2000/monthly
  • Standard$2000/monthly
    • API Gateway
    • Developer Portal
    • Standard support
  • Professional$5000/monthly
    • Advanced analytics
    • Multi-region
    • Priority support
  • Enterprise$undefined/monthly
    • Custom solutions
    • Dedicated support
    • Premium SLA

Which should you pick?

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

Choose TIBCO Mashery if

  • You need cloud-native gateway.
  • You work on Cloud, Hybrid, Multi-cloud.
  • You also want developer portal.
TIBCO Mashery review

Questions people ask

Is PubNub or TIBCO Mashery better?
Neither clearly leads. PubNub starts at Free and TIBCO Mashery at $2000/monthly, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PubNub or TIBCO Mashery?
PubNub has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for PubNub and $2000/monthly for TIBCO Mashery.
Does PubNub or TIBCO Mashery run on more platforms?
PubNub runs on web, ios, android, api. TIBCO Mashery runs on Cloud, Hybrid, Multi-cloud.
Can I use PubNub for free?
Yes. PubNub has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. TIBCO Mashery starts at $2000/monthly.
What is PubNub best used for?
PubNub is most often used for building realtime chat applications, streaming live iot sensor data, adding presence indicators to collaborative apps, running edge logic with serverless functions on realtime events. Of those, building realtime chat applications and streaming live iot sensor data are not what TIBCO Mashery is typically brought in for.
What can PubNub do that TIBCO Mashery cannot?
PubNub covers Pub/sub messaging, Presence tracking, Message persistence, Serverless Functions. TIBCO Mashery covers Cloud-native Gateway, Developer Portal, API Analytics, TIBCO Cloud.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
TIBCO Mashery: What is TIBCO Cloud API Management (Mashery)?

TIBCO Cloud API Management, formerly known as TIBCO Cloud Mashery, is an enterprise platform delivering full lifecycle API management capabilities including API creation, productization, security, analytics, and support for API development, mediation, and event-driven initiatives.

Source
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
TIBCO Mashery: What is the pricing structure?

TIBCO Mashery pricing starts at $2000/monthly for cloud-hosted deployments based on capacity and throughput. Annual maintenance for on-premises perpetual licenses typically ranges from 18-22% of license cost. Custom plans are available based on customer requirements.

Source
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
TIBCO Mashery: Does Mashery support OpenAPI standards?

TIBCO Mashery supports native OpenAPI specifications. The platform provides contract-first modeling with native OpenAPI Spec support and native Node.js hosting of API implementations.

TIBCO Mashery: What's the current status of TIBCO Mashery?

Mashery, formerly sold as TIBCO Cloud API Management, has had its capabilities integrated into Boomi's enterprise platform. Users should verify current product status and support roadmap with TIBCO's sales team, as the product landscape has undergone significant changes.

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