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APIs · head to head

PubNub vs Toqio

PubNub logo

PubNub

APIs

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Toqio logo

Toqio

APIs

No code platform for building embedded finance products on your own providers

From
On request
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.; Toqio toqio holds no licence and provides no sponsor bank, so you must find, contract and manage regulated providers yourself, which is the slowest part of any embedded finance launch.
  • They diverge on capability: PubNub covers Pub/sub messaging, Toqio covers No code product builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PubNub and Toqio actually diverge.

Attributes where PubNub and Toqio differ
AttributePubNubToqio
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo

Identical on both: platforms (web, ios, android, api), 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 Toqio

  • No code product builder
  • Provider orchestration
  • Account and card modules
  • Embedded financing
  • Back office tooling
  • Multi entity and multi brand
  • White label mobile apps
  • Marketplace of providers

What people use each for

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

PubNub

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

Toqio

  • A manufacturer offering branded working capital finance to its dealer networknot PubNub
  • A B2B marketplace launching accounts and cards for its sellers without becoming regulated itselfnot PubNub
  • A corporate that wants to switch card issuer without rebuilding its customer facing productnot PubNub
  • A group launching the same embedded finance product across several markets with different local providersnot 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.

Toqio

  • Toqio holds no licence and provides no sponsor bank, so you must find, contract and manage regulated providers yourself, which is the slowest part of any embedded finance launch.
  • Because it orchestrates rather than provides, the customer experience is only as good as the underlying bank or issuer, and Toqio cannot fix a partner's settlement delays or outages.
  • Pricing is quoted with no public rate card, so comparing it against building in house or against a bundled banking as a service provider requires a full sales process.
  • With around EUR 30 million raised in total it is a small supplier to underpin a financial product a large corporate expects to run for a decade, which raises real continuity questions in procurement.
  • No code configuration covers standard patterns well but bespoke customer journeys eventually require custom development, at which point the main advantage over building directly on provider APIs narrows.

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

Toqio

On request
  • Toqio platform$undefined/year
    • Quoted per customer, typically setup plus recurring platform fee
    • Regulated provider fees are separate and contracted by you
    • Card interchange and lending economics belong to your provider agreements

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 Toqio if

  • You need no code product builder.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, API.
  • You also want provider orchestration.
Toqio review

Questions people ask

Is PubNub or Toqio better?
Neither clearly leads. PubNub starts at Free and Toqio at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PubNub or Toqio?
PubNub has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for PubNub and On request for Toqio.
Does PubNub or Toqio run on more platforms?
PubNub runs on web, ios, android, api. Toqio 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. Toqio starts at On request.
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 Toqio is typically brought in for.
What can PubNub do that Toqio cannot?
PubNub covers Pub/sub messaging, Presence tracking, Message persistence, Serverless Functions. Toqio covers No code product builder, Provider orchestration, Account and card modules, Embedded financing.

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
Toqio: Does Toqio provide the banking licence?

No, deliberately. You contract your own bank, issuer or lender, which is why you can replace them without rebuilding the product.

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
Toqio: Who is it aimed at?

Large corporates and B2B ecosystem operators embedding finance for suppliers, dealers or marketplace sellers, not consumer fintech startups.

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
Toqio: How much does it cost?

Not published. Expect a setup fee plus a recurring platform fee, with all regulated provider costs on top and separately contracted.

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