Softwr

APIs · head to head

PubNub vs Typesense

PubNub logo

PubNub

APIs

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Typesense logo

Typesense

Databases

Open-source typo-tolerant search engine as an Algolia alternative

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: PubNub free plan storage history is limited to 7 days, which is short for apps needing longer message retention.; Typesense holding the index in memory caps dataset size by available RAM, which becomes expensive at scale
  • They diverge on capability: PubNub covers Pub/sub messaging, Typesense covers In-memory index.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PubNub and Typesense actually diverge.

Attributes where PubNub and Typesense differ
AttributePubNubTypesense
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee; managed cloud billed separately
Platformsweb, ios, android, apiLinux, macOS, Docker, Self-hosted
CategoryAPIsDatabases

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Typesense

  • In-memory index
  • Typo tolerance
  • Faceting and filtering
  • Vector search

What people use each for

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

PubNub

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

Typesense

  • Replacing Algolia when per-search pricing outgrows the valuenot PubNub
  • Instant search over a product catalogue or documentation sitenot PubNub
  • Hybrid keyword and vector search without running two systemsnot 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.

Typesense

  • Holding the index in memory caps dataset size by available RAM, which becomes expensive at scale
  • Narrower than Elasticsearch by design: no log analytics or complex aggregation pipelines
  • Smaller ecosystem and community than Algolia or Elasticsearch, so fewer integrations exist off the shelf

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

Typesense

Free
  • TypesenseFree
    • Full functionality
    • Self-hosted
    • No usage limits

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 Typesense if

  • You need in-memory index.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Docker, Self-hosted.
  • You also want typo tolerance.
Typesense review

Questions people ask

Is PubNub or Typesense better?
Neither clearly leads. PubNub starts at Free and Typesense at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PubNub or Typesense?
PubNub starts at Free and Typesense at Free.
Does PubNub or Typesense run on more platforms?
PubNub runs on web, ios, android, api. Typesense runs on Linux, macOS, Docker, Self-hosted.
Can I use PubNub for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Typesense is typically brought in for.
What can PubNub do that Typesense cannot?
PubNub covers Pub/sub messaging, Presence tracking, Message persistence, Serverless Functions. Typesense covers In-memory index, Typo tolerance, Faceting and filtering, Vector search.

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
Typesense: Is Typesense free?

The engine is open source and free to self-host. Typesense Cloud is a paid managed option.

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
Typesense: Why choose Typesense over Algolia?

Cost and control. Algolia charges per search and per record; Typesense can be self-hosted with no per-query fee, at the cost of running it yourself.

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
Typesense: Does Typesense support vector search?

Yes, including hybrid search combining keyword and semantic matching in one query.

Share

Related pages

More on PubNub

More on Typesense

Keep looking

Other head to heads