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Machine Learning · head to head

SAS vs Solace PubSub+

SAS logo

SAS

Machine Learning

Analytics, AI and data management software

From
Free
Rated
-
Solace PubSub+ logo

Solace PubSub+

Databases

Multi-protocol event broker sold as software, cloud service or a hardware appliance

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: SAS sAS publishes no rate, no minimum and no named cost driver; the how to buy page offers only a customized price quote based on your requirements and deployment preferences; Solace PubSub+ no pricing is published at any tier, so evaluation requires a sales engagement before you can even judge whether it is in budget, and broker tier sizing determines cost in ways buyers frequently get wrong.
  • They diverge on capability: SAS covers Statistical analysis, Solace PubSub+ covers Multi-protocol broker.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which SAS and Solace PubSub+ actually diverge.

Attributes where SAS and Solace PubSub+ differ
AttributeSASSolace PubSub+
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsLinux, Windows, WebLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud, Hardware appliance
CategoryMachine LearningDatabases
Founded1976Unknown

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 SAS

  • Statistical analysis
  • Machine learning
  • Forecasting
  • Text analytics
  • Optimization
  • Python
  • R
  • Hadoop

Only in Solace PubSub+

  • Multi-protocol broker
  • Dynamic message routing
  • Hardware appliance
  • Event Portal
  • Guaranteed delivery
  • Mission Control
  • Topic hierarchies and wildcards
  • Kafka and MQ bridging

What people use each for

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

SAS

  • Regulated statistical analysis and clinical reportingnot Solace PubSub+
  • Enterprise data management, visualization and decisioning on one licensed platformnot Solace PubSub+

Solace PubSub+

  • A bank building an event mesh across regions where a Java JMS application and an MQTT mobile client must share the same topic spacenot SAS
  • An exchange or trading platform with a latency budget that needs the hardware appliance rather than a software brokernot SAS
  • An airline distributing operational events to ground systems, aircraft and partner APIs over different protocolsnot SAS
  • A manufacturer bridging factory MQTT telemetry into an enterprise Kafka estate without writing translation servicesnot SAS

Where each one falls short

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

SAS

  • SAS publishes no rate, no minimum and no named cost driver; the how to buy page offers only a customized price quote based on your requirements and deployment preferences
  • Most new and existing customers are routed through authorized resellers rather than buying direct
  • Cloud marketplace purchases require choosing between pay as you go and bring your own licence, each with different licensing terms

Solace PubSub+

  • No pricing is published at any tier, so evaluation requires a sales engagement before you can even judge whether it is in budget, and broker tier sizing determines cost in ways buyers frequently get wrong.
  • The free Standard edition has hard capacity and support limits, which makes it useful for development but means any real deployment triggers a commercial negotiation.
  • The proprietary SMF protocol gives the best performance and feature coverage, so teams that lean on it acquire real switching costs even though open protocols are supported.
  • Operating a self-managed high availability broker pair with disaster recovery is a specialist task, and Solace expertise is scarce in the hiring market compared with Kafka skills.
  • Event Portal and Mission Control are licensed as part of platform packages, so the governance tooling that makes an event mesh manageable is not simply included with the broker.

Pricing, plan by plan

SAS

Free
  • SAS OnDemand for AcademicsFree
    • Academic use
    • Core SAS
  • SAS ViyaFree
    • Full platform
    • Cloud-native
    • AI/ML

Solace PubSub+

Free
  • Software Event Broker StandardFree
    • Free for production within capacity limits
    • Single node, capped connections and queues
    • No vendor support
  • Solace Cloud$undefined/year
    • Managed brokers in tiers from ENT-250 to ENT-100K
    • Foundation, Accelerate and Scale platform packages
    • Fixed subscription or annual consumption drawdown
  • Software Enterprise self-managed$undefined/year
    • Deploy in your own Kubernetes, VMs or data centre
    • High availability and disaster recovery
    • Support with SLA
  • Hardware appliance$undefined/year
    • Purpose-built appliance with FPGA message offload
    • Deterministic low latency
    • Sold with support contract

Which should you pick?

Choose SAS if

  • You need statistical analysis.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Web.
  • You also want machine learning.

Choose Solace PubSub+ if

  • You need multi-protocol broker.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud, Hardware appliance.
  • You also want dynamic message routing.

Questions people ask

Is SAS or Solace PubSub+ better?
Neither clearly leads. SAS starts at Free and Solace PubSub+ at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, SAS or Solace PubSub+?
SAS starts at Free and Solace PubSub+ at Free.
Does SAS or Solace PubSub+ run on more platforms?
SAS runs on Linux, Windows, Web. Solace PubSub+ runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud, Hardware appliance.
Can I use SAS for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is SAS best used for?
SAS is most often used for regulated statistical analysis and clinical reporting, enterprise data management, visualization and decisioning on one licensed platform. Of those, regulated statistical analysis and clinical reporting and enterprise data management, visualization and decisioning on one licensed platform are not what Solace PubSub+ is typically brought in for.
What can SAS do that Solace PubSub+ cannot?
SAS covers Statistical analysis, Machine learning, Forecasting, Text analytics. Solace PubSub+ covers Multi-protocol broker, Dynamic message routing, Hardware appliance, Event Portal.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SAS: Does SAS offer a free trial?

Yes, SAS offers a free trial through a private trial environment for SAS Viya. Interested customers can request access by submitting a trial form on their website.

Source
Solace PubSub+: Is there a free version of Solace?

Yes, the Standard edition of the software event broker is free for production within capacity limits, with no vendor support.

SAS: How does SAS price its software?

SAS does not publish standard pricing on its website. Instead, it uses a custom enterprise sales model where customers can choose between paying as-you-go or purchasing SAS Viya Enterprise. Specific pricing must be requested directly from their sales team.

Source
Solace PubSub+: Does Solace publish prices?

No. Cloud, software and appliance are all quoted, based on broker tier from ENT-250 to ENT-100K and licensing model.

SAS: What are my pricing options?

SAS offers flexible purchasing models including pay-as-you-go and enterprise licensing options. The company states they can help you find the environment that fits your needs, but specific terms must be discussed with sales.

Source
Solace PubSub+: Why buy an appliance in 2026?

Deterministic low latency with message processing offloaded to hardware, which matters in capital markets and little elsewhere.

SAS: How do I get a pricing quote?

You can request pricing through their website by using the quote request form, requesting a customized demo, or contacting their sales team directly.

Source
Solace PubSub+: Can it replace Kafka?

Not for log retention and stream reprocessing. It is stronger at multi-protocol routing and guaranteed delivery, and the two are often bridged.

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