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Databases · head to head

VerneMQ vs Visual Studio

VerneMQ logo

VerneMQ

Databases

Erlang MQTT broker whose source is Apache 2.0 but whose official binaries need a paid subscription

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit VerneMQFull review
Visual Studio logo

Visual Studio

Developer Tools

IDE for .NET and C++ development on Windows

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit Visual StudioFull review

The short version

  • Both are free.
  • Where VerneMQ falls short: there is no data integration or rule engine layer, so routing messages into a database means writing and operating your own consumer service.
  • Where Visual Studio falls short: A standalone perpetually licensed Visual Studio Professional 2022 costs $499 as a one-time purchase, separate from the subscription tiers.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which VerneMQ and Visual Studio actually diverge.

Attributes where VerneMQ and Visual Studio differ
AttributeVerneMQVisual Studio
Pricing modelQuoteFreemium
PlatformsLinux, Self-hosted, macOSWeb
CategoryDatabasesDeveloper Tools

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes).

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 VerneMQ

  • Erlang/OTP clustering
  • MQTT 5.0 support
  • Plugin system
  • Backpressure handling
  • Bridge support
  • Metrics export
  • MQTT over WebSockets
  • Pluggable auth backends

Only in Visual Studio

Nothing recorded that VerneMQ does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

VerneMQ

  • An industrial operator that wants an MQTT broker with predictable memory behaviour and no data integration features it will not usenot Visual Studio
  • A team building from source to stay strictly under Apache 2.0 terms with no vendor licence entanglementnot Visual Studio
  • A deployment needing custom authentication logic implemented as a plugin in Lua or over a webhooknot Visual Studio
  • An organisation that wants a broker maintained by a small European company rather than by a vendor that keeps changing licencesnot Visual Studio

Visual Studio

  • Managing complex, large-scale projects across multiple platformsnot VerneMQ
  • Commercial development in small businessesnot VerneMQ
  • DevOps and automated deployment workflowsnot VerneMQ
  • Windows/SQL Server developer and tester rolesnot VerneMQ
  • Short-term or month-to-month IDE access needsnot VerneMQ

Where each one falls short

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

VerneMQ

  • The official binaries and Docker images are not Apache 2.0 but sit under a EULA requiring a yearly commercial subscription, a distinction easy to miss and awkward to discover during a licence audit
  • Octavo Labs is a very small company, so support depth, response times and the bus factor on the codebase are materially thinner than at HiveMQ or EMQ
  • There is no data integration or rule engine layer, so routing messages into a database means writing and operating your own consumer service
  • Operating an Erlang cluster requires runtime knowledge that most teams do not have and will use for nothing else in their stack
  • There is no vendor-managed cloud offering, so every deployment is self-operated with the infrastructure and on-call cost that implies

Visual Studio

  • Community edition is free only for individual developers, classroom use, academic research and open-source contribution, not general commercial use
  • Monthly subscriptions are $45 per user per month for Professional and $250 per user per month for Enterprise, and do not include perpetual use rights the way annual Standard subscriptions do
  • A standalone perpetually licensed Visual Studio Professional 2022 costs $499 as a one-time purchase, separate from the subscription tiers

Pricing, plan by plan

VerneMQ

Free
  • Source buildFree
    • Apache 2.0 licensed source from GitHub
    • Full clustering and plugin capability
    • You compile and package it yourself
  • Binary packages and Docker imagesOn request
    • Covered by the VerneMQ EULA, not Apache 2.0
    • Yearly usage subscription expected for commercial use
    • Official builds and Docker images
  • Commercial supportOn request
    • Evaluation, customisation and operations assistance
    • Custom development
    • Long-term maintenance agreements

Visual Studio

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Visual Studio review.

Which should you pick?

Choose VerneMQ if

  • You need erlang/otp clustering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Self-hosted, macOS.
  • You also want mqtt 5.0 support.
VerneMQ review

Choose Visual Studio if

  • You want to start without paying.
Visual Studio review

Questions people ask

Is VerneMQ or Visual Studio better?
Neither clearly leads. VerneMQ starts at Free and Visual Studio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, VerneMQ or Visual Studio?
VerneMQ starts at Free and Visual Studio at Free.
Does VerneMQ or Visual Studio run on more platforms?
VerneMQ runs on Linux, Self-hosted, macOS. Visual Studio runs on Web.
Can I use VerneMQ for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is VerneMQ best used for?
VerneMQ is most often used for an industrial operator that wants an mqtt broker with predictable memory behaviour and no data integration features it will not use, a team building from source to stay strictly under apache 2.0 terms with no vendor licence entanglement, a deployment needing custom authentication logic implemented as a plugin in lua or over a webhook, an organisation that wants a broker maintained by a small european company rather than by a vendor that keeps changing licences. Of those, an industrial operator that wants an mqtt broker with predictable memory behaviour and no data integration features it will not use and a team building from source to stay strictly under apache 2.0 terms with no vendor licence entanglement are not what Visual Studio is typically brought in for.
What can VerneMQ do that Visual Studio cannot?
VerneMQ covers Erlang/OTP clustering, MQTT 5.0 support, Plugin system, Backpressure handling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

VerneMQ: Is VerneMQ free?

The source is Apache 2.0 and free. The official binary packages and Docker images are covered by a separate EULA that expects a yearly fee for commercial use.

Visual Studio: What are the pricing differences between subscription types?

Standard subscriptions include access to more benefits, such as Azure dev/test pricing, monthly Azure individual credit, software and download access, services, training, and support. Monthly subscriptions offer flexibility but fewer benefits.

Source
VerneMQ: Is the project still maintained?

Yes. Octavo Labs AG in Zurich continues to publish 2.x releases, most recently in 2026.

Visual Studio: Are discounts available for startups?

There aren't any discounts available to start-ups, however an unlimited number of users within an organization can use Visual Studio Community for specific scenarios like open source work.

Source
VerneMQ: Does it have a managed cloud?

No. Every deployment is self-hosted, with commercial support available from Octavo Labs.

Visual Studio: Who can use Visual Studio Community for free?

In non-enterprise organizations, up to five users can use it. Enterprise organizations (greater than 250 PCs or greater than $1M annual revenue) cannot use it beyond academic/open-source scenarios.

Source
VerneMQ: How does it compare to EMQX?

Narrower in features and without a rule engine, but with a simpler licence story for source builds after EMQX moved to BSL.

Visual Studio: What's the renewal pricing structure?

Enterprise standard renews at $214.09/month (after initial $499.92); Professional at $66.59/month (after $99.99).

Source
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