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Paid plans start at $98/mo. There's also a free plan.
PubNub has a Free plan at $0 per month, with up to 200 MAU or 1 million monthly transactions and 1GB of storage for seven days. Starter costs $98 per month for 1,000 MAU and up to six months of data storage. Pro uses custom MAU packages, with listed examples at $550 per month for 10,000 MAU and $2,100 for 50,000 MAU. Budget for the usage that drives your plan, then confirm overages and add-on pricing with the vendor.
01Every plan, line by line
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | Built for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | — | $0 | Testing and prototypes |
| Starter | — | $98 | Launching apps |
| Pro | — | Quote | Production apps |
Add-ons and overages
- Events & Actions: price not published
- PubNub Insights: price not published; trial listed
- BizOps Workspace: price not published; included with Starter
- Illuminate: price not published; 2-week free trial
02What the plan grid doesn't tell you
Usage overages
MAU and monthly transactions define the Free allowance. The vendor doesn't publish overage rates or transaction rate limits; ask for thresholds and billing behavior at your expected volume.
Pro quote variation
Pro uses custom MAU packages and volume discounts. The page lists a 50,000 MAU price but also says 50,000+ is custom, so confirm your quote and annual terms.
Paid add-ons
Events & Actions, PubNub Insights and Illuminate have no listed prices. BizOps Workspace is included with Starter; confirm what the add-ons cost for your plan.
Storage retention
Free includes 1GB for seven days; Starter includes up to six months. Check the plan and any price impact if your retention requirements exceed those terms.
03Which plan should you buy?
| If you are… | Get | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Prototype or small test | Free | It costs $0 per month and includes up to 200 MAU or 1 million monthly transactions, with 1GB stored for seven days. |
| App with 1,000 MAU | Starter | At $98 per month, it includes 1,000 MAU and up to six months of data storage, plus BizOps Workspace and Insights. |
| Production app at scale | Pro | Custom MAU packages, volume discounts, unlimited storage and an SLA make it the listed production option; request a workload-specific quote. |
04Is PubNub worth the money?
Free is a practical starting point for a prototype that fits its MAU, transaction and storage allowances. Starter has a clear $98 monthly price and includes 1,000 MAU, but teams should check whether the storage period and included usage fit their workload. Pro is the production tier, with custom MAU packages and example prices rather than a single price for all workloads. It may be worth paying to avoid operating messaging infrastructure, but get a quote that includes usage, retention, add-ons and annual terms before making it a core dependency.
PubNub pricing FAQ
Is PubNub free?
Yes. The Free plan costs $0 per month and includes up to 200 MAU or 1 million monthly transactions, plus 1GB of storage for seven days. Check whether your expected audience, transaction volume and retention fit those limits.
How much does PubNub Starter cost?
Starter is listed at $98 per month. It includes 1,000 MAU, up to six months of data storage, BizOps Workspace for user and channel management, and Insights into users, channels and messages.
How much does PubNub Pro cost?
Pro uses custom MAU packages. The pricing page lists 10,000 MAU at $550 per month and 50,000 MAU at $2,100 per month, while also saying 50,000+ is custom. Request a quote for your expected usage.
Does PubNub offer annual billing discounts?
The pricing page mentions annual discounts for Pro but does not publish annual rates. Free and Starter prices are listed monthly. Ask PubNub for annual pricing and confirm whether your quoted package includes the usage and add-ons you need.