Planning to real-time communication services into your communication app? Searching for the best developer-friendly SaaS-based models to integrate in-app chat API?
Then you have come to the right space. We’ve got a detailed insight on some of the best chat API service providers in town that will help you make an informed decision.
Editor’s Note:
Did you know that messaging apps have transformed communication between individuals and over 3 billion users are using real-time messaging apps as of 2025. And the growth is said to rise to 7.5 billion users by 2025 as per statista report?
Table of Contents
10 Best Chat API Services for Mobile & Website
The list of best Chat API services for Android are MirrorFly, Sendbird, Apphitect, Twillio, Cometchat, Stream, PubNub, TalkJS, Quickblox, & Pusher.
Plus, a few providers, like MirrorFly and Sendbird, make embedding customizable messaging features into Flutter and React Native apps easy. We’ll see all those below.
1. MirrorFly Chat API
100% Customizable Best Chat API Services for Mobile & Web Apps
MirrorFly is a premier CPaaS solution offering one rich chat API solution, including voice, video, activity feeds, live streaming, and SIP/VoIP calls with 1000+ features. MirrorFly offers white-label instant messaging to customize everything from logo to brand color and features. With multi-tenant chat, you can create various instances for clients.
Plus, it gives businesses the flexibility to host apps as they require by bringing in two deployment models: SaaS and self-hosted solutions.
MirrorFly chatapi Features
- 100% Customizable SDKs
- Complete Source Code Ownership
- White-label IM Solution
- 150+ Call and Messaging features
- Hire Dedicated Developers
- Unlimited Video & Voice chat
- Pre-built Chat UI kits
- VOIP Calling
- Multi-tenancy Mode
Pros
- Supports 100-plus integrations and 24/7 technical support.
- Mirrorfly offers free migration with no downtime.
- Ability to scale up to 1 billion conversations.
- Flexible deployment models and caters to multiple use cases.
Cons
- There are no cons as MirrorFly has met all the demands of developers.
Compatible Platform
- Android, iOS & Web
- Complete Source Code
- Lifetime Data Ownership
- Deploy on Own Server
2. Sendbird
Sendbird is one of the most reliable and trusted free chat api for Android providers, based out of the US that comes with AES 128, End-to-End Encryption, and other data protection mechanisms to safeguard data.
Plus, it supports global language translation of over 500,000,000 messages every day and 1,000,000 concurrent connections per application.
You can build modern web and mobile messaging apps with features like offline messaging, presence indicators, read and delivery receipts, analytics, and moderation tools.
Sendbird powers its messaging platforms for millions of users on a highly scalable infrastructure that is built with security, and reliability, and also certified by the leading compliance standards.
Sendbird Chat Features
- Chat Moderation
- User Muting
- Image Filtering
- Spam Flood Protection
- Smart Throttling
- Managing Moderator Roles & Permissions
- Announcements
- Profanity Filters
Pros
- Allows the users to freeze a real-time messaging channel.
- Enables scalability, since the Infrastructure is on AWS.
- Fits several use cases like Healthcare, Gaming, Social, Education, and more.
- Free trial on all Pro Features is accessible.
Cons
- Starter plan does not offer access to necessary instant messaging features like delivery receipts and announcements.
Compatible Platform
- Android, iOS
3. Apphitect
Apphitect is one of the best Instant Messaging SDK providers of video, voice, and messaging that pose no limitations on scalability or performance.
Plus, Apphitect makes migration or integration seamlessly easy with cost-effective options and gives developers a chance to build a customizable white-labeled messaging app.
Apphitect Chat Features
- Fully Customizable Messaging Solution
- Complete Code Ownership
- White labeled Solution
- Scalable Self hosted Instant Messaging SDKs
- Dedicated Integration Support
- Upload Large Video Files
- Video & Voice Calling
- Screen sharing
- Push notifications and offline messages
- Presence Indicator & social integrations
Pros
- Ability to scale up to a billion conversations
- Gives complete source code ownership
- Quick Integration with 24×7 developer support.
- Provides unlimited storage and on-cloud hosting.
- Zero downtime possibility.
Cons
- There are no cons as such and it caters to all developer needs.
Compatible Platform
- Android, iOS & Web
4. Twilio
Twilio, unlike other in app chat API providers, is a CPaaS and omnichannel messaging platform that gives developers a chance to build messaging application like WhatsApp and Telegram.
📌 What is CPaaS? – Communication Platform as a Service
Additionally, Twilio, which is now predominantly known as conversations SDK, was known to a lot for programmable messaging solution for android app that made the addition of group chats and moderations into communication application possible.
Twilio Features
- One-to-one and group chats and calls
- SMS and programmable voice services
- IoT connections
- Elastic SIP trunking
- Voip Phone
- Conversations chatbots
Pros
- Highly scalable and flexible APIs that supports customizations
- Detailed documentation on the integration process.
- Offers two-step authentication and several encryption mechanisms.
Cons
- Twilio seems to be a bit more high-priced than its other competitors.
- Online support is sub-par and hence becomes difficult to resolve any issues.
5. Stream
GetStream builds a real time messaging app for enterprise-grade collaborations and provides an activity feed provider to build a scaled real-time communication api within a few days that would normally take years to build. one of the best chat api for android provider.
Established in 2014, the real time messaging SDK service provider has served over billions of end-users supporting the other activity feeds Twitter, Scaleforce, instagram, etc.
Stream Features
- Direct and group chats
- E2E encryption via TLS
- Edit and delete messages
- Threaded conversations
- Spam and profanity protection
- BGP + DNS routing
- Audio and video calls
Pros
- Activity, notifications and personalized feeds
- Supports integration with easy-to-use REST API
- Allows minimum coding and can be set with ease
- Offers multi-region support in case of any queries
Cons
- High pricing (499 USD/month) compared to its peers.
Compatible Platforms
- iOS, Android and Web Application
6. PubNub
It is one of the popular real time messaging SDK providers for best instant messaging integration, even during traffic spikes, and also with a concurrency of 99.999% API uptime SLA.
PubNub’s real time communication software will ensure user engagement and retention with nifty moderation tools. Its powerful chat sdk are secure and reliable for one-to-one chat, group chat and live event messaging as well.
PubNub Features
- ChatBot Device Chat
- Ready-made UI/UX designs
- Real-time Notifications & alerts
- Community Chats
- Private, group messaging.
- Content moderation and language translation
- Live event Messaging
Pros
- Offers sentimental analysis and other AI-based services.
- Highly scalable and can assist over two trillion messages per month.
- Powers diversified real-time use cases alongside the chats
- Offers over 75 SDK options to choose.
Cons
- PubNub functions such as HIPAA and GDPR compliance are not accessible with the standard plans.
Compatible Platforms
- Android, ios & Web
7. CometChat
Cometchat is a reliable and effective chat api for mobile app provider that has a stellar user interface. They also promote developers as the easiest and fastest means to integrate IM features into any communication application.
Along with the above, CometChat’s prime highlight is the detection of viruses through the data masking feature. It is available upon download.
And even Cometchat’s scalability is unmatched just like its peers with no compromise on uptime and SLA.
Cometchat Features
- File and multimedia sharing
- Single and group chats
- Unread messages count
- Custom structured messages
- Group messages, tagging, and search
- Typing indicators and read receipts
Pros
- They offer free trial and support related to integrations.
- They cater their APIs to different diversified use cases.
Cons
- Their integration services are not up to par and are a little high-priced.
8. TalkJS
It is one of the leading messaging apps that permits developers to integrate real-time chat platform API on web, android, and iOS applications to communicate between users.
Plus, Talkjs offers cross-platform messaging SDKs to embed highly customizable chat services into Flutter or React Native instant messaging application.
The digital communication SDKs work seamlessly with many languages and frameworks such as Angular, React, Laravel, jQuery, Ruby on Rails, etc.
TalkJS Features
- Full conversation history
- Chat Pop-up
- Responsive Cross-browser UX
- Multi-language support
- Channels, Groups
Pros
- Supports multi-user chat.
- Reliable and functional
- Easy to implement.
- Swift Notifications
- The messaging app can be integrated instantly
Cons
- Needs more integrations
Compatible Platform
- Android, iOS and web applications
9. Quickblox
Quickblox is one of the best real-time communication solutions with a clean and simple UI/UX design. It offers a White Label Chat service API for developers to build real time communication application by adding their branding elements.
Additionally, the application is embedded with WebRTC protocol that produces high-quality one-on-one Voice and live video chat.
Quickblox Features
Features
- Video & Voice Calling
- File Sharing
- Screen sharing
- Multimedia sharing
- Integrate on existing user management
- Cross-platform compatibility.
Pros
- Offers Q-Municate, a ready-made messaging app for QuickBlox users.
- Available with support and has no license restriction.
- Dedicated servers facilitating Scalability
- Secure, encrypted, and adheres to regulatory compliances.
Cons
- Does not support multiple industry use cases.
Compatible Platform
- Android, iOS, and web applications
10. Pusher
Pusher’s flexible and versatile APIs make world-class messaging infrastructure possible by scaling to growing business needs and bringing in industry-best uptime.
Plus, they have SDKs and libraries for every language with a separate API termed Queryable API to query application state and get other information.
Along with the above, their plus points include options like offering debug tools to identify errors and integrate easily with services like Datadog and Librato.
Pusher Features
- Presence lists
- Collaboration tools
- Webhooks
- E2E encryption and HIPAA compliance
Pros
- Offers ultra-low latency levels with a fallback option
- Flexible and intuitive messaging experience over varied use cases
Cons
- Devoid of calls and audio capabilities.
Conclusion
It is clearly evident that all the top 10 Chat API service providers differ by technology features, merits and pitfalls, compatibility, and pricing options.
Therefore, as a web or mobile application developer, it is left to you to choose the right provider for your application development process.
Well, you can always kickstart with MirorrFly if you wish to build your chat platform with exquisite features and experience the benefit of using a self-hosted chat solution.
FAQ
A chat API is a set of rules and protocols that gives developers the ability to integrate real-time chat capabilities into their applications. These APIs provide access to a backend chat service and the necessary server infrastructure, allowing developers to embed feature-rich, scalable chat experiences within their apps without having to build the entire chat system from the ground up.
By leveraging an instant messaging APIs, developers can concentrate on crafting engaging user experiences rather than dealing with the complexities of implementing a comprehensive messaging solution.
To use a Instant Messaging software:
1.Configure the API settings
2.Authenticate your app to access the API
3.Use the provided client libraries to integrate the messaging features
4.Connect to the server
5.Launch your app
For websites, MirrorFly and Apphitect are the best messaging APIs to build engaging chat apps. Both these APIs offer 100% customization, 1000s of features, Custom security, and flexible deployment options.
MirrorFly, Apphitect, Pubnub, Stream messaging and Agora are some of the chat solutions that are built with REST APIs to enable effective communication across web and mobile apps
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Hello, my name is Willis and i am developing an app and i would like to use Mirrorfly chat API as my communication for my application. I am self funded and it is a startup. Im hoping we can talk more.
Hello, Please could you tell me the pricing for 10000 monthly active users of Live Chat? (please before an initial call). I’d also like to know whether you are hosted in Germany or EU? Thanks, Dom
Kudos to author .thanks for sharing great article I am creating a chat app and I would like more information about your apphitect chat API for end-to-end encryption for instant messaging
We are looking for a video call API for our app to create a private video calling feature between doctors and patients and we are looking for more details on the pricing of the video call feature
I’m looking to integrate a chat API service within my Next.js React app. Rather than building the infrastructure and UI from scratch, I’m considering third-party options. I’d love some insights on which providers offer the most value for their chat API service. Are there any potential drawbacks or specific challenges I should anticipate with these options?
Hi there! If you’re looking to integrate a chat API into your Next.js React app, MirrorFly is a fantastic option to consider. Our API offers full customization, enabling you to tailor both the infrastructure and UI to your app’s specific requirements. Plus, our plug-and-play SDKs are designed for seamless integration, significantly reducing your development time.
While other third-party chat APIs do come with dependency on the provider, MirrorFly mitigates this with 99.9% uptime, on-premises or cloud deployment, and scalable infrastructure to support apps of all sizes.
Feel free to reach out for a demo or detailed documentation to see how MirrorFly can align with your needs. 😊
I’m in search of a simple and clean chat API to add in-app chat functionality to my application. Which providers are best suited for seamless integration with minimal setup? Are there any specific features or limitations I should consider?
Hello! MirrorFly could be the perfect solution for adding simple and clean in-app chat functionality. Our APIs and SDKs are built for seamless integration, requiring minimal setup to get started. Whether you’re developing for web or mobile, our platform supports cross-platform compatibility and provides pre-built UI kits to help you launch quickly.
MirrorFly also offers customizable features, like one-on-one chats, group messaging, file sharing, and voice/video calling, so you can scale up functionality as your application grows. A key advantage is that we offer both cloud-based and self-hosted options, so you can choose what best fits your needs.
Let me know if you’d like a personalized walkthrough or more information about our features. 😊
I’m seeking a reliable chat provider offering a robust REST API to integrate real-time messaging into my web or mobile application seamlessly.
Hi there! For a robust REST API that seamlessly integrates real-time messaging into your web or mobile application, MirrorFly is an excellent choice. Our REST APIs are designed to handle real-time communication with high reliability and scalable infrastructure.
Don’t hesitate to ask if you’d like to explore how MirrorFly can streamline your chat app needs. 😊
Hi, We are in search of a chat API to integrate into our app, focusing on enabling seamless private video call functionality.
Hi Ramya, I will suggest MirrorFly. They offers a robust chat API and SDK solution that can seamlessly integrate private video calling functionality into your app. With highly customizable features, end-to-end encryption, and support for real-time communication, MirrorFly is designed to meet the needs of secure and scalable applications.