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Ably VS Nexmo

Compare Ably VS Nexmo and see what are their differences

Ably

The realtime platform that just works. We power more WebSocket connections than any other pub/sub platform, serving over 2 billion devices monthly.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Freemium Free trial
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Alternatives Is it good?
Nexmo

Nexmo is a simple two way SMS API with global reach and wholesale rates

Rating
0 reviews
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Alternatives Is it good?
Eddyter
Build and integrate a WYSIWYG editor in minutes. Eddyter offers fast setup, developer-friendly APIs, and seamless content editing for modern web apps today. sponsored
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Ably seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 26 times since March 2021.

social mentions
26 vs 0
Developer Tools popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
138 vs 240+

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Ably
Nexmo
Website ably.com nexmo.com
Pricing
Freemium Free trial Official pricing
Official pricing
Company Startup from the United Kingdom · 50 - 99 employees · 2016 Startup from the United States
Listed in
Infrastructure As A Service (IaaS) Realtime Backend / API Mobile Push Messaging Developer Tools +1
Communication Messaging Customer Engagement WhatsApp +1

About Ably and Nexmo

In their own words, as submitted to SaaSHub.

Ably
Nexmo

We help teams deliver resilient AI UX and high-performance live experiences that stay fast and in sync worldwide. We provide the global realtime layer for AI agents, chat, notifications, live dashboards, and collaboration - engineered to handle peak demand without self-managed infrastructure....

Read more about Ably

No description of Nexmo yet.

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Ably 8 features
Nexmo 6 features
  • Scalability
    Ably is designed to handle a massive number of concurrent connections and messages, making it scalable for both small and large applications.
  • Real-time Messaging
    Ably provides robust real-time messaging capabilities with low latency, supporting use-cases like live chat, gaming, and real-time data streaming.
  • Global Presence
    Ably has a globally distributed network, ensuring low latency and high availability for users around the world.
  • Advanced Features
    It offers advanced features such as message history, presence, and push notifications, which can enhance the functionality of real-time applications.
  • Security
    Ably includes built-in security features such as TLS encryption, token-based authentication, and private channels to ensure secure communication.
  • Extensive Documentation
    The service provides extensive and well-organized documentation, making it easier for developers to integrate and utilize its features.
  • SDKs and Libraries
    Ably offers a wide range of SDKs and libraries for different programming languages and platforms, easing the development process.
  • Reliable Delivery
    It ensures reliable message delivery with features like message queuing and message de-duplication.

Possible disadvantages

  • Complexity
    Due to its wide range of advanced features, the initial learning curve can be steep for new users.
  • Cost
    For large-scale applications or extensive use of advanced features, the costs can add up, making it potentially expensive.
  • Vendor Lock-in
    Relying heavily on Ably’s platform-specific features may result in vendor lock-in, making it challenging to switch to other services in the future.
  • Dependence on Internet Connection
    As a cloud-based service, Ably’s performance is highly dependent on the quality and reliability of the internet connection.
  • Third-party Integration
    While Ably offers various integration options, integrating certain third-party services may require additional custom development or may not be as seamless.
  • Global Reach
    Nexmo provides a global platform that allows you to send SMS and make voice calls to over 200 countries, ensuring extensive reach.
  • API Flexibility
    Nexmo's APIs are flexible and easy to integrate, allowing developers to quickly implement communication features into their applications.
  • Reliable Service
    Nexmo is known for its high reliability and strong uptime, making it a dependable choice for critical messaging and voice services.
  • Scalability
    Users can scale their usage up or down depending on their needs, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes.
  • Comprehensive Analytics
    Nexmo provides detailed analytics and reporting tools that help businesses track performance, delivery rates, and engagement.
  • Support for Multiple Channels
    In addition to SMS and voice, Nexmo supports other communication channels such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Viber.

Possible disadvantages

  • Pricing Complexity
    The pricing model for Nexmo can be complex and difficult to estimate, especially for businesses with variable usage patterns.
  • Customer Support
    Some users have reported that Nexmo’s customer support can be slow to respond and not always helpful in resolving issues.
  • Initial Learning Curve
    New users may find the platform and its wide array of features to be overwhelming at first, requiring some time to learn.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Ably
Nexmo

Overall verdict

  • Ably is a reliable and efficient real-time messaging platform, well-suited for applications requiring high performance and scalability. It is generally well-regarded within the developer community for its ease of use and robust feature set.

Why this product is good

  • Features
    Ably provides a comprehensive suite of features such as pub/sub messaging, presence, and history.
  • Security
    It implements robust security practices including TLS encryption, token-based authentication, and private channels.
  • Integration
    Supports numerous protocols and provides SDKs for various programming languages, making it easy to integrate with different systems.
  • Reliability
    Ably offers high availability and low latency, ensuring messages are delivered in real-time.
  • Scalability
    The platform can handle millions of active connections and is designed for horizontal scaling.

Recommended for

  • developers building real-time applications like chat apps, dashboards, or multiplayer games
  • businesses in need of a scalable solution for live updates and notifications
  • teams looking for a platform with strong security and compliance credentials
  • organizations requiring integration with existing development workflows and tools

Overall verdict

  • Nexmo is generally considered a good option for businesses needing reliable communication APIs. It offers competitive pricing, solid customer support, and extensive documentation. However, specific needs and budget constraints should be considered, as alternative providers may better suit certain use cases.

Why this product is good

  • Nexmo, now part of Vonage, is well-regarded for its comprehensive suite of communication APIs that allow businesses to integrate SMS, voice, video, and other communication capabilities into their applications. It is known for its robust infrastructure, global reach, and ease of integration, which makes it appealing to developers and businesses looking to scale their communication solutions efficiently.

Recommended for

  • Businesses needing to scale their global communication capabilities.
  • Developers looking for easy integration of communication APIs into applications.
  • Companies seeking robust and reliable SMS, voice, and video APIs.
  • Organizations requiring comprehensive documentation and support for communication tools.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Ably 3 videos + Add
Nexmo 2 videos + Add

How to build a collaborative environment around your product

More videos

  • - How to build an avatar stack with Ably Spaces
  • - Ably 101: Serverless WebSockets at scale

Nexmo vs Tatango | Who's Better for SMS Marketing?

More videos

  • - SendGrid, PostmarkApp and Nexmo

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Ably
Nexmo
100% 100%
Developer Tools
0% 0%
0% 0%
Communication
100% 100%
100% 100%
Realtime Backend / API
0% 0%
0% 0%
Messaging
100% 100%

User comments

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Ably no reviews yet
Nexmo no reviews yet

We have no reviews of Ably yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Ably 26 mentions
Nexmo 0 mentions
  • AWS us-east-1 outage: How Ably’s multi-region architecture held up
    During this week’s AWS us-east-1 outage, Ably maintained full service continuity with no customer impact. This was our multi-region architecture working exactly as designed; error rates were negligibly low and unchanged throughout. Any... - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Real-Time Sync Alternatives: Vaultrice vs. localStorage, DIY, Firebase, Pusher
    Services like Pusher and Ably are experts in real-time messaging. They provide robust APIs for pub/sub channels, allowing you to broadcast events to clients reliably. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • CometChat Alternatives – Comparing the Top 10 Competitors
    Ably is a real-time infrastructure platform that focuses on delivering low-latency, reliable messaging across global distributed systems. It's designed for developers building event-driven applications, including chat, but also supports... - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago

View more

Tracking Nexmo since Mar 2021.

Alternatives to Ably and Nexmo

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