Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

GetStream.io VS SendBird

Compare GetStream.io VS SendBird and see what are their differences

GetStream.io logo GetStream.io

APIs for the development of scalable newsfeeds and chat applications.

SendBird logo SendBird

SendBird is messaging-as-a-service.
  • GetStream.io Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-30
  • SendBird Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-17

GetStream.io

$ Details
paid
Platforms
iOS Android REST API Cross Platform
Release Date
2014 January
Startup details
Country
United States
State
Colorado
City
Boulder
Founder(s)
Thierry Schellenbach
Employees
100 - 249

SendBird

$ Details
-
Platforms
-
Release Date
2013 January
Startup details
Country
United States
State
California
City
San Mateo
Founder(s)
Brandon Y Jeon
Employees
100 - 249

GetStream.io features and specs

  • Scalability
    GetStream.io is designed to handle large-scale applications with ease, making it suitable for both small projects and enterprise-level implementations.
  • Real-time Updates
    Provides robust real-time functionalities, allowing for instant updates and notifications, which is crucial for chat applications and activity feeds.
  • Flexibility
    Offers a wide variety of SDKs and APIs for different programming languages, giving developers the flexibility to integrate the services within a wide range of applications.
  • Feature-rich
    Includes features like user authentication, image processing, moderation tools, analytics, and more, providing a comprehensive solution for social feeds and chat functionalities.
  • Security
    Implements robust security measures like JWT (JSON Web Tokens) for ensuring secure communication between clients and servers.
  • Documentation and Support
    Offers extensive documentation and dedicated customer support, helping developers to efficiently integrate and troubleshoot the service.

Possible disadvantages of GetStream.io

  • Complex Pricing
    The pricing model can be complex and may become expensive for large-scale implementations, which could be a deterrent for some businesses.
  • Initial Learning Curve
    Can have a steep initial learning curve, especially for developers who are not familiar with real-time technologies or the specific APIs provided by GetStream.io.
  • Dependency
    Relying on an external service for critical application features introduces dependency risks, such as uptime dependency and potential service changes.
  • Latency
    Depending on user locations and service regions, there might be latency issues, which could impact the real-time performance for some users.
  • Customization Limits
    While feature-rich, there might be limitations on customization options if the provided functionalities do not align perfectly with specific use-case requirements.

SendBird features and specs

  • Scalability
    SendBird supports enterprise-level scalability, enabling businesses to handle millions of users and messages with ease.
  • Feature-rich
    The platform offers a wide range of features including chat, voice, and video capabilities, as well as support for rich media, GIFs, and file sharing.
  • Customizability
    SendBird provides extensive APIs and SDKs that allow developers to customize and integrate the chat functionality seamlessly into their applications.
  • Robust moderation tools
    The service includes powerful moderation tools such as profanity filters, user banning, and admin message controls, which are essential for maintaining community standards.
  • Real-time messaging
    SendBird offers low-latency, real-time messaging that ensures a smooth and interactive user experience.
  • Cross-platform support
    SendBird is compatible with various platforms including iOS, Android, and web, which ensures a consistent user experience across devices.
  • Analytics and reporting
    The platform provides comprehensive analytics and reporting tools that help businesses gain insights into user behavior and engagement.

Possible disadvantages of SendBird

  • Cost
    SendBird can be quite expensive, especially for startups and small businesses, with pricing plans that may not be feasible for all budgets.
  • Complex setup
    The platform's extensive features and customization options can result in a steep learning curve and a complex setup process for new users.
  • API limitations
    Some users have reported limitations and restrictions in the API that can hinder more advanced customizations and integrations.
  • Customer support
    While SendBird offers customer support, some users have experienced slower response times and less satisfactory support resolutions.
  • Third-party dependencies
    The platform's performance may be affected by third-party dependencies and integrations, which can introduce unpredictability in service reliability.

GetStream.io videos

Reviewing Your Twitch Channels LIVE - STREAM REVIEW EP14

More videos:

  • Review - Do you REALLY need a Stream Deck? - Elgato Stream Deck XL Review & Explanation
  • Review - Ninja Reviews the Elgato Stream Deck

SendBird videos

Sendbird Launches the Sendbird Calls API for In-app Voice and Video

More videos:

  • Review - The Beginning of SendBird and Entering Silicon Valley

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to GetStream.io and SendBird)
APIs
100 100%
0% 0
Communication
0 0%
100% 100
Productivity
100 100%
0% 0
Chat SDK
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using GetStream.io and SendBird. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare GetStream.io and SendBird

GetStream.io Reviews

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

SendBird Reviews

15 Best Twilio Alternatives 2022
Therefore, the biggest Sendbird’s advantage is something Twilio can’t do, and it’s to make an app social which is why Sendbird might be the right alternative for you if you run an app.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, GetStream.io should be more popular than SendBird. It has been mentiond 36 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

GetStream.io mentions (36)

  • Ask HN: Who is hiring? (April 2025)
    Company: Stream https://getstream.io/ We are consistently hiring backend engineers ranging from Senior level to Staff / Lead / Director / Principal Go engineers. If you have experience with a different tech stack, we offer a 10-week onboarding program to train you in Go, scaling and other key topics: https://tinyurl.com/2u5x9f9w At Stream, we use Go for our video SFU, chat API, Moderation and Feeds, serving high... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
  • Ask HN: Who is hiring? (March 2025)
    FYI, Your website (https://getstream.io/) is broken :-) Application error: a client-side exception has occurred (see the browser console for more information). - Source: Hacker News / 2 months ago
  • Ask HN: Who is hiring? (March 2025)
    Stream | Golang Staff Engineer | On-site: Amsterdam/Boulder/Skopje (sometimes remote) Stream (https://getstream.io/) provides APIs for building in-app chat, feeds and realtime video. We do this for over a billion end users, and thousands of apps such as Nextdoor, Strava, Gojek, Alfagift and others Looking for Go engineers of all levels, and in particular staff and above. Also very happy to train people on Go if... - Source: Hacker News / 2 months ago
  • Ask HN: Who is hiring? (March 2025)
    Company: Stream https://getstream.io/ We are hiring backend engineers ranging from Senior level to Staff / Lead / Director / Principal Go engineers. If you have experience with a different tech stack, we offer a 10-week onboarding program to train you in Go, scaling and other key topics: https://tinyurl.com/2u5x9f9w At Stream, we use Go for our video SFU, chat API, Moderation and Feeds, serving high traffic from... - Source: Hacker News / 2 months ago
  • Building a Slack Clone with Next.js and TailwindCSS - Part One
    Stream is a platform that allows developers to add rich chat and video features to their applications. Instead of dealing with the complexity of creating chat and video from the ground up, Stream provides APIs and SDKs to help you add them quickly and easily. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
View more

SendBird mentions (14)

  • Chat API pricing: Comparing MAU and per-minute consumption models
    The Monthly Active Users (MAU) model is one of the most widely used pricing models in the industry. Providers like CometChat, Sendbird, Twilio, and Stream charge based on the number of unique active users per month. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • WebSocket vs. HTTP communication protocols
    Fortunately, you don’t need to choose one over the other. The two communication protocols can, and often should, be used together, allowing each to do what it does best. If you need to implement real-time communication and streaming functionality in your applications, check out Sendbird. Sendbird’s APIs and client SDKs handle the technical heavy lifting for in-app chat, calls, and live streaming. Sendbird’s chat... - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • SwiftUI vs. UIKit: What is the best choice for building an iOS user interface in 2024?
    After you've analyzed the SwiftUI vs. UIkit comparison, consider adding customer communications to your app to enhance user engagement, retention, and CSAT. You can do this with Sendbird, an all-in-one communications API platform for web and mobile apps. Sendbird's highly abstracted APIs empower developers to build robust and scalable communication experiences (for chat, notifications, and in-app calls) across web... - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • 5 Best Instant Messaging APIs
    Sendbird Chat enables developers to implement chat and instant messaging by providing an SDK with ready-made chat UI components. They cover all the essential features you might expect, including voice and video, which makes it possible to deliver a comprehensive experience. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Custom vs. off-the-shelf React web notification systems: Which is better?
    Sendbird focuses on in-app messaging but also offers push notifications. It's designed to be highly customizable and can be a great fit if you want to offer your users a more interactive experience. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing GetStream.io and SendBird, you can also consider the following products

Ethora - Ethora: Seamlessly build, deploy, and manage web2 & Web3 applications with no-code solutions.

Twilio - Brings voice and messaging to your web and mobile applications.

ZmURL - Build a beautiful page for your Zoom event in 2 minutes

Agora.io - Agora.io is a real-time communications provider delivering video and voice communications across devices and global networks.

Pusher - Pusher is a hosted API for quickly, easily and securely adding scalable realtime functionality via WebSockets to web and mobile apps.

MirrorFly - The #1 CPaaS Solution for Small, Medium & Enterprises