Ably is a powerful tool for building real-time applications. However, when it comes to chat apps, its pub/sub foundation might not always be the perfect fit. While Ably excels in various real-time scenarios, chat applications often require additional features beyond basic message delivery.
This blog delves into the limitations of using Ably for building robust chat functionalities. We will explore how the pub/sub model can fall short in certain app requirements.
Additionally, we will share some compelling alternatives to Ably that are specifically designed to address the unique needs of chat applications. So, if you're looking to build a feature-rich chat experience, buckle up as we explore the best Ably alternatives in the market.
Ably : A quick overview
Ably is a real-time data platform that simplifies building interactive features in your applications. It offers a variety of developer tools and APIs to create a secure and scalable infrastructure for real-time data exchange. This allows applications to instantly update data, enabling features like chat, collaborative editing, and live dashboards.
Why do businesses look for alternatives to Ably?
1. Unreliable message delivery
Pub/Sub systems like Ably do not guarantee perfect message handling. Messages could be received by subscribers more than once, or even missed entirely. This can be an issue for situations that demand precise message processing and zero duplicates.
2. Scalability
Although Ably is efficient in handling a high volume of messages, managing a large number of concurrent connections can present challenges. This is particularly relevant for applications with a substantial user base or numerous constantly connected devices. It's crucial to thoroughly evaluate Ably's connection management strategies and potential throttling mechanisms in high-concurrency scenarios.
3. No message delivery confirmation
Unlike some messaging systems, Pub/Sub prioritizes efficiency by not providing individual delivery receipts to publishers. While messages are published to a central topic, publishers remain unsure if all subscribers received them. This can make troubleshooting message failures more challenging.
4. Message ordering is not guaranteed
Don't rely on Pub/Sub for absolute message sequencing across all recipients. While it can maintain order within defined groups, heavy workloads or multiple subscribers can disrupt the intended order. Consider alternative solutions if strict sequential processing is critical.
5. Offline Handling
Ably uses a pub/sub pattern, which means messages can potentially be lost if the recipient is offline. Ably offers features to handle these situations, but it requires extra development effort compared to services that guarantee message delivery.
Top 6 alternatives to Ably
1. CometChat
CometChat is a comprehensive chat infrastructure solution that provides powerful APIs & SDKs, making it effortless for businesses of all sizes to integrate real-time communication features into their existing websites and mobile apps.
Integrated platform offering access to text, voice, and video messaging capabilities within a unified system.
Comprehensive support for diverse message types, including GIFs, voice notes, polls, images, and customizable messaging options.
Fully equipped SDKs and pre-built UI Kits tailored for popular technologies such as Angular, React, React Native, Vue, Flutter, Swift, and Android.
Features for message and user moderation, ensuring conversations remain healthy and conducive.
Enterprise-grade performance standards and a 99.99% uptime SLA for reliability and peace of mind.
Resources like sample apps, extensive documentation, user-friendly tutorials, solution hours, and a responsive support team to streamline implementation for developers and expedite market entry with chat functionality.
CometChat's in-app messaging and calling capabilities have been embraced by several renowned brands. Among them are Kahoot, NoBrokerHood, Yes Madam, Sploot, Shaadi.com, Endeavour, and Nobroker.
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2. Sendbird
Sendbird is a cloud-based messaging and chat platform that provides chat, voice, and video call functionality for mobile apps and websites. In addition to chat and video, Sendbird also offers a range of features such as push notifications, moderation, AI chatbot and a chat based ticketing system.
Pros of using Sendbird -
01.
User-friendly interface
02.
Robust messaging features
03.
Good documentation and support
Cons of using Sendbird
01.
Limited customization options for UI components
02.
Their UI kits only provide basic foundations, lacking advanced features often needed for real-time chat.
03.
No UI kits for flutter, angular and Vue
04.
Potential for increased costs as user base grows
3. Streamchat
GetStream provides a scalable and reliable service for building activity feeds and chat. Their product offerings include APIs and SDKs for adding personalized activity feeds, chat, and messaging to applications. GetStream's services are designed to be easy to integrate and customize, allowing developers to create engaging and interactive experiences for their users.
Pros of using Streamchat
01.
Powerful API
StreamChat provides a full-featured, powerful API that allows developers to build and customize their chat applications with extensive functionality.
02.
Flexible SDKs
StreamChat offers software development kits (SDKs) for popular programming languages and platforms, making it easier to integrate the chat service into existing applications.
03.
User Management
StreamChat includes features for user management, such as user authentication and permissions, which can be crucial in maintaining a secure and orderly chat environment.
Cons of using Streamchat
01.
Lack of native SMS and email notifications, which are crucial for engagement.
02.
Insufficient support for structured messages, impacting advanced functionalities.
03.
Basic UI kits that may limit customizability.
04.
Stability concerns related to voice and video capabilities
05.
Additional storage costs for image and file transfers
4. PubNub
PubNub is a platform focused on providing real-time communication services. It is designed to enable developers to create applications capable of instantaneously transmitting messages, notifications, and data updates to users or devices.
Like Ably, PubNub also operates on a publish/subscribe model, making it a comparable alternative. If you're seeking a similar platform with near-identical functionality, PubNub could be an ideal candidate.
Cons of using PubNub
01.
PubNub doesn't assure that messages will be delivered in the order they were published, necessitating extra efforts from developers.
02.
PubNub's 100-message queue limit could result in undelivered messages due to connectivity loss.
03.
PubNub's Pub/Sub model typically does not persist messages.
04.
PubNub typically doesn't store messages, which could result in undelivered messages if the receiver is offline.
05.
PubNub lacks built-in user presence features, requiring developers to create and maintain their own systems, which could be complex and time-consuming.
5. Socket.IO
Socket.IO is a popular library that enables real-time communication between a web server and a web client (like you on your computer).
Socket.IO allows you to efficiently broadcast messages to all connected clients or specific groups of clients. This is useful for features like live chat or group conversations that need to be delivered to multiple users simultaneously.
6. Agora
Agora, Inc. is popular for its cloud-based real-time communication platform, its flagship product. Central to their service is an SDK that allows developers to smoothly embed audio, video, and interactive live streaming functionalities into their apps.
They've created their video chat SDK with a mobile-first mindset, ensuring it works optimally with both iOS and Android systems, thus providing compatibility across a broad range of mobile devices and OS versions.
Pros of using Agora
01.
Agora delivers high-quality audio and video with minimal latency
02.
Agora boasts a vast network of servers that provide global coverage
03.
Agora employs a pay-as-you-go pricing model, so you only pay for the resources you use
Cons of using Agora
01.
Steeper learning curve for developers compared to other options
02.
It doesn't offer built-in features specifically designed for chat applications
Aarathy Sundaresan
Content Marketer , CometChat