Choosing the right Sendbird alternative can feel overwhelming, especially with so many competitors in the market. While Sendbird is a powerful solution for in-app messaging, voice, and video, it’s not always the perfect fit for every business.
Maybe you’ve started comparing Sendbird pricing to your growing needs and realized costs could quickly spiral. Or maybe you’re exploring Sendbird alternatives because you need more flexibility, deeper integration, or simply a better user experience for your customers.
In this guide, we’ll break down the top alternatives to Sendbird, explain when moving to another provider makes sense, and show you where a custom-built solution could be the smartest investment long-term.
We’ll also cover realistic timelines, costs, and the trade-offs you need to know – without sugarcoating it.
Let’s dive in.
Addressing the limitations: why businesses are searching for Sendbird alternatives
If you're reading this, chances are you're feeling some friction with your current messaging platform. Maybe Sendbird seemed perfect at first – quick setup, strong features, decent support. But as your product grows, you start running into the same problems that push so many businesses to explore Sendbird alternatives.
Let's be honest: the more serious you get about real-time communication, the more those cracks start to show. Here’s are the most common ones:
Spiraling costs
You launched with predictable pricing, but now you're getting surprised by how fast Sendbird pricing adds up. Costs escalate with more users, larger groups, richer media, and higher usage. What once felt affordable can quickly turn into a major operating expense – and it’s often hard to predict or control.
Lack of deep customization
Sendbird lets you customize basic styling, but real differentiation – the kind that sets your brand apart – usually stays locked behind rigid SDK structures. If you're trying to build a communication experience that feels unique, out-of-the-box options like Sendbird, CometChat, or even Twilio Conversations can feel increasingly limiting.
Growing technical limitations
As your platform matures, you realize you need features or workflows that Sendbird’s APIs don’t easily support. Maybe you want custom message flows, smarter notifications, real-time analytics, or deep integrations with your CRM. Hacking around platform limits isn't just frustrating – it slows down your roadmap.
Data control and compliance concerns
More companies are recognizing the risks of relying on third-party platforms for critical user communication. Whether it's GDPR, HIPAA, or your own company policies, handing over messaging data to another vendor can raise compliance red flags. Most Sendbird competitors operate similarly – owning your infrastructure starts to look smarter.
Platform risk
The more critical messaging becomes to your product, the scarier it feels to depend on a third-party roadmap, pricing changes, or even platform stability. Companies comparing options like PubNub vs Sendbird or Stream vs Sendbird often realize that control over the communication layer is a necessity for long-term success.
Do any of these sound familiar? You’re not the only one experiencing these issues. Businesses across industries – from marketplaces to health tech to enterprise SaaS – hit the same wall.
In the next section, we'll break down the top Sendbird alternatives you should be considering – and how each stacks up when it comes to solving these real-world problems.
5 best Sendbird alternatives compared (and when each makes sense)
To help you decide with how to move forward, we’ve compared the top Sendbird competitors based on what they do best, how they differ from Sendbird, and when each might be the right fit.
1. Twilio Conversations – best for cross-channel messaging flexibility
Twilio Conversations lets businesses manage messaging across SMS, WhatsApp, in-app chat, and more through a unified API. Unlike Sendbird, which focuses primarily on in-app communications, Twilio supports multi-channel conversation flows.
Pros:
- Highly flexible – works across multiple messaging channels.
- Pay-as-you-go pricing model can be cost-effective for smaller apps.
- Backed by Twilio’s reliable, globally distributed infrastructure.
Cons:
- Requires significant development effort to build a rich in-app chat experience.
- Costs can escalate quickly without careful architecture and usage monitoring.
Twilio vs Sendbird: Twilio provides more cross-channel flexibility, but Sendbird delivers a faster in-app chat setup with more features ready to go.
2. PubNub – best for real-time infrastructure at global scale
PubNub provides real-time APIs that power everything from chat apps to live dashboards, gaming platforms, and IoT systems. It’s a real-time backbone, not a chat solution out of the box.
Pros:
- Extremely reliable for large-scale, global real-time messaging.
- Ultra-low latency, ideal for high-speed applications.
- Flexible for a variety of real-time use cases beyond chat.
Cons:
- You must build the chat functionality (UI, user states, moderation) yourself.
- More complex setup for chat-specific applications compared to Sendbird.
PubNub vs Sendbird: PubNub is a messaging infrastructure provider; Sendbird packages the full chat experience, saving development time.
4. Stream Chat – best for beautiful, customizable in-app messaging
Stream Chat delivers powerful APIs and fully customizable UI kits for building real-time chat inside apps. It’s often the first stop for businesses that need more design control than Sendbird offers.
Pros:
- Highly customizable, polished UI components.
- Very low latency and scalable infrastructure.
- Developer-friendly with excellent documentation and SDKs.
Cons:
- Focuses purely on messaging – no built-in voice or video calls.
- May need custom work to fully match Sendbird’s broader feature set.
Stream vs Sendbird: Stream excels at delivering beautiful, custom chat experiences. Sendbird offers more all-in-one communication features like video and moderation out of the box.
5. Pusher Channels – Best for Real-Time Notifications and Simple Messaging
Pusher Channels specializes in real-time event broadcasting – great for live notifications, activity feeds, and simple message updates.
Pros:
- Very easy to integrate for real-time notifications and updates.
- Reliable, low-latency performance.
- Works well for lightweight real-time apps.
Cons:
- Not a full-featured chat platform – lacks group chats, threads, moderation, or media uploads. It requires additional development to match Sendbird’s capabilities.
Sendbird vs Pusher: Pusher handles real-time updates beautifully, but it doesn't provide the depth of chat-specific features that Sendbird offers out of the box.
When it makes sense to build a custom Sendbird alternative - 4 scenarios
Switching between Sendbird competitors like Twilio Conversations, Stream Chat, or PubNub sounds simple enough – but sometimes, choosing another off-the-shelf solution just swaps one set of limitations for another. If you’ve been weighing, you might realize already that no ready-made platform perfectly fits every business.
At a certain point, building a custom communication platform tailored to your specific needs can offer more control, flexibility, and cost predictability than any of the typical Sendbird alternatives.
Here’s when it actually makes sense:
You need complete control over UX and branding
Most Sendbird competitors offer some UI customization, but you still have to work within their frameworks. If you want your messaging experience to look, feel, and behave exactly how your brand demands – not how someone else’s SDK allows – a custom-built white-label solution wins every time.
By going custom, you gain:
- Total control over layouts, interactions, and micro-animations.
- No restrictions on how you structure chats, groups, threads, or media sharing.
- Freedom to innovate unique messaging features your competitors can’t copy easily.
Even with highly flexible platforms like Stream or CometChat, you’ll eventually hit a wall. Building your own lets you break through it.
You need deep integration with your existing systems
If your communication layer needs to tightly integrate with your CRM, helpdesk, analytics tools, or even proprietary backend logic, a ready-made solution can become a bottleneck.
When comparing Sendbird vs Twilio or PubNub vs Sendbird, think about how much custom integration your business really requires.
Custom solutions allow:
- Direct access to all user data and conversation history.
- Custom workflows for things like lead scoring, service escalation, or customer segmentation.
- Real-time events triggers across your internal systems without middleware hacks.
- Any custom configurations or features your business requires.
You want predictable long-term costs
Sendbird pricing looks reasonable when you’re starting out, but as user numbers, message volume, or feature needs grow, costs can quickly become unpredictable. The same problem applies when looking at Twilio vs Sendbird or Stream vs Sendbird – SaaS-based pricing models always carry scaling risks.
When you build your own, self-hosted chat, you control hosting costs directly and avoid per-message, per-user, or overage fees. Over 3–5 years, owning your infrastructure can be far cheaper than renting it.
You need more security, compliance, or data ownership
Industries like finance, healthcare, and education demand tighter controls over data security and compliance (think GDPR, HIPAA, SOC2). Using external platforms like Sendbird or its alternatives often limits how much control you really have over user data.
Even when comparing CometChat vs Sendbird or PubNub vs Sendbird, you'll find compliance flexibility often stays limited when you rely on SaaS services.
Communication is your core strategic asset
If messaging isn’t just a feature but a critical part of your product or business model, investing in your own custom platform makes strategic sense.
Owning the communication layer can allow faster, more creative innovation without vendor limitations. It also increases your company’s valuation by owning critical infrastructure instead of licensing it.
If you're serious about long-term competitive advantage, going beyond Sendbird competitors to build your own stack becomes an obvious move.
When custom might not be the best choice
To be clear, building your own custom Sendbird alternative isn’t for everyone. Sometimes it’s smarter to stick with off-the-shelf solutions like Stream Chat, PubNub, or Twilio. This is especially true when:
- You’re launching an MVP and need to move fast.
- Your chat needs are basic and unlikely to grow complex.
- You lack internal resources to maintain a communication infrastructure long-term.
In these cases, picking the right Sendbird alternative and adapting around its limitations can still be a very smart play.
What does it take to build a custom Sendbird alternative?
If you’ve been comparing Sendbird competitors like Twilio Conversations, Stream Chat, or even weighing PubNub vs Sendbird, you might realize none of them perfectly match your needs. And with Sendbird pricing climbing as your app scales, owning your platform becomes an even more attractive option.
Here’s what you should know before committing to a custom Sendbird alternative.
How much does it cost to build a custom messaging platform?
The cost of building a Sendbird alternative depends heavily on your feature set, scalability needs, and security requirements. Here's a realistic view based on projects we’ve delivered:
What impacts the cost:
- Custom integrations with CRMs, ERPs, or other internal systems.
- Advanced compliance needs (e.g., HIPAA, GDPR-specific infrastructure).
- Unique UX/UI needs beyond standard chat flows.
- Scale – building for 10,000 users is very different from building for 10 million.
When evaluating Sendbird pricing versus building your own, remember that while custom development has higher upfront costs, your long-term Total Cost of Ownership often ends up lower – especially if messaging becomes core to your product strategy.
When you partner with us:
- You get a clear, phased delivery roadmap – with no hidden fees or gotchas.
- You maintain ownership of your platform, user data, and messaging infrastructure.
- You avoid the unexpected scaling costs that come with most Sendbird alternatives.
How long does it take to build a custom Sendbird alternative?
Like cost, timelines depend on complexity. Here's what you can realistically expect:
Hidden costs to keep in mind
When planning your custom messaging platform, don't forget:
- Ongoing maintenance: bug fixes, security patches, scaling improvements (typically 10–20% of initial build cost per year).
- Hosting and infrastructure: cloud servers, CDNs, database management, monitoring.
- Compliance and security audits: especially critical if you're operating in regulated industries.
- Feature evolution: user expectations grow – think about version 2.0 and beyond from the start.
Platforms like Twilio, Stream, or Sendbird handle these costs for you – but they also charge a premium for doing so. Going custom puts you in control, but it means you must plan for these realities from day one.
How we can help build your custom Sendbird alternative
Choosing among Sendbird alternatives like Twilio, Stream, or PubNub can solve some immediate problems, but none of those platforms were built specifically for your business. If you want a communication platform that adapts to your needs – not the other way around – partnering with the right team makes all the difference.
We specialize in helping companies who have outgrown Sendbird competitors and are ready to own their messaging experience for the long term.
Here’s why we’re the best partner for building your custom Sendbird alternative.
We build solutions, not just software
You won’t find us force-fitting some off-the-shelf framework into your app. While many teams get stuck adapting platforms like Stream vs Sendbird or CometChat vs Sendbird, we start with your business goals and user experience first.
We design and build:
- Fully custom chat engines, voice and video integrations, and real-time collaboration features for any use cases. Perhaps you need to handle communications at scale while maintaining clarity and orderliness? See the contextual chat we built for Trans.eu, one of the largest logistics providers in Europe and Asia that handles thousands of logistics transactions carried out daily among its 62k user base – not only ensuring clarity of communications while negotiating deals but also facilitating faster transactions.
- Scalable infrastructures that can handle tens of millions of users globally - like this immersive videoconference platform for DIVE that redefined the way people connect and interact online.
- Custom solutions that help you save both time and money, like this LiveChat alternative we built for Helmet House. The total cost of running the tool equals just one month's fee of using an off-the-shelf SaaS!
- User experiences that are frictionless, fast, and beautifully branded.
We focus on long-term success
Our goal isn’t just release – it’s making sure it’s launched as fast as possible your platform thrives well after it goes live.
We help future-proof your messaging solution through:
- Modular design so you can add features like voice, video, or AI integration later.
- Ongoing support for scaling, security updates, and feature evolution.
- Strategic consulting when it’s time to level up your engagement or explore new channels.
We speak your language (technical and business)
Many teams can code, but very few understand how real-time communication drives user engagement, retention, and brand loyalty. When you work with us, you get a partner who understands why you’re comparing PubNub vs Sendbird, Twilio vs Sendbird, or CometChat vs Sendbird – and what it really means for your business model.
Ready to stop adapting to someone else’s platform?
Let's build a solution that's yours – from day one, without compromise.
Book a free consultation with our team today and let’s explore what your custom communication platform could look like.
