CookieDev

Top 10 Chat API & SDK

10 min to read

With the growing trend of digitalization, most businesses have transformed their communication methodology from mainstream to digital. In order to keep up with competitors, companies regularly upgrade their services, especially the way they relay information to their customers as well as their employees. Today, seamless real-time networking plays a critical role in engaging with individuals and enterprises, and the best way to implement such a feat is onboarding a Real-Time Chat SDK/API provider.

What are chat APIs?

Chat APIs (Application Programming Interface) represents a set of components that gives access to the back-end server environment and provides real-time chat features to your application. A chat API can be easily embedded with development documentation or by using a chat SDK (Software Development Kit). Speaking of, the latter comes in a downloadable package and involves ready-to-use instructions for developers to generate applications. Assisting communication between user to user, business to customer, business to business, or service provider to the customer – chat APIs can help you shape awesome chat tweaks that fit your brand.

What are chat API's benefits?

You might already have an idea of how an instant messaging API can transform your experience while utilizing an app and creating your best chat solutions. I give you three reasons:

  • Budget-friendly: thanks to predesigned APIs and SDKs, you can cut costs on workforce or finance and build an app without tedious tasks. All the processes will be simplified.

  • Secure: not to mention you even don't have to fret over your security (disclaimer: the list below features solutions that are 100% secure).

  • Beneficial: APIs and SDKs are not only developer-friendly but also easily accessible for users. They can actually change the entire app creation experience. It means software delivery will be faster and glitches-free.

    Here are the top 10 platforms that are being coined as top 10 platforms for providing Chat API & Messaging SDK solutions.

1. MirrorFly - An Enterprise Chat APIs & SDKs ProviderM

MirrorFly is a leading chat API and messaging SDK solution provider for businesses to build a real-time communication platform equipped with multiple interaction mediums. The messaging solution provides customizable APIs to integrate multiple communication channels like video, voice, conferencing, and text on the web and mobile applications. The entire chat application can be customized irrespective of features, design, theme, and many more. Their chat API source code has versatile use cases ranging from healthcare, eLearning, Consultation apps, In-game chat, Remote collaboration tools, and more. Features of MirrorFly Chat Solution

  1. One-to-one & Group chat

  2. Unlimited chat rooms

  3. Private video calling

  4. Group video call

  5. Video conferencing

Compatible platforms: iOS, Android, and Web Application

License Cost: One-time license cost

Number of Users: Above1 billion + users

Successful projects: ICICI Bank, tureID, travel square, Etisalat, cell card, STC, MyGate, and more.

2. Apphitect - A Leading Instant Messaging Platform

Apphitect is one of the leading chat API providers in the market with features like personal chats, social interactions, push notifications, and more. With customizable chat API, Apphitect provides zero downtime possibility for integration of communication mediums on Android, iOS & web applications. The Apphitect platform also comes with virtual communication mediums like video conferencing, video calling, screen sharing, and more.

Features of Apphitect Messaging Solution

  1. Push notifications & Offline messages

  2. Presence Indicator & social integrations

  3. Geolocation tracking

  4. Video Calling

  5. Voice Calling

  6. Multimedia sharing

Compatible platforms: iOS, Android, and Web Application

License Cost: One-time license cost

Number of Users: 1000+ trusted customers from around 40+ countries

Successful projects: Dr.Reddy's, Accenture, Mahindra, THE WORLD BANK, bazaar.

3. Talkjs - Full-featured Chat API for Website & Mobile Apps

Talkjs provides a chat API and SDK that allows developers to easily integrate a chat on android, iOS & web applications to chat between users. Their chat APIs offer fully-featured, reliable, scalable, and cross-platform messaging platforms. The APIs work seamlessly with any language and frameworks like React, jQuery, Angular, Laravel, Ruby on Rails, and many more.

Features of Talkjs Real-Time Chat API & SDK

  1. Full conversation history

  2. Chat Pop-up

  3. Responsive Cross-browser UX

  4. Multi-language support

  5. Channels, Groups

Compatible platform: Mobile and web applications

License Cost: Free & Paid (monthly Subscription)

Number of Users: 5000 active users per month

Successful projects: DECATHLON, LeadGenius, RIOT GAMES, ClassTime, HYUNDAI, etc.

4. Messagebird - Programmable Single API

Messagebird provides Omni-channel communication possibilities with a single API. Their API offers multiple channels to communicate with one seamless thread to deliver a personalized messaging experience. They also offer directory integration on third-party applications like WhatsApp, WeChat, Messenger, SMS, Telegram, and more. Messagebird API has the ability to integrate with WhatsApp for business purposes with the help of business API, to streamline & simplify customer support interactions and outbound sales.

Features of Messagebird Programmable API

  1. Unified conversation threads

  2. Channel fallbacks

  3. Automated follow-ups

  4. Voice Call support

Compatible platforms: iOS, Android, and Web Application

License Cost: Free & Paid (monthly Subscription)

Number of Users: Business reaches over 7 billion devices, serves over 25,000 customers

Successful projects: Facebook, Googlem Uber, WhatsApp, Airbnb, etc.


5. Kloudless - One Chat API for Any Team Chat App

Kloudless provides a unified chat API with a set of endpoints data models to integrate your apps with Slack, Facebook Workplace, and Microsoft Teams. To make the APIs integration much faster, it comes with one data model to ensure the request and response data are identical for integration. Kloudless also offers one authentication flow to authenticate with a password and single token access with different authentication mechanisms.

Features of Kloudless Chat API & SDK

  1. Real-time notifications

  2. Webhooks & event bus messages

  3. Tracking of Org-wide activities

  4. Unified data models

  5. Team API

Compatible platform: iOS, Android, and Web Application

License Cost: Free & Paid (monthly Subscription)

Successful projects: AUTODESK, Blackboard, SERVICE MAX, SHARP, Proofpoint, etc.

6. Contus Fly - A Unified Communication Solution

CONTUS Fly was founded in the year 2008 by a group of CONTUS companies. It has started off the business with texting application development that has eventually transformed into a real-time chat API and SDKs. Later on, this brand was launched as "CONTUS MirrorFly."

Its insight is to connect the customers and businesses with real-time communication - chat, voice, and video features and functionalities that can be integrated into any mobile and web app effortlessly. It is highly customizable with over 150+ chat features that also provide an additional option of custom features if required by the business.

Features of CONTUS Messaging Platform

  1. 1 million + concurrent global user engagement

  2. over 40+ use cases across the world

  3. Self-hosting infrastructure with on-premises and on-cloud as per the business needs

  4. Considered to be the best chat SDK for cross-platform

  5. The high end of scalability and security with undeniable protocols.

Compatible platforms: iOS, Android, and Web Applications

License Cost: One-time license cost

Number of Users: 1 Billion + users

Successful projects: travel square, Etisalat, ICICI Bank, tureID, MyGate, cell card, STC, and more.

7. Enablex - Multiple Communication APIs Provider

Enablex is one of the prime providers of communication APIs like Video API, Voice API, Chat API, and many more. Their messaging SDKs and Chat APIs are equipped with features to drive meaningful conversation across devices and platforms (Android, iOS). Enablex's Chat API is built to integrate on the go with customizations like functionalities, UI/UX, device compatibility, and more. Their platform is built from the ground and equipped with AES-based encryption, security standards, and end-to-end encryption to protect each conversation access device.

Features of Enablex Communication APIs

  1. Mass Notification

  2. Media Sharing

  3. Chat Status

  4. Multi-party Chat

  5. Chat Analysis

  6. Threaded conversation

  7. Chat Archiving

Compatible platform: Mobile and web application

License Cost: Free & Paid (monthly Subscription)

Successful projects: PetMantraa Ropes, TalentOnLease, OfficeCore Partners, Unicorn Conventions, etc.

8. Vonage - Communication APIs & Messaging APIs

Vonage makes messaging easier with chat APIs. The Vonage messaging API was formerly called Nexmo comes with chat features and APIs to integrate with MMS, SMS, and social chat apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, etc. Their messaging channels are available across platforms like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and SMS. Multimedia messaging like video, audio, and geo-location help to elevate the communication experience and engage users instantly. In order to protect sensitive information, Vonage comes with JWT authentications.

Features of Vonage Communication API

  1. Single Event Callbacks

  2. Adaptive Routing

  3. Real-time timely alerts to customers

  4. Media sharing

  5. Two-factor authentications

Compatible platform: iOS, Android, and Web Application

License Cost: Free & Paid (monthly Subscription)

Number of Users: 1.1 million subscribers

Successful projects: L'OREAL, HELPlightning, Teladoc HEALTH, InTouch Health, etc.

9. Sendbird - In-app Chat Experience with Chat APIs & SDKs

Sendbird is one of the world's leading easy-to-use chat API and native Chat SDKs providers in the market for businesses ranging from enterprises to SMEs. Their chat APIs help to integrate chat within any existing application irrespective of industry. Sendbird's chat API helps to build a modern chat and messaging experience with in-app chat integration. Sendbird provides a complete UI kit with in-built UI components, and themes to customize the user experience of the chat application.

Features of Sendbird In-App Messaging

  1. Voice and Video APIs

  2. In-app support for On-demand, Marketplace

  3. Online & Offline Messaging

  4. Typing Indicators

  5. Auto-thumbnail Generator

  6. Moderation Tools

  7. Auto translation

Compatible platform: Mobile and web applications

License Cost : Free & Paid (monthly Subscription)

Number of Users : 150 million + users

Successful projects: Delivery Hero, Reddit, TELADOC, ServiceNow, Hinge, PayPay

10. Pubnub - Feature-rich Chat API for Better Engagement

Pubnub is one of the popular chat API providers that help to build an in-app messaging experience on everything where you want to interact with customers and users instantly. PubNub's chat API is extensively built for in-app chat integration to boost user retention and engagement with the utmost messaging experience every user can experience. Their chat API comes with advanced moderation tools to preserve the integrity of the community with filters and tools. Pubnub is equipped with the private, group, and channel chat to reach information instantly to specific and vast audience bases.

Features of Pubnub Chat API & SDK

  1. Private chat

  2. Multi-party group chat

  3. IoT device chat

  4. Real-time notifications

  5. Ready-made UI components

  6. Community chat streams

Compatible platform: Mobile and web applications

License Cost : Free & Paid (monthly Subscription)

Successful projects: PELOTON, SWIGGY, Medx, match,Life360, PLUTO.

Summing-up

Well, when this section has got you a clear idea about the topmost chat app providers in the present market. Now, it would be better for you to have some guidance over the key factors that you might need to make a note of before approaching these API and SDK providers, this includes, the things that need to be considered while making a selection, their basics as what are they - there benefits, features that can influence your chat app development, and much more.
Looking for a further chat about APIs/SDKs? Book a call to learn more - https://calendly.com/cookiedev/30-min/

Volodymyr Andrushenko
Co-founder, Business Development Manager at CookieDev
Made on
Tilda