Best Chat API & Messaging SDK Of 2025

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“Are you looking for some top real-time chat SDKs and messaging APIs? In the post below, we’ve covered MirrorFly, Cometchat, Sendbird, PubNub, and Agora.”

Are you a newbie to development and struck on how to add a feature to your in-app messaging system? Or planning to exceed the boundaries of your app’s engagement capabilities? Trust me, in-app chat APIs can be an ideal solution.

Because some of the top chat API providers in town, like MirrorFly, can help you customize your app, give full source code access, support third-party integration, provide flexibility to host apps on-cloud and on-premise, and much more.

But which is right for your business? And that’s where I come to help you choose the right API provider for your business requirements.

So, without any ado, shall we start?

1. What is a chat API?

A chat API (Application Programming Interface) is a set of protocols and tools to integrate messaging functionality into your existing chat software easily.

Plus, chat APIs allow you to add real-time messaging features like 1-to-1 and group chats, push notifications, typing indicators, location tracking, and more without building from scratch.

2. What is messaging SDK?

A messaging SDK (Software Development Kit) is a set of libraries, tools, documentation, ready-to-use UI components for UI, and other resources that will help developers like you add messaging features to any chat app in minutes.

Additionally, with the help of an SDK, you can integrate group or single chats, push notifications, and other features quickly to enhance user engagement.

3. Key factors to consider when choosing chat SDK

When you are searching for the best chat SDKs, there are a few key points that you must consider to experience a smoother integration process and build a functional chat app. They are:

1. Easy integration – Look out for chat APIs that help you save time and give you documentation on how to integrate the features that you desire.
2. Robust functionality – See whether your choice of chat SDK provider offers real-time messaging capabilities like 1-to-1 and group chats, file sharing, typing indicators, message search, unread message count, read receipts, and more.
3. Interactive features – Your users will be glued to your app if you have strong engagement and interactive features like emojis, thumbnails, pinned messages, mentions, reminders, and translations.
4. UI kits – Mostly, chat SDK offers UI kits that would help developers design a functional chat interface by offering customizable components like bubbles, input fields, user avatars, and more. Additionally, chat UI kits are known to simplify the development process by providing customized UI elements.
5. Reliability and performance – Your choice of chat SDK provider should be able to scale up or down easily without facing any lag or delays, even at the utmost peak hours. They should include prominent attributes like load balancing, horizontal scaling, message queues, fault tolerance, etc.
6. Security and compliance – We all know that security is a crucial factor when it comes to one-to-one messaging or group video calling. Therefore, select an API provider that complies with GDPR and HIPAA standards and offers security features like chat moderation, profanity filters, blocking, and more.
7. Pricing – Though all the above factors are essential functionally, the price matters the most at the end of the day. So, look for third-party API providers who offer free trials, add-ons, and lower implementation costs. Plus, give a side if they let you build a customizable white-labeled solution ifyou wish to brand your app with your identity at a one-time license fee.

Top chat API/SDK providers helping build vibrant chat apps!

The market for chat SDK is massive. Hence, we have shortlisted the best 5 SDK solutions that help add intuitive features to your existing apps, like:

1. MirrorFly–

MirrorFly comes to users as the #1 CPaaS provider of in-app communication APIs and SDKs that help brands and developers build a customizable chat solution and deploy it anywhere they choose.

Plus, it offers features like real-time chat and messaging, live video call and conferencing, SIP, and VoIP calling, live streaming, voice call, and broadcasting, and much more that help create exceptional user experiences.

While their features are countless, their security is tight-knitted with mechanisms like E2E, MFA, SSO, profanity filters, and compliance standards like GDPR and HIPAA. So, as a whole, MirrorFly’s CPaaS APIs are for every kind of business, ranging from healthcare to e-commerce.

2. Sendbird

Mostly known for its comprehensive messaging APIs, it offers features like real-time chats, moderation tools, and file sharing. Plus, it gives the flexibility to scale up or down based on a growing base. It comes as a popular choice for businesses who are into building social apps, gaming solutions, and customer support.

3. PubNub

It is a real-time communication platform that allows brands to build scalable chat infrastructure without compromising latency and security. Additionally, it offers features like presence detection, real-time updates, and more. And if your brand is into broadcasting or delivering IoT communication, then PubNub is the right choice.

4. Agora

Besides Agora’s in-app communication APIs that hold a strong presence in offering chats, voice, and video calls, Agora is also known for its live streaming APIs that help build rich multimedia apps.

Some prominent features it renders include virtual classrooms, live shopping, and real-time messaging.

5. Cometchat

The final provider in the list is Cometchat, which is extensively known for its plug-and-play chat APIs that help add chat features with varied collaboration tools like file sharing, chatbots, video and voice calls, messaging, and more. Plus, if you wish to deploy apps in fewer minutes, then it becomes a great option.

Benefits of implementing chat APIs for businesses

Listed below are some of the perks of integrating a chat API or messaging SDK for your business, like:

1. Boosts customer engagement and enhances satisfaction rates
2. Offers rich communication features like instant messaging, group chats, notifications, and file sharing.
3. Saves time and resources as SDK streamlines communication.
4. Improves customer support by letting teams communicate quickly.
5. Gives businesses the ability to scale features as their user base grows.
6. Provides security-rich features like E2E, compliance, and other regulations.

Thus, implementing a chat API in your business helps deliver a seamless and rich user experience., thereby improving productivity and communication.

How do you implement chat SDK in your business?

Below are a few steps that show how to implement chat API into your business:

Step 1: Select your choice of API provider and create an account with them.

Step 2: Provide basic details like your name, organization details, work emails, and contact number.

Step 3: Get the license key and download Javascript SDK files to proceed with the integration process.

Step 4: Post-integrating chat SDK into your web or mobile app.

Step 5: Initialize chat SDKs and add your desired functions or features.

Step 6: Finally, test and provide ongoing support after the successful launch.

Wrapping Up!

Finally, here we are at the end of the post, and no one can deny that selecting the right chat SDK provider for your business ought to enhance customer engagement rates.

Because only the best providers in town, like MirrorFly and Cometchat, offer a wide range of features, easy integration capabilities, and compliance with security standards, which can finally give your users reliable and intuitive messaging experiences.