# PubNub

> pubnub.com | Developer services; 1 record: free tier, limits, identity cost and evidence.

HTML https://fshy.ajam.dev/p/pubnub/ | JSON https://fshy.ajam.dev/api/v1/entity/pubnub.json | how to read a record: https://fshy.ajam.dev/llms-full.txt

## PubNub

- `dev-services/pubnub` | qualifies-with-caveat | evidence documented | binding request-rate | category realtime pub/sub messaging over an HTTP API | tier Free
- needs card no, phone no, ID no, institution no | verified 2026-11-02T00:38:24.164Z (live) | stale on 2026-12-03
- url https://www.pubnub.com/pricing/
- free tier: Free: 200 monthly active users or 1 million transactions a month, whichever is reached first, with 1GB data storage kept 7 days, no credit card | unit: mixed | read on: 2026-10-30 | source: [1] | note: The two units are monthly active users and transactions. A transaction is one API request, and a payload above 2,048 bytes is billed as one transaction per 2 KiB part. A Free account creates only Testing keysets, which are rate-limited and not meant for live traffic; a Production keyset needs the Starter plan. A Free account holds up to 10 active keysets. A Function deployed on Free pauses 7 days after deployment. Past a Free limit PubNub emails a request to upgrade or reduce usage.
- per-object cap: 32 KiB default message payload, channel name and metadata included (up to 2 MB for contract customers); 5 MB per file | bytes: 32768 | source: [2]
- retention: Message Persistence 1 or 7 days on Free, capped at 7 days; files kept 1 or 7 days | days: 7 | source: [3] | note: Starter offers 30 days to 6 months and Pro 1 year or unlimited.
- egress: The pricing page lists storage and bandwidth as included in the plan; usage is counted in transactions, 1 million a month on Free | metered: yes | free allowance: 1 million transactions a month; a payload above 2,048 bytes counts once per 2 KiB part | source: [1]
- identity: email | detail: The registration form asks for a first name, a last name, an email, a contact email and a password, or a Google sign-in, behind reCAPTCHA; the pricing and registration pages state no credit card is required.
- interface: rest
- limits:
  - request-rate (binding): 1 million transactions per month, a payload above 2,048 bytes counting once per 2 KiB part [3]
  - per-object-cap: 32 KiB default message payload; 5 MB per file [2]
  - retention-clamped: message and file retention capped at 7 days on Free [3]
- limits note: 200 monthly active users, 10 active keysets, and Testing keysets only, which are rate-limited at a rate no page states; concurrent users, channels and devices are not capped on any plan. The vocabulary has no kind for a user count.
- binding note: 1 million transactions a month is about 33,000 a day (1,000,000 / 30), and a 32 KiB payload is 16 transactions (32 / 2), so payload size moves this cap more than the 200-user limit does for a single-user workload.
- interface detail: REST API over HTTP GET with a publish and subscribe key pair from the Admin Portal; PubNub delivers realtime messages over ordinary HTTPS and uses no WebSocket, so subscribe is an HTTP long-poll. The time endpoint at ps.pndsn.com answered 200 without a key.
- endpoint: https://ps.pndsn.com
- tooling: PubNub SDKs, or any HTTP client against the REST API with a publish key and a subscribe key.
- composes with: A fan-out layer for a prototype with few users, with 7 days of message history for a consumer that reconnects.
- reliability: Free accounts create only Testing keysets, which are rate-limited at an unpublished rate; abnormal traffic on a keyset can draw a temporary rate limit.
- notes: Beyond Free, pricing is per monthly active user: the Starter plan is USD 98 a month for 1,000 MAU.
- evidence note: Every limit is quoted from first-party pricing and documentation pages; the REST host was probed and its time endpoint answered 200 without a key. No message was published, because publishing needs a keyset. A publish and history read on a Testing keyset would move it to measured and could measure its rate limit.
- evidence:
  - [1] 2026-10-30: the Free plan is free forever with no credit card | capture: sha256:f6a108f172cc311ea5e80e087f01221c143d77170dc98b2082c908dcc8c39eac | quote: Forever free • No credit card required
  - [1] 2026-10-30: the Free plan includes 1GB of data storage kept 7 days | capture: sha256:f6a108f172cc311ea5e80e087f01221c143d77170dc98b2082c908dcc8c39eac | quote: 1GB data storage (7 days)
  - [1] 2026-10-30: the pricing page lists storage and bandwidth as included | capture: sha256:f6a108f172cc311ea5e80e087f01221c143d77170dc98b2082c908dcc8c39eac | quote: | Storage & Bandwidth | PubNub Included | Other platform Extra Cost |
  - [1] 2026-10-30: the Starter plan is USD 98 a month for 1,000 MAU | capture: sha256:f6a108f172cc311ea5e80e087f01221c143d77170dc98b2082c908dcc8c39eac | quote: Starter Plan ### $98/month for 1,000 MAU
  - [3] 2026-10-30: Free covers 200 MAU or 1 million transactions, whichever comes first | capture: sha256:3d4bfbadb4b63019e998f74606b4f7ebb04be421cd16799bf6f6c64b9442ecff | quote: A free PubNub account covers up to 200 monthly active users (MAUs) or 1 million transactions at no cost, whichever limit you reach first.
  - [3] 2026-10-30: Free accounts create only Testing keysets, capped at 7 days of retention | capture: sha256:3d4bfbadb4b63019e998f74606b4f7ebb04be421cd16799bf6f6c64b9442ecff | quote: Testing keysets default to 7-day retention. Free plan accounts can only create Testing keysets, so this is also the effective retention ceiling for the Free plan.
  - [3] 2026-10-30: a Production keyset needs Starter and Testing keysets are rate-limited | capture: sha256:3d4bfbadb4b63019e998f74606b4f7ebb04be421cd16799bf6f6c64b9442ecff | quote: Creating a Production keyset requires at least the Starter plan. Testing keysets are rate-limited and aren't suitable for live traffic.
  - [3] 2026-10-30: a Free account holds up to 10 active keysets | capture: sha256:3d4bfbadb4b63019e998f74606b4f7ebb04be421cd16799bf6f6c64b9442ecff | quote: A Free account can have up to 10 active keysets.
  - [3] 2026-10-30: a Function on Free pauses 7 days after deployment | capture: sha256:3d4bfbadb4b63019e998f74606b4f7ebb04be421cd16799bf6f6c64b9442ecff | quote: On the Free plan, a Function deployment pauses 7 days after it's deployed.
  - [2] 2026-10-30: the default message payload is 32 KiB | capture: sha256:804cfd541cfeffa59866a2b2ae7cb427a8c266c8897e8286557291bd9a5d9411 | quote: PubNub can process messages up to 2 MB in size, but the default message payload is limited to 32 KiB.
  - [2] 2026-10-30: a file is at most 5 MB | capture: sha256:804cfd541cfeffa59866a2b2ae7cb427a8c266c8897e8286557291bd9a5d9411 | quote: | File size | 5 MB |
  - [2] 2026-10-30: files are kept 1 or 7 days on Free | capture: sha256:804cfd541cfeffa59866a2b2ae7cb427a8c266c8897e8286557291bd9a5d9411 | quote: File retention is 1 or 7 days on the Free plan, 30 days on Starter, and Unlimited on Pro.
  - [2] 2026-10-30: abnormal traffic can draw a temporary rate limit | capture: sha256:804cfd541cfeffa59866a2b2ae7cb427a8c266c8897e8286557291bd9a5d9411 | quote: If PubNub detects abnormal or abusive traffic on a keyset, it may also apply a temporary rate limit to the affected APIs.
  - [2] 2026-10-30: subscribe holds an HTTP long-poll | capture: sha256:804cfd541cfeffa59866a2b2ae7cb427a8c266c8897e8286557291bd9a5d9411 | quote: One is dedicated to the subscribe long-poll, and one or more handle all other operations.
  - [4] 2026-10-30: a payload above 2,048 bytes is billed per 2 KiB part | capture: sha256:9b3b3d93df986a3045838182f08dc074a1adc2b77b6ed2e20d65075a50bf92c9 | quote: PubNub splits a request whose payload exceeds 2,048 bytes into 2,048-byte (2 KiB) parts and bills each part as its own transaction.
  - [4] 2026-10-30: past a Free limit PubNub emails a request to upgrade or reduce usage | capture: sha256:9b3b3d93df986a3045838182f08dc074a1adc2b77b6ed2e20d65075a50bf92c9 | quote: If you exceed the Free plan limits, PubNub emails you to ask you to upgrade to the Starter plan or reduce your usage.
  - [5] 2026-10-30: registration needs no credit card | capture: sha256:edbf428c896e9ec8ee2c2d9bbfb2447a535ea140efe0c957d2c8a0631ba5356f | quote: No credit card required
  - [5] 2026-10-30: the form asks for a first name, last name, email, contact email and password | capture: sha256:edbf428c896e9ec8ee2c2d9bbfb2447a535ea140efe0c957d2c8a0631ba5356f | quote: First name Last name Email * Contact Email Password *
  - [5] 2026-10-30: the form is protected by reCAPTCHA | capture: sha256:edbf428c896e9ec8ee2c2d9bbfb2447a535ea140efe0c957d2c8a0631ba5356f | quote: This site is protected by reCAPTCHA
  - [6] 2026-10-30: publish is an HTTP GET in the REST API | capture: sha256:9b87665ae80c89d607bf871952792ce797f80c2c0debb1e6b7f0e23cc6cd5fc7 | quote: Publish JSON to a channel using the GET request.
  - [6] 2026-10-30: a publish needs the publish key from the Admin Portal | capture: sha256:9b87665ae80c89d607bf871952792ce797f80c2c0debb1e6b7f0e23cc6cd5fc7 | quote: You app’s publish key from Admin Portal.
  - probe:https://ps.pndsn.com/time/0 2026-10-30: the REST host answers its time endpoint without a key | capture: sha256:a63f8ebb3b5569db2faea49c2712d4384891801520183741b9d237a52a4b6163 | quote: "status": 200
  - [7] 2026-11-01: PubNub delivers realtime messages over ordinary HTTPS and does not use WebSocket | capture: sha256:99b22a68fcb31988c40e027a3c0c63760b2fce649ec28ed6d830e8beea60b2ee | quote: PubNub delivers real-time messages over ordinary HTTPS rather than over a dedicated real-time protocol ... PubNub doesn't use WebSocket.
  - [3] 2026-11-01: no PubNub plan caps channels, devices or concurrent users; only monthly active users are capped | capture: sha256:3d4bfbadb4b63019e998f74606b4f7ebb04be421cd16799bf6f6c64b9442ecff | quote: Every PubNub plan allows unlimited channels, devices, and concurrent users, and includes a 99.999% uptime SLA.
  - probe:https://ps.pndsn.com/time/0 2026-11-01: the REST host answers its time endpoint without a key | capture: sha256:5e7490495c1546d38bf2d34f4cdfe29656e17e9975662d4e65f0c5ebcf6dd4b2 | quote: "status": 200
  - [5] 2026-11-01: registration needs no credit card | capture: sha256:9b47d8b9a1fac4bd81403faf8f8654f319e4f501be916ad4d9023d62e2f9c5e4 | quote: No credit card required
  - [5] 2026-11-01: the form asks for a first name, last name, email, contact email and password | capture: sha256:9b47d8b9a1fac4bd81403faf8f8654f319e4f501be916ad4d9023d62e2f9c5e4 | quote: First name Last name Email \* Contact Email Password \*
  - [5] 2026-11-01: the form is protected by reCAPTCHA | capture: sha256:9b47d8b9a1fac4bd81403faf8f8654f319e4f501be916ad4d9023d62e2f9c5e4 | quote: This site is protected by reCAPTCHA
  - [5] 2026-11-01: the registration page lists unlimited concurrent users, channels and devices | capture: sha256:9b47d8b9a1fac4bd81403faf8f8654f319e4f501be916ad4d9023d62e2f9c5e4 | quote: Unlimited concurrent users, channels and devices
  - [3] 2026-11-01: Free tier keysets are capped at 7 days of retention, unchanged | capture: sha256:3d4bfbadb4b63019e998f74606b4f7ebb04be421cd16799bf6f6c64b9442ecff | quote: Free tier keysets are capped at 7 days.
- sources:
  - [1] https://www.pubnub.com/pricing/
  - [2] https://www.pubnub.com/docs/architecture/limits
  - [3] https://www.pubnub.com/docs/pricing/quotas
  - [4] https://support.pubnub.com/hc/en-us/articles/360051974051-What-happens-if-usage-exceeds-my-plan-s-limit
  - [5] https://admin.pubnub.com/register
  - [6] https://www.pubnub.com/docs/sdks/rest-api/publish-message-to-channel
  - [7] https://www.pubnub.com/docs/architecture/data-transport-and-delivery