Chat APIs are integral solutions for contemporary organizations that value seamless workflows and high productivity. Since nowadays emails no longer dominate as the preferred channel of corporate conversations, agile businesses are seeking more immediate, secure, and scalable solutions.
Chat is one such solution. In essence, chat APIs allow the seamless transport of data between chat and other tools. They also speed up operations and allow teams to connect and collaborate in contextual settings.
However, all APIs are not created equal. Some APIs just scratch the surface, providing basic chat integrations. But, for example, not all ensure end-to-end encryption, a feature that protects the exchanged data. Other APIs promise security, but the chat privacy issue remains: are they capable of meeting the stringent privacy requirements of IT leaders, CIOs, and COOs?
Fortunately, there are a select few API for chats that bring forth a seamless blend of chat integration capabilities, ensuring airtight security, compliance, and complete privacy.
In this comprehensive guide, join us as we delve into the top 8 APIs for chat.
What is an API for Chat?
An API for chat (Application Programming Interface) is a set of protocols that allows developers to integrate real-time chat functionality into applications or websites. It provides access to a cloud-based infrastructure with the features to build real-time chat experiences that scale.
Instead of building a chat system from scratch, developers can use an API for chat to implement messaging features quickly. This includes value-added features like one-on-one messaging, group chats, file sharing, and even video conferencing.
API for chat has numerous use cases. Basically, anyone that wants to add a chat experience in any capacity to their products or website can build it with the help of APIs for chat capabilities.
Some examples include:
- Telehealth apps: offering remote consultations to patients
- E-commerce platform: engaging new customers with live chat options
- Banking chat within the mobile banking app
You can check more examples here in our piece about Chat Engine, a term used to describe a set of chat APIs.
API vs. SDK
An API and SDK (Software Development Kit) are tools used in software development, but they serve different purposes. While an API facilitates interaction between software components, an SDK provides a toolkit for developers to build applications for specific platforms or systems, often utilizing the included API.
- An API is a set of protocols that allows different software entities to communicate with each other. It enables the integration of diverse systems and sharing of functionalities.
- On the other hand, an SDK is a comprehensive package that includes a range of software tools, libraries, documentation, code samples, and often an API.
While an API facilitates interaction between software components, an SDK provides a toolkit for developers to build applications for specific platforms or systems, often utilizing the included API.
Essential components of API for chat
API for chat provide the backbone for real-time messaging platforms. Some essential components for API for Chat include:
- User Management: To create, manage, and authenticate users.
- Message Sending & Receiving: Enables real-time text, image, video, and file exchanges.
- Channels or Rooms: Supports group chats and one-on-one conversations.
- Data Storage: Retains chat histories and files securely.
- Encryption: Ensures data security and user privacy during transmission and at rest.
- Push Notifications: Alerts users about new messages or events.
- Presence Detection: Indicates who is online, offline, or idle.
- Typing Indicators: This shows when a user is typing a message.
- File Sharing & Media Attachments: Allows multimedia content exchange.
- Customization & Theming: Personalizes the chat UI.
8 Best APIs for chat features
Selecting the best API for chat ensures robust features, security, and seamless user experience. Let's delve into 8 standout API for Chat that elevate chat functionalities to new heights.
1. Rocket.Chat
Rocket.Chat is an open-source, secure, and scalable API for chat that offers a range of features for real-time messaging and collaboration. It allows developers to interact with the Rocket.Chat server using code, enabling automation and integration with other systems.
This platform has several impressive features, for example:
- High customizability and scalability
- Industry-grade encryption
- Supports compliance with GDPR, CCPA, LGPD, and HIPAA.
- Can be deployed on your own server or used as a SaaS solution
- Comes with multiple communication channels
- White-label components for custom messaging
Rocket.Chat seamlessly integrates conversations across web, desktop, and mobile devices, connecting colleagues, businesses, and customers. It supports multiple conversation channels like website live chat, email, social media platforms, and more. This provides a unified view of customer interactions.
What sets Rocket.Chat apart are supreme security and flexibility features, like deployment options (on-premise or secure cloud) and open-source code.
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2. Sendbird
Sendbird empowers applications with dynamic conversational capabilities. Not just limited to text, Sendbird’s suite encompasses voice, video, live streaming, notifications, and specialized customer service messaging.
Let’s look at some unique features of this API for chat:
- Advanced chat, voice, video, and customer service messaging
- In-app conversational experiences combined with AI
- High scalability and customizable UI components
The platform is also renowned for its swift integration, allowing businesses to launch top-tier in-app conversational experiences, underpinned by both human touch and artificial intelligence, in just days.
Sendbird's dedication to developers is evident, offering:
- Native chat SDKs
- Extensive developer resources
- Ready-made UI components
Their commitment to security and compliance ensures data remains encrypted, garnering trust from startups to global enterprises.
3. PubNub
PubNub equips developers with a robust toolkit founded on a steadfast messaging backbone. This ensures not only reliable chat experiences but ones that harmoniously integrate with diverse platforms – from web and mobile to even future-forward technologies.
Some standout features of PubNub include:
- Automated business logic
- Profanity filtering
- Strong concurrency support
- Focused on mobile platforms
PubNub's API for chat is engineered to empower development teams, enabling them to manifest their distinctive chat visions effectively and efficiently, enhancing overall user experiences. Among other real-time messaging tools, PubNub stands out with its intuitive interface and user-friendly configuration, making it accessible not just to developers but to a wider audience.
4. Ably
Ably, renowned for delivering dependable real-time experiences, is trusted by giants like HubSpot for crafting seamless chat functionalities. Its API is a treasure trove of essential tools: from basic publish-subscribe mechanisms to advanced features like user presence, message history, and cross-platform push notifications.
Ably's platform offers:
- Low latency ensured message sequence
- Reliable real-time experiences
- Presence, message history, and push notifications
- 99.9% average uptime SLA
While its core strength is chat, Ably's versatile architecture effortlessly supports a spectrum of real-time features, paving the path for future innovations.
5. Twilio
Twilio offers a diverse suite of products, including the Conversations API for omnichannel messaging. This API facilitates a cohesive communication experience across various channels. For instance, a conversation initiated in another app can seamlessly transition to WhatsApp.
Here are some aspects that make Twilio different from other API for chat:
- Omni-channel messaging platform API
- Seamless transition from in-app chat to other platforms like WhatsApp
- Diverse communication tools beyond chat
While it's optimal for bridging communication between team members and customers, it's not primarily designed for peer-to-peer chat experiences, like in-game group chats. Therefore, functionalities like public group chat and features like user mentions or reactions are not part of its offering, making it more niche in its application.
6. Firebase
Firebase, powered by Google, offers an all-in-one backend solution, particularly enticing for those already integrated into its ecosystem. Its core feature, Cloud Firestore, facilitates real-time chat message storage and broadcasting.
Firebase offers features such as:
- Comprehensive backend services in one place
- Real-time Cloud Firestore database
- Built-in authentication and push notifications
With Firebase, developers benefit from consolidated backend services like authentication, notifications, and user management. However, since it isn't exclusively a chat platform, implementing advanced chat features, such as typing indicators or reading receipts, requires deeper upfront development.
7. MirrorFly
Marketed as an all-encompassing messaging solution, MirrorFly delivers real-time chat, video, and audio messaging. Standout features comprise:
- Comprehensive chat, video, and audio suite
- Cloud and on-premise deployment
- One-time payment system
- Ready-to-use customizable chat
The one-time payment presents a distinct advantage, contrary to the common monthly per-user subscription. This payment model is particularly favorable for businesses anticipating a large user base, potentially offering significant cost savings in the long run.
8. (Get)Stream
Formerly known as GetStream, Stream offers a combination of chat APIs and UI components tailored for seamless integration into web and mobile apps.
Here are some standout features of Steam API for Chat:
- Integrated API + UI components
- Modern chat feature set
- Single data center model
- Niche chat focus
- Tiered SLA offerings
This platform enables the creation of chat environments equipped with contemporary features, including typing indicators, user presence, threaded chats, and more. However, there's a dependency on a singular data center, potentially increasing latency and forming a single point for congestion or failure.
While excellent for chat, Stream doesn’t cater to other real-time experiences. Businesses aiming for combined real-time features might encounter additional complexities and higher costs.
How to choose the best API for chat?
Selecting the optimal API for chat can seem daunting, given the plethora of options available. However, by focusing on some key aspects, you can make an informed choice that perfectly aligns with your requirements.
- Consider your use case: Every project is unique. Whether you're building an online chat room, an in-app customer support chat, or an instant messaging platform for a distributed workspace, understanding your specific use case is fundamental.
- What specific features do you need: List down the must-have features. Choose an API that aligns closely with your feature checklist.
- Level of customization: Depending on your brand and user needs, you might want to customize the chat interface or workflow heavily. So, ensure the chosen API provides the flexibility to modify and adapt the chat experience as per your vision.
- Security aspects: Data breaches can harm your reputation and have legal implications. Hence, it's crucial to select an API for chat that emphasizes security. Look for features like end-to-end encryption, GDPR compliance, and customizable access controls.
This is a must-have feature, as the average cost of a data breach in 2021 stood at a staggering $4.24 million, the highest in 17 years.
APIs for secure and compliant chat experiences
As a versatile chat platform, Rocket.Chat offers APIs with integral capabilities to build various chat experiences. Be it a team collab solution, omnichannel customer chat, customized mobile or web experience - Rocket.Chat is here to deliver a secure and compliant messaging interface.
Browse through our docs and developer guides to find the API keys you need to start building your own chat experience.
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- Digital sovereignty
- Federation capabilities
- Scalable and white-labeled
- Highly scalable and secure
- Full patient conversation history
- HIPAA-ready
- Digital sovereignty
- Trusted by National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), the US Army, the US Navy, and the US Air Force
- Matrix federation capabilities
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- Open source code
- Highly secure and scalable
- Unmatched flexibility
- End-to-end encryption
- Cloud or on-prem deployment
- Supports compliance with HIPAA, GDPR, FINRA, and more
- Supports compliance with HIPAA, GDPR, FINRA, and more
- Highly secure and flexible
- On-prem or cloud deployment
