Chat Messaging

Build Any Real-Time Chat Experience

Try Chat Features

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Global Edge Network

Instead of relying on users' proximity to regional data centers, we have servers located around the world, which reduces latency by up to five times and eliminates timeout errors caused by poor connectivity.

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Ship in-app chat experiences with all the features your users expect. Stream Chat provides all the components you need to build engaging messaging experiences.

Performance & Reliability

Low latency, E2E encryption, BGP + DNS routing, 99.999% SLA uptime.

Public Channels, Private Groups, DMs

Support any conversation type with flexible channel types and permission system.

Reactions

Users can react to messages with likes, hearts, and custom reaction types. Reactions can include custom data and scores for cumulative reactions.

Threaded Replies

Reply to specific messages without cluttering the main channel conversation.

Moderation

Detect harmful text, images, and video in real time with customizable policies, backed by powerful NLP and LLMs.

Slash Commands

Add custom slash commands to trigger actions, integrations, or workflows directly from the message input.

Presence Indicators

Show real-time online status so users know when others are available to chat.

URL Enrichment

Automatically generate rich previews for shared links with titles, descriptions, and images.

Custom Attachments

Create custom attachment types, such as product listings, activity cards, etc.

Read Receipts

Track message read status to show users when their messages have been seen.

Typing Indicators

Display real-time typing indicators so users know when others are composing a message.

Pinned Messages

Highlight important content in a channel for announcements, key information, or temporarily promoted content.

Client Side SDKs

JavaScript logoJavaScriptReact logoReactiOS logoiOSAndroid logoAndroidReact Native logoReact NativeFlutter logoFlutterUnity logoUnityUnreal logoUnreal

Server Side SDKs

Node logoNodePython logoPythonRuby logoRubyPHP logoPHPJava logoJava.NET logo.NETGo logoGoREST

Building chat is doable. Operating chat at scale is the part teams underestimate, which is why teams lean on a production-grade API foundation instead of turning chat into an on-call responsibility.

Building In-HouseUsing a Chat API
Time to v1Fast prototypesFast prototypes and production-ready, battle-tested foundations
Reliability ExpectationsYou own uptime, retries, delivery edge casesBuilt-in reliability patterns from day one
Performance & LatencyDepends on your infra and region strategyOptimized delivery path for global users
ScaleRewrites happen when usage spikesDesigned to scale without re-architecture
ModerationYou must build and maintain safety systemsIntegrated moderation options from day one
MaintenanceAlways-on operational burdenOperational complexity is largely outsourced
CostLow upfront, rises over timePredictable, usage-based costs

Other chat providers focus on features or developer tooling, but struggle as scale increases. Stream pairs modern, well-maintained SDKs with low-latency delivery and high concurrency support, so chat stays fast as your app grows.

Other Chat ProvidersStream
Developer experienceOften strong UI kits or APIs, but less flexible end-to-endShip fast with modern, well-maintained SDKs + UI components
Performance GloballyRegion-based, meaning users far from the chosen region server feel lagGlobal edge network powers low-latency experiences across all geographies
Safety & ModerationFrequently requires extra vendors, more work, or bolt-onsIntegrated AI moderation, so you don't duct-tape safety later
CustomizationUI is often harder to bend outside the “default” patternsLow-level API and UI components allow your team to build any custom chat UI
ScaleChannel limits or cost jumps as concurrency growsSupports up to 5M connections in a single channel at a predictable cost

Frequently Asked Questions

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Our global sales team is committed to working with you to understand your unique needs and use case.

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