NATS
What is NATS?
NATS is a high-performance, lightweight, open-source messaging system for building distributed and cloud-native applications. Released under the Apache 2.0 license and stewarded by Synadia as a Cloud Native Computing Foundation incubating project, NATS runs as a single small binary and supports publish/subscribe, request-reply, and persistent streaming through its JetStream engine. It also includes built-in key-value and object storage.
NATS is designed for low, sub-millisecond latency and can scale from a single process to global deployments using leaf nodes and superclusters for edge and multi-region topologies. Official client libraries exist for Go, Rust, Python, Java, JavaScript, C#, C, and Ruby, among others. Because NATS is free to self-host, Synadia separately sells Synadia Cloud, a managed NATS hosting service with paid tiers and a 14-day trial.
Key Features of NATS
Here are the powerful features that make NATS stand out from the competition. Packed with innovative tools and advanced functionalities, this software offers a range of benefits.
- Publish/subscribe, request/reply, and queue messaging patterns
- JetStream for persistent, replayable message streaming
- Built-in key-value store
- Built-in object store for arbitrary file sizes
- Leaf nodes for edge and disconnected operation
- Superclusters for federated, multi-region deployments
- Sub-millisecond latency from a single lightweight binary
- Native MQTT and WebSocket support
- 45+ official and community client libraries
- Runs identically from a single process to global scale
NATS Pricing
Here are the pricing plans for NATS. Choose the plan that best fits your requirements and budget.
Open Source (Self-Hosted)
Free
Unlimited, self-managed
The NATS server is free, open-source software under the Apache 2.0 license that anyone can self-host at no licensing cost.
Synadia Cloud Personal
$0
2 accounts, 10 connections, 5 GiB storage
Free managed NATS hosting tier from Synadia for individuals getting started.
Synadia Cloud Starter
$49/month
3 accounts, 100 connections, 100 GiB network data
Managed NATS hosting for small teams and early projects; includes 1 service, 3 functions, 1 connector.
Synadia Cloud Pro
$199/month
10 accounts, 1,000 connections, 1 TiB network data
For production applications; includes 3 services, 5 functions, 3 connectors, and up to 2 MiB message size.
Synadia Cloud Enterprise
Custom
Custom limits
Annual contract with SLA support and design reviews, message sizes up to 8 MiB, recommended for critical production deployments.
NATS Specifications
Get a closer look at the technical specifications and system requirements for NATS. Find out if it's compatible with your operating system and other software.
- cloud based
- on premises
- hybrid
- web app
- freelancers
- startups
- smes
- enterprises
- tickets
- training
NATS Videos
NATS Screenshots
Alternatives of NATS
AlternativesExplore alternative software options that can fulfill similar requirements as NATS. Evaluate their features, pricing, and user feedback to find the perfect fit for your needs.
In-memory data store used as a database, cache, and message broker with pub/sub messaging.
Enterprise event streaming platform with multi-protocol brokers, event mesh, and Kafka integration
JMS-compliant enterprise messaging middleware for reliable, high-throughput application integration.
NATS Comparisons
Compare NATS with other similar options available. Explore the key differences to see why it's the top choice for businesses and individuals.
Overall NATS Reviews
Here's our unbiased review of NATS. Discover how our team of experts rates its features, ease of use, customer support, and other aspects that contribute to its overall appeal.