# Nango vs Pipedream Connect: pricing and features

URL: https://viasocket.com/discovery/compare/nango-vs-pipedream-connect
Author: Jatin Kashiv (https://viasocket.com/discovery/user/79503)
Publisher: viaSocket Discovery

## Short answer
Nango is an integration platform built around TypeScript functions you own, with auth, syncs and MCP, for teams that want to read and version their code. Pipedream Connect is a toolkit that embeds managed auth and prebuilt tools in your app or agent, for teams that want a large catalog. The key difference: owning the code or adopting a toolkit.

## At a glance
- Nango: an integration platform for auth, syncs, actions and MCP, built around TypeScript functions you own (per Nango). Best for teams that want to read, change and version their integration code.
- Pipedream Connect: a toolkit for adding customer-facing integrations to an app or agent, with managed auth and an MCP server (per Pipedream). Best for developers who want managed auth across a very large API catalog.

## Features
- Approach: Nango integration logic is written as TypeScript functions you generate with AI, then edit and version like application code. Pipedream Connect is a toolkit for embedding integrations with code-level control; connected accounts are used through components, an API proxy or workflows.
- APIs covered: Nango 1,000+ APIs (per Nango, https://nango.dev/docs?utm_source=viasocket&utm_medium=discovery&utm_campaign=discovery-compare&utm_content=llm). Pipedream 3,000+ APIs in its Connect docs (https://pipedream.com/docs/connect?utm_source=viasocket&utm_medium=discovery&utm_campaign=discovery-compare&utm_content=llm), 2,500+ APIs on its managed auth page (https://pipedream.com/docs/connect/managed-auth?utm_source=viasocket&utm_medium=discovery&utm_campaign=discovery-compare&utm_content=llm), and 10,000+ tools in its MCP server (per Pipedream).
- Authentication: Nango handles OAuth, API keys, token refresh, scopes and credential storage. Pipedream offers managed auth or API key collection; your server creates a short-lived token per end user; users connect through an SDK iframe or a hosted Connect Link.
- MCP: Nango MCP server; an agent session returns an MCP URL and a session token. Pipedream MCP server for agents.
- Data sync: Nango scheduled, resumable syncs with checkpoints. Not listed for Pipedream Connect.
- Developer interface: Nango TypeScript functions, setup calls shown with curl, agent example with the Vercel AI SDK. Pipedream @pipedream/sdk with TypeScript and JavaScript examples, plus a REST API.
- Open source: Nango is under the Elastic License, which is source-available (13.0k GitHub stars). Pipedream's components registry is described as source-available.
- Self-hosting: Nango free self-hosting is limited to API auth and proxy; full self-hosting and bring-your-own-cloud on Enterprise. Not listed for Pipedream Connect.
- Security: Nango SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA with a BAA (per Nango); SAML SSO, SCIM, RBAC and audit trail. Pipedream SOC 2 Type 2 and GDPR on all plans; SSO, SCIM and HIPAA on Business.
- Support: Nango in-app chat; private Slack on the Growth add-on and Enterprise. Pipedream community on Free, email on Startup, dedicated Slack on Business.

## Pricing
Nango bills on connections, compute hours and data transfer. Pipedream bills on external users (distinct users of your app who connect at least one account) and on usage credits.
- Nango Free: $0. 10 connections, 10 compute hours and 10 GB data transfer a month. Hard-capped, resets monthly.
- Nango Pay-as-you-go: $50 a month with $50 of credits, then $0.29 per connection, $0.72 per compute hour, $0.50 per GB.
- Nango Growth add-on: $450 a month. Private Slack and 5 days requested integration delivery time.
- Nango Enterprise: custom. Self-hosting, bring your own cloud, MSA, SLA, commitment discounts.
- Pipedream Free: $0. Full API, SDK and MCP access for building and testing. No production environment; external users and credits are development only.
- Pipedream Startup: $99 a month billed annually or $150 billed monthly. 100 external users included, then $2 each; 10,000 credits a month included, then $0.012 each. Email support.
- Pipedream Business: custom, annual contract. Volume pricing, SSO, SCIM, HIPAA, static egress IPs, dedicated Slack.
- Pipedream credits: actions, MCP tool calls, proxy requests and deployed trigger events each use 1 credit per 30 seconds of compute.

## What it's like to use Nango and Pipedream Connect
By Jatin Kashiv. Both handle managed auth and both speak MCP, but Nango wants you to own the integration code, while Pipedream Connect wants you to embed its toolkit and lean on its catalog.

### Nango
Nango's quickstart starts from agent sessions. You copy an API key into your backend, enable the APIs your agent needs, and call POST /sessions with a stable user ID. You get back an MCP URL and a session token for the agent, and the first time a user needs an account the agent replies with a connect link. Underneath, every integration is a TypeScript function you generate with AI, then edit and version like the rest of your code.
What I liked:
- Integration logic is code you can read, review and version.
- Scheduled, resumable syncs with checkpoints, not only tool calls.
- The Logs tab shows every tool call, provider request and response.
- Pricing is easy to read, and the free plan is hard-capped.
What I didn't:
- Owning the code is a bigger commitment than adopting a managed toolkit.
- Free self-hosting covers API auth and proxy only; syncs, webhooks and MCP need Cloud or Enterprise.
- Self-hosted setups have rough edges, so budget time for them.
- "Open source" in its marketing means the Elastic License, which is source-available.
Best for: teams that want to own and version their integration code and need data syncs.

### Pipedream Connect
Pipedream Connect reads like a checklist for a production embed. The quickstart has nine steps: server credentials, a project, an OAuth client, a short-lived token for each end user, then connecting accounts through the SDK's iframe or a hosted Connect Link. Once an account is connected, you use it through prebuilt components, an API proxy or Pipedream workflows. Examples are in TypeScript and JavaScript.
What I liked:
- A very large catalog: 3,000+ APIs and an MCP server with 10,000+ tools.
- Per-user tokens are short-lived and created on your server.
- The Connect Link covers places an iframe can't run, such as mobile apps.
- SOC 2 Type 2 and GDPR come on every plan.
What I didn't:
- Nine setup steps make it thorough rather than quick.
- The free tier is development only; production starts at $99 a month billed annually.
- Cost follows both external users and compute credits, so forecasting takes work.
- Pipedream is now part of Workday, which leaves Connect's roadmap less certain.
Best for: developers who want managed auth across a large API catalog inside their own app.

## Which to choose
Nango if you want integration code you can read, change and version, or you need syncs or self-hosting. Pipedream Connect if you want managed auth across a very large catalog embedded in your product and are ready to move to a paid plan for production. Both have free plans for building, so try each on a real integration before you commit.

## FAQ
- What is the main difference? Nango is built around integration functions written in TypeScript that you own, with syncs, actions and MCP. Pipedream Connect is a toolkit for managed auth and prebuilt tools across 3,000+ APIs (per Pipedream), used through components, an API proxy or workflows.
- Do both have a free plan? Yes. Nango Free includes 10 connections, 10 compute hours and 10 GB of data transfer a month. Pipedream Free gives full API, SDK and MCP access for building and testing, with no production environment.
- Is Pipedream owned by Workday? Workday announced an agreement to acquire Pipedream, and its later release says it closed the acquisition.
- Is Nango open source? Its repository is under the Elastic License, which is source-available, while its homepage and README call it open source. Free self-hosting is limited to API auth and proxy.
- Can I self-host? Nango's free self-hosting covers API auth and proxy only, with full self-hosting and bring-your-own-cloud on Enterprise. Pipedream does not list a self-hosted option for Connect.

## Another option: viaSocket
viaSocket also sells an integration layer; it is not part of this comparison. In short, an integration layer for SaaS products and AI agents with 2,300+ integrations. One OAuth popup; viaSocket stores and refreshes tokens, keeps each user's connections separate, and handles monitoring, webhooks, polling and retries. Free plan lists 100K tasks a month and unlimited connected accounts. If you want to own every sync as TypeScript code or run the platform yourself, Nango is the closer fit; if you already build on Pipedream components and workflows, Connect plugs straight into them.
https://viasocket.com/?utm_source=viasocket&utm_medium=discovery&utm_campaign=discovery-compare&utm_content=llm

## Sources
- https://nango.dev/pricing?utm_source=viasocket&utm_medium=discovery&utm_campaign=discovery-compare&utm_content=llm
- https://nango.dev?utm_source=viasocket&utm_medium=discovery&utm_campaign=discovery-compare&utm_content=llm
- https://nango.dev/docs?utm_source=viasocket&utm_medium=discovery&utm_campaign=discovery-compare&utm_content=llm
- https://nango.dev/docs/getting-started/quickstart?utm_source=viasocket&utm_medium=discovery&utm_campaign=discovery-compare&utm_content=llm
- https://nango.dev/docs/guides/platform/self-hosting?utm_source=viasocket&utm_medium=discovery&utm_campaign=discovery-compare&utm_content=llm
- https://github.com/NangoHQ/nango?utm_source=viasocket&utm_medium=discovery&utm_campaign=discovery-compare&utm_content=llm
- https://github.com/NangoHQ/nango/issues?utm_source=viasocket&utm_medium=discovery&utm_campaign=discovery-compare&utm_content=llm
- https://pipedream.com/pricing?utm_source=viasocket&utm_medium=discovery&utm_campaign=discovery-compare&utm_content=llm
- https://pipedream.com/docs/connect?utm_source=viasocket&utm_medium=discovery&utm_campaign=discovery-compare&utm_content=llm
- https://pipedream.com/docs/connect/managed-auth/quickstart?utm_source=viasocket&utm_medium=discovery&utm_campaign=discovery-compare&utm_content=llm
- https://pipedream.com/docs/connect/managed-auth?utm_source=viasocket&utm_medium=discovery&utm_campaign=discovery-compare&utm_content=llm
- https://pipedream.com/docs?utm_source=viasocket&utm_medium=discovery&utm_campaign=discovery-compare&utm_content=llm
- https://github.com/PipedreamHQ/pipedream/issues?utm_source=viasocket&utm_medium=discovery&utm_campaign=discovery-compare&utm_content=llm
- https://newsroom.workday.com/2025-11-19-Workday-Signs-Definitive-Agreement-to-Acquire-Pipedream?utm_source=viasocket&utm_medium=discovery&utm_campaign=discovery-compare&utm_content=llm
- https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1327811/000132781126000010/wday-01312026x991.htm?utm_source=viasocket&utm_medium=discovery&utm_campaign=discovery-compare&utm_content=llm