---
title: "Why ConnectMQ: Managed vs Self-Hosted MQTT Brokers | ConnectMQ"
description: "Compare running your own MQTT broker, using a free public broker and using ConnectMQ — security, isolation, operations work and time to production."
url: "https://connectmq.com/why-connectmq/"
language: "en"
---

Why ConnectMQ

# Stop running brokers. Start shipping.

Self-hosted brokers cost you operations time; public brokers cost you privacy. ConnectMQ gives you a private, secure MQTT broker without either trade-off.

[Try it free](https://app.connectmq.com/signup) [See pricing](https://connectmq.com/pricing/)

No card required

## Ship features, not infrastructure

Every hour spent on certificates, listeners and upgrades is an hour not spent on your product. ConnectMQ takes the broker off your plate.

## Security without the config files

TLS, credentials and per-topic permissions are built in instead of assembled from password files, ACL files and certificate renewals.

## Private from day one

Leave public sandboxes behind: your isolated broker means nobody else can read your topics or publish to your devices.

## No lock-in

ConnectMQ is standard MQTT 3.1.1 and 5. Your firmware and client code stay portable — no proprietary SDK.

Comparison

## Self-hosted, public or ConnectMQ?

|  | Self-hosted (e.g. Mosquitto) | Free public broker | ConnectMQ |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| You install and upgrade the broker | no: Yes, you do | yes: No | yes: No |
| TLS encryption | partial: You configure it | partial: Varies | yes: Included |
| Authentication | partial: You configure it | no: None | yes: Included |
| Per-topic access control | partial: ACL files | no: None | yes: Included |
| Your topics are private | yes: Yes | no: Anyone can read | yes: Isolated instance |
| WebSockets for browsers | partial: Extra listener | yes: Usually | yes: Included |
| Suitable for real devices | yes: If you run it well | no: No | yes: Yes |

## FAQ

When does self-hosting an MQTT broker make sense?

When you need the broker inside a closed network, have strict on-premises requirements, or have a team that wants to operate the broker. For most cloud-connected products, a managed broker removes that operational work.

Can I move from Mosquitto to ConnectMQ?

Yes. Because ConnectMQ speaks standard MQTT, migrating usually means changing the host, port and credentials in your clients — your topics and payloads stay the same.

Is a free public broker good enough?

For learning and quick experiments, yes. For anything real, no: public brokers have no authentication, no privacy and no guarantees.

## Your private MQTT broker is a few clicks away

Create an account, get your broker credentials and connect your first device — no servers to install, patch or scale.

[Get started](https://app.connectmq.com/signup) [See pricing](https://connectmq.com/pricing/)

## Articles

[All articles](https://connectmq.com/blog/)

Managed MQTT Cloud

### [What Is a Managed MQTT Broker? Benefits, Costs and How to Choose](https://connectmq.com/blog/managed-mqtt-broker/)

A managed MQTT broker lets you run IoT messaging without operating servers, certificates or patches yourself. Compare managed and self-hosted, pick a deployment model and connect your first client in five minutes.

September 1, 202610 min read

Managed MQTT Cloud

### [How to Choose an IoT MQTT Broker: 12 Criteria and the Questions to Ask Your Vendor](https://connectmq.com/blog/how-to-choose-an-iot-mqtt-broker/)

A practical 12-point checklist for choosing an IoT MQTT broker, a table of questions to ask every vendor, and a five-minute hands-on test you can run against broker.connectmq.com.

September 21, 20269 min read

MQTT Security

### [MQTT Security Best Practices: A 12-Point Checklist for IoT Teams](https://connectmq.com/blog/mqtt-security-best-practices/)

A hands-on MQTT security checklist covering TLS, credentials, client IDs, topic design, payload validation, rate limits and certificate checks, plus how ConnectMQ handles each point.

September 28, 202611 min read