Midway
Embed free
Midway vs TalkJSTalkJS logo

Built for Memberstack sites, not chat in general.

TalkJS is a strong, well-built chat API for engineers building chat into a product. Midway is a drop-in chat widget for membership sites already running on Memberstack and Webflow. Different tools, different jobs.

Skip the SDKSee the install
The short version

How the two compare at a glance.

CapabilityMidwayTalkJS
Best forMemberstack-powered Webflow membership sitesEngineers shipping chat as part of a product
InstallOne iframe pasteJS SDK plus identity sync plus theming work
AuthNative Memberstack bridgeYou wire identity yourself
Voice notesIncluded on every planVoice messages yes. No native voice or video calls.
Replies, reactions, typing, receiptsIncluded on every planIncluded
Base price$0 / $19.99 / $49.99 monthly$279 / $569 / custom monthly
MAU modelFlat per-project, soft caps10K MAU on Basic, 25K on Growth, then $0.04 / $0.03 per MAU
CustomisationLogo on Studio, accent and header on Starter+Per-element theming has documented limits
Where it livesInside your Webflow siteWherever you build it
When each one fits

Which tool is right for the job?

When TalkJS is the right call

Build chat as a product.

  • Engineers building a chat product. Marketplace messaging, in-app DMs, custom apps.
  • Multi-platform chat with mature native iOS and Android SDKs.
  • Bespoke identity systems where you're already wiring your own auth.
  • Compliance-driven enterprise. TalkJS publishes GDPR posture. Midway is built for indie communities, not regulated industries.
When Midway is the right call

Add chat to a Memberstack site, paste and ship.

  • You're on Memberstack and Webflow and want member-to-member chat inside your site.
  • You don't want to stand up a backend or wire identity sync.
  • You want flat pricing, not per-MAU billing once you grow past 10K.
  • You want voice notes, replies, reactions, and typing built in, not bolted on.
The pricing math

What chat costs before you write a line of code.

TalkJS is priced for engineering teams shipping chat as part of a product, not for membership sites adding a chat widget. For a 1,500-MAU community: TalkJS Basic is $279/mo plus engineering time. Midway Studio is $49.99/mo, paste and ship.

TalkJS tiers

  • Basic, $279/mo. 10K MAU, $0.04/extra MAU.
  • Growth, $569/mo. 25K MAU, $0.03/extra MAU.
  • Enterprise. Custom pricing.

Midway tiers

  • Free, $0/mo. 1 project, 50 MAU, “Powered by Midway” badge.
  • Starter, $19.99/mo. 1 project, 500 MAU, custom accent and header.
  • Studio, $49.99/mo. 3 projects, 2,500 MAU each, logo and full theme.

No per-MAU overage. Soft caps with upgrade nudges. Nobody gets locked out of a chat.

Build vs embed

What you'd build with TalkJS, what you'd paste with Midway.

A reasonable TalkJS install

  1. 1. Install @talkjs/react (or the vanilla SDK).
  2. 2. Wire Memberstack identity into TalkJS user signatures.
  3. 3. Build a chat list, conversation pane, composer.
  4. 4. Theme to your brand within the layout constraints.
  5. 5. Wire the features your members will ask for that aren’t built in.
  6. 6. Deploy, monitor, and pay $279/mo plus per-MAU overage.

A Midway install

<iframe
  src="https://app.midwaychat.app/embed/your-project-id"
  width="420"
  height="640"
></iframe>

That’s it. The rest is set in your dashboard: accent and header on Starter, logo and full theme on Studio, member access on every plan.

Common questions

What people ask before switching.

Sort of. We compete for the same dollar in a specific niche: Memberstack-powered Webflow sites that want member-to-member chat. For most other use cases (generic chat APIs, marketplaces, native mobile apps), TalkJS is the better tool.

Three reasons. One-iframe install instead of an SDK integration. A native Memberstack identity bridge instead of writing your own user sync. Flat per-project pricing instead of per-MAU billing past 10K.

You're building a custom product (not embedding into a Memberstack site), you need native iOS and Android SDKs, you need granular per-element theming, or you have compliance requirements Midway hasn't published posture on.

You can run both side by side. TalkJS keeps your existing data, Midway runs on a new project. We don't currently import TalkJS message history.

Voice notes, message reactions, reply threading, typing indicators, read receipts, member blocking, browser notifications. All on every plan, including Free.

No SDK · No identity sync

Skip the SDK. Paste the embed.

One iframe. Native Memberstack auth. Voice notes, replies, reactions on every plan. No per-MAU bill waiting at 10K.

Start freeSee pricing