← Topics

Pusher alternatives: hosted and self-hosted options compared

Ably, PubNub, Laravel Reverb, Soketi, Socket.IO, Centrifugo, Supabase, Firebase and Hibira side by side: who runs the server, how it is priced and which keep pusher-js working.

People look for a Pusher alternative for one of three reasons: the bill grows faster than the app, the nearest cluster is too far from their users, or they want to run the server themselves. Which alternative fits depends on which of those it is, and on one technical question: does it keep the Pusher protocol, so pusher-js, Laravel Echo and your server SDK keep working?

The options at a glance

Licences and protocols are from each project's repository or documentation, checked on 2026-10-26. The comparison pages link the price sources for each hosted service.

Keeping the Pusher protocol

If you keep the protocol, moving is a configuration change: a new host, key and secret in your server library and in pusher-js or Laravel Echo. Private and presence channels, client events and webhooks work as they did. You can run both services side by side while old clients update, so there is no cutover day.

• Hosted, Pusher-compatible: Hibira runs the server in Hong Kong with fixed monthly plans, counts a publish once however many subscribers receive it, and includes Beams-compatible push notifications. Laravel Cloud offers managed Reverb for apps hosted there; see Laravel Reverb hosting.
• Self-hosted, Pusher-compatible: Laravel Reverb is maintained by the Laravel team. Soketi still works but its last release was in March 2024; see Soketi alternatives.

Changing the protocol

Ably, PubNub, Supabase Realtime and Firebase each have their own SDKs, so the client code, the authorization endpoint and the server publishing code change. In return each brings something Pusher does not: Ably a global edge network and message history, PubNub storage and functions, Supabase streams of Postgres changes, Firebase a database that syncs to clients.

Socket.IO and Centrifugo are servers you run. Socket.IO is a library inside your Node.js app; Centrifugo is a standalone server with its own client SDKs. Both mean writing the realtime layer again and operating it.

Choosing

• Your Pusher bill is the problem: look at how each option counts messages. Pusher, Ably and Supabase count every delivery; Hibira counts each publish once. The cost calculator prices the same traffic on Pusher, Ably and Hibira.
• Your users are in Asia: check where the servers are, not where the company is. See realtime WebSockets in Asia.
• You want no third party in the data path: Reverb on your own servers, with Redis once you need more than one.
• You need features outside Channels: message history, database sync or serverless functions point to Ably, Firebase, Supabase or PubNub.

Common questions

What is the cheapest Pusher alternative?

Running Reverb or Soketi yourself has no licence fee, but servers and on-call time cost money. Among hosted services, the answer depends on fan-out: services that count each delivery get expensive when one event reaches many subscribers, while Hibira counts the publish once. Price your own traffic in the cost calculator.

Which Pusher alternatives work with pusher-js and Laravel Echo?

Laravel Reverb, Soketi and Hibira speak the Pusher protocol, as does Laravel Cloud's managed Reverb. Ably, PubNub, Supabase, Firebase, Socket.IO and Centrifugo use their own SDKs. Ably also offers an adapter for Pusher-protocol clients.

Can I switch from Pusher without changing my code?

Yes, to a Pusher-compatible service: change the host, key and secret in your configuration. The migration guide shows each step.

Product names are trademarks of their owners.