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Best Pusher Alternatives

Reviewed byRoman K

3 alternatives to Pusher in Realtime & Collaboration, compared by pricing, DX grade, security, and vendor lock-in.

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Currently using

Pusher

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Hosted realtime APIs

Pricing: freemium, from $49/mo

Ably

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Pricing

freemium ($29+/mo)

Weekly Downloads

1.1M

Liveblocks

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Pricing

freemium

GitHub Stars

4.6k

Weekly Downloads

260.0k

PartyKit

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Pricing

freemium

GitHub Stars

5.7k

Weekly Downloads

27.0k

Pricing and traction at a glance

Of the 3 alternatives listed, 3 are tracked with full data: 3 keep a free plan. Paid entries run from $0/mo (Liveblocks) to $29/mo (Ably). PartyKit carries the most GitHub traction with 5,650 stars. Switching cost is usually driven by lock-in, not by the sticker price.

Tool	Pricing	Free plan	GitHub stars
Ably	freemium — from $29/mo	yes	—
Liveblocks	freemium — from $0/mo	yes	4,640
PartyKit	freemium — from $0/mo	yes	5,650

FAQ

What are the best Pusher alternatives in 2026?

The top alternatives to Pusher are Ably, Liveblocks, PartyKit. Each offers different trade-offs in pricing, developer experience, and lock-in risk.

Is there a free alternative to Pusher?

Several Pusher alternatives offer free tiers or self-hosted options: check individual pricing pages for current free tier availability.

How many Pusher alternatives are tracked here?

3 in the Realtime & Collaboration category, compared on price difference, lock-in risk and developer experience where editorial data exists.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the best Pusher alternatives in 2026?▾

The top alternatives to Pusher are Ably, Liveblocks, PartyKit. Each offers different trade-offs in pricing, developer experience, and lock-in risk.

Is there a free alternative to Pusher?▾

Several Pusher alternatives offer free tiers or self-hosted options: check individual pricing pages for current free tier availability.

How many Pusher alternatives are tracked here?▾

3 in the Realtime & Collaboration category, compared on price difference, lock-in risk and developer experience where editorial data exists.