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Pusher alternatives: 2 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 1, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Pusher: free plan allows only 100 concurrent connections, and fixed tiers jump in price as connections grow. We ranked 2 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Pusher, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Firebase currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Supabase logoSupabaseFree plan + paidYesWeb, Self-hosted4 of 452.6
  1. Supabase logo

    1. SupabaseTop pick

    Best for: Developers who want Postgres plus auth, storage and realtime without running servers

    Free plan + paidOpen sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    52.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Pusher

    Its Realtime feature broadcasts database changes and presence if you also want a hosted Postgres backend.

    Pros

    • Real Postgres underneath, so SQL, extensions and standard tooling all work
    • Auth, storage, realtime and functions in one dashboard
    • Open source and self-hostable with Docker
    • Large community and many framework guides

    Cons

    • Free projects pause after a week of inactivity
    • Usage charges for compute and egress can be hard to predict
    • Self-hosting the full stack takes real operations work
    Visit Supabase Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.346
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Supabase a good Pusher alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    $0/month, 2 active projects
    Checked Oct 29, 2026supabase.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro plan
    From $25/month
    Checked Oct 29, 2026supabase.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free project pausing
    After 1 week of inactivity
    Checked Oct 29, 2026supabase.com(opens source in a new tab)
    License
    Apache-2.0
    Checked Oct 29, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Pusher alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Firebase logo

Best Pusher alternative for most people

Firebase

Realtime Database and Firestore listeners push live updates to clients alongside auth and hosting.

Supabase logo

Best Pusher alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Supabase

Its Realtime feature broadcasts database changes and presence if you also want a hosted Postgres backend.

Supabase logo

Best Pusher alternative for open source

Supabase

Its Realtime feature broadcasts database changes and presence if you also want a hosted Postgres backend.

Supabase logo

Best Pusher alternative for self-hosting

Supabase

Its Realtime feature broadcasts database changes and presence if you also want a hosted Postgres backend.

Firebase logo

Best Pusher alternative for iPhone and Android

Firebase

Realtime Database and Firestore listeners push live updates to clients alongside auth and hosting.

Firebase logo

Best Pusher alternative for working in the browser

Firebase

Realtime Database and Firestore listeners push live updates to clients alongside auth and hosting.

Pusher alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Pusher?

Firebase ranks first right now. Realtime Database and Firestore listeners push live updates to clients alongside auth and hosting.

Is there a free alternative to Pusher?

Yes. Firebase (free plan + paid) and Supabase (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Pusher?

Yes: Supabase. Supabase can also be self-hosted.

Why do people switch from Pusher?

The complaints we hear most: free plan allows only 100 concurrent connections; fixed tiers jump in price as connections grow; no message history or delivery guarantees like Ably's.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Pusher, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.