Overlap
Realtime for Multi-platform
Realtime tools that run on Multi-platform. The Catch for each, not a winner list.
7 tools · the Catch, not a ranking
- LiveKitApache-2.0 realtime rooms, SFU, and agents
Self-hosting an SFU is ops-heavy. Cloud pricing was unverified, so no Cloud Build $0 claim and no monthly allowance numbers. Do not assume Cloud is free.
- NATSApache-2.0 subject-based messaging and streaming fabric
Subject-based messaging/streaming fabric — not an in-process WS lib and not a Go realtime binary alone. Distinct from Socket.IO and Centrifugo.
- AnyCableMIT realtime for Action Cable with delivery guarantees
Delivery guarantees + presence + Action Cable / multi-backend — not a Pusher-protocol server. Distinct from Socket.IO and Centrifugo. Pro and Managed exist; prices not reprinted here.
- Janus GatewayGPL-3.0 plugin-core WebRTC gateway (SIP, VideoRoom, streaming)
Plugin-core C gateway — not LiveKit/mediasoup opinionated rooms products. You pick plugins and ops the gateway. Distinct from LiveKit, mediasoup, PeerJS, and Pion.
- Laravel ReverbMIT first-party Laravel WebSocket server
First-party Laravel WS — not Soketi Pusher-protocol, not Centrifugo Go hub, not AnyCable Rails, not Socket.IO library, not Mercure SSE. Distinct from Soketi, Centrifugo, AnyCable, Socket.IO, and Mercure.
- Eclipse MosquittoEPL-2.0 / BSD-3 MQTT broker; OSS self-host forever free
MQTT broker, not a NATS messaging fabric. Distinct from Soketi/Laravel Reverb/Centrifugo (WebSocket/Pusher paths). Not a messaging-bus twin of NATS. Cedalo Pro exists; do not invent rates.
- SockudoMIT Rust Pusher V1 edge + Protocol V2 recovery/history/push
Vs Soketi: Rust Pusher V1 edge + Protocol V2 recovery/history/mutable/push — not AGPL v7-only. Distinct from Soketi AGPL Protocol v7 drop-in. Self-host is the free path; do not invent Cloud SKUs.