What is the top free pick among Rpc tools?

tRPC leads the Stack Gems list for Rpc tools. Verdict: TypeScript APIs as they should be—type-safe by default.

How many Rpc tools does Stack Gems review?

4: 4 free or open source. Each review has a verdict and an honest Catch; no tool pays for its spot.

Which Rpc tools can I self-host for free?

tRPC, oRPC, SocketCluster and go-zero.

Which Rpc tools have the most GitHub stars?

tRPC (40.7k), go-zero (33.4k), SocketCluster (6.2k), per GitHub on 2026-10-21. Stars measure attention, not fit; read the Catch.

What is the catch with tRPC?

TypeScript only—this is not for mixed-language teams.

Tag

Rpc tools

4 reviewed tools: 4 free or open source.

Order: free and open source first, then hosted products with a real free tier, then paid-led; catalog order inside each group, with quiet or archived repos last. Not a score, and no tool pays for its place.

4 tools

tRPCEnd-to-end typesafe APIs without codegen
Free / OSS · OSS/MIT · 40.7k GitHub stars
VerdictTypeScript APIs as they should be—type-safe by default.
CatchTypeScript only—this is not for mixed-language teams. The tight coupling means you lose the API as a standalone artifact.
oRPCMIT end-to-end typed TypeScript RPC
Free / OSS · OSS/MIT · 5.7k GitHub stars
VerdictThe typed TS RPC library. MIT, no meter, you bring the server.
CatchTypeScript-first. Not a drop-in for every tRPC plugin. You still choose the HTTP server (Hono, Next, etc.). Do not confuse it with a backend-as-a-service.
SocketClusterMIT Node pub/sub+RPC+JWT with SCC scale-out
Free / OSS · OSS/MIT · 6.2k GitHub stars
VerdictMIT Node realtime cluster. Self-host free; not Socket.IO alone.
CatchNode pub/sub+RPC+JWT+SCC scale-out — not Socket.IO library-only, not Soketi Pusher-protocol, not Centrifugo Go hub, not NATS messaging, not AnyCable Rails WS. Distinct from Socket.IO, Soketi, Centrifugo, NATS, and AnyCable.
go-zeroMIT Go web and RPC framework with goctl code generation
Free / OSS · OSS/MIT · 33.4k GitHub stars
VerdictA strong choice for a team building many Go services the same way — overkill for a single small API.
CatchIt is opinionated and built around code generation: the project layout, the .api syntax and goctl are the way you work, and leaving later means rewriting generated code. Much of the community discussion and older docs are in Chinese. If you only need a router for net/http, chi is the lighter pick.

FAQ

What is the top free pick among Rpc tools?: tRPC leads the Stack Gems list for Rpc tools. Verdict: TypeScript APIs as they should be—type-safe by default.
How many Rpc tools does Stack Gems review?: 4: 4 free or open source. Each review has a verdict and an honest Catch; no tool pays for its spot.
Which Rpc tools can I self-host for free?: tRPC, oRPC, SocketCluster and go-zero.
Which Rpc tools have the most GitHub stars?: tRPC (40.7k), go-zero (33.4k), SocketCluster (6.2k), per GitHub on 2026-10-21. Stars measure attention, not fit; read the Catch.
What is the catch with tRPC?: TypeScript only—this is not for mixed-language teams.