Stacks / Backend
Centrifugo / AnyCable
Realtime you host. Centrifugo is Apache-2.0; AnyCable is MIT — Pusher and Ably without the connection meter.
The problem
Pusher and Ably meter connections, messages, and channels. You wanted a WebSocket server you run. Centrifugo is Apache-2.0 (centrifugal/centrifugo). AnyCable is MIT (anycable/anycable) if you want that realtime server in front of an app. Soketi is AGPL-3.0 and Pusher-protocol compatible, but it was last pushed 3 Mar 2025 — not the maintained path. This is not every Ably presence SKU, Pusher Beams, or a video room — LiveKit stays on /replace/zoom.
Replaces
Pusher / Ably
Estimated SaaS saved
$1,200
per year, small team, before lock-in
Start on Railwayntfy / Gotify if this is push notifications, not WebSockets
Placeholder: Centrifugo (or AnyCable) as a Railway service. Redis if you scale beyond one node. Bind HTTP/WebSocket to 0.0.0.0:$PORT. No one-click template in this repo yet — Start on Railway. Push notifications stay on /stacks/ntfy-push.
The stack
- Centrifugo
Apache-2.0 scalable realtime messaging server
- AnyCable
MIT realtime server if you want that lineage
Cost table
| You stop paying | Typical / year | Self-host instead |
|---|---|---|
| Pusher / Ably (small team) | $1,200 | Centrifugo or AnyCable |
Agent setup prompt
Replace Pusher or Ably with Centrifugo (preferred) or AnyCable. - One service, persist if the project requires it, Redis when you need more than one node. Point the client at the new WebSocket URL. - Confirm one subscribe/publish. Do not claim every Beams or presence SKU. Write AGENT_PROMPT.md. - Soketi is Pusher-protocol compatible but not the maintained path (last push 3 Mar 2025).
Also as markdown: /stacks/centrifugo-realtime.md
FAQ
- Centrifugo or AnyCable?
- Centrifugo if you want a language-agnostic realtime server. AnyCable if you want that Go server in front of an app. Pick one.
- Why not Soketi?
- Soketi speaks the Pusher protocol (AGPL-3.0) but was last pushed 3 Mar 2025. This page uses actively maintained servers.
- Is this OneSignal?
- No. OneSignal is push to phones — /replace/onesignal. This page is WebSockets.