Open Source Alternatives to PubNub

A real-time communication platform that provides APIs and SDKs for adding live interactivity to applications. It enables the implementation of features such as in-app messaging, live updates, presence monitoring, and mobile push notifications. The platform is designed for developers across various industries, including sports, gaming, digital healthcare, and logistics, to manage data synchronization and user engagement at scale. It is deployed via a globally distributed edge network to maintain low latency for millions of concurrent users and devices. The service includes tools for AI chat moderation, real-time analytics, and a system for syncing critical app data across devices. It is used to build interactive experiences such as livestream chats, fitness coaching tools, and delivery driver updates.

Whether you want to cut software costs or escape vendor lock-in, these open source alternatives to PubNub give you an option you fully own. You can self-host them, so your data stays on infrastructure you control. This page lists 1 open source alternative to PubNub. The most popular is Centrifugo. It uses the Apache-2.0 license and ships an official Docker image.