A Pusher alternative that keeps your Pusher code

If you're looking for a Pusher alternative, Hive Realtime is DockHive's live messaging service and it speaks the Pusher Channels protocol. pusher-js, Laravel Echo and the Pusher server libraries for Node.js, PHP, Python, Go and Ruby work as they are: moving over is a change of host and keys.

Start free About Hive Realtime

What you get with Hive Realtime

Pusher compatible

Use pusher-js, Laravel Echo and the Pusher server libraries. Moving over is a change of host and keys.

Every channel type

Public, private, private encrypted and presence channels, authorized by your own server.

Presence

Show who's online and who's typing. Members join and leave in real time, once per user however many tabs they open.

Client events

Let browsers talk to each other directly for typing indicators, cursors and live collaboration.

Message one user

Sign users in, then send to every device a user has open, or disconnect them, from your server.

Webhooks

Know when channels become busy or empty and when members join or leave, with signed webhooks.

Live debug console

Watch connections, subscriptions and events as they happen, right in the DockHive console.

Eight regions

Put each app close to its users, from Los Angeles and London to Lagos, Abuja and Singapore.

More about Hive Realtime → · Read the docs →

Move from Pusher by changing the host and keys

  1. 1 Create a Hive Realtime appIn the console, open Hive Realtime, create an app in the region closest to your users and copy its App ID, Key, Secret and Host.
  2. 2 Point your frontend at itKeep your pusher-js or Laravel Echo code. Add the host options (wsHost, wsPort and wssPort 443, forceTLS) and the new key.
  3. 3 Update your serverReplace the app ID, key and secret in your Pusher server library and set the host. The host wins over any cluster option.
  4. 4 Keep your auth and webhooksAuth endpoints for private and presence channels keep working; they sign with the new secret. Set your webhook URL in the app's settings: payloads and the X-Pusher-Key and X-Pusher-Signature headers are the same.
  5. 5 Switch overPoint a staging build at Hive Realtime first, then production. Both can run side by side while you move.
pusher-js + pusher 
// Browser
const pusher = new Pusher('YOUR_APP_KEY', {
  wsHost: 'realtime-eu.dockhive.io',
  forceTLS: true,
  cluster: 'eu',
});
pusher.subscribe('orders').bind('order-shipped', showToast);

// Server
await pusher.trigger('orders', 'order-shipped', { id: 1042 });

Good to know

  • The subscription-count event and watchlists are not available.

Questions about switching to Hive Realtime

Do I have to change my Pusher code?

Only the configuration. Hive Realtime speaks the Pusher Channels protocol, so you keep pusher-js, Laravel Echo and the Pusher server libraries and change the host, app ID, key and secret. Channels, events, auth endpoints and webhook handlers stay the same.

Which channel types and features are supported?

Public, private, private encrypted and presence channels; client events; user sign-in and sending to a user; terminating a user's connections; batch triggers; channel and presence user queries; and webhooks for channel occupied/vacated, member added/removed and client events.

What is not supported?

The subscription-count event and watchlists are not available.

Is there a free plan?

Yes. The Free Tier includes 2 apps, 100 connections at once and 200,000 messages a day in each region. The Developer Plan ($3/month) raises that to 10 apps, 1,000 connections and 2 million messages a day, and the Pro Plan ($15/month) to 50 apps, 10,000 connections and 20 million messages a day.

How are messages counted?

An event you send counts once per channel, plus once for each connection it is delivered to. A client event counts once plus its deliveries. The daily count resets at midnight UTC.

Where can my Realtime app run?

In any of the eight DockHive regions: United States, Europe (London), Germany, Portugal, Asia (Singapore), South Africa, and Nigeria (Lagos or Abuja). An app lives in the region you pick, and its clients and servers connect to that region's host.

Explore DockHive

Try DockHive on the Free Tier

Start with Hive Realtime on the Free Tier. Upgrade to the Developer Plan ($3/month) or Pro Plan ($15/month) when you need more.

Start free See pricing