Is Apinator a drop-in replacement for Pusher?

Yes. The channel API, event model, and authentication flow are compatible. Replace pusher-js with @apinator/client and your existing channel names, event bindings, and presence logic keep working. You only change the import and the host.

How is Apinator cheaper than Pusher?

Pusher bills per message and per concurrent connection — once you exceed the free tier, costs grow with every event. Apinator is free to use, with no metered fees. Your bill stays at zero whether you send 10,000 or 10,000,000 messages per month.

Does Apinator have a free tier?

Yes. Apinator is free to use — no credit card, no trial, no paid tier above it. The current free plan includes 500 concurrent connections, 500,000 messages per day, 100 channels, and presence tracking up to 500 members per channel. Presence, private channels, webhooks, and multi-region are all included.

Do I have to rewrite my server-side code to migrate?

No. Server-side publishing uses the same trigger() pattern as the Pusher server library. Replace the import and credentials — the REST call to publish events is identical in structure. Most teams migrate their backend in under 30 minutes.

Where is Apinator hosted?

Apinator is fully managed by us with data planes in the EU and the US. You can choose the region per app for low latency and EU data residency. Data never leaves the region you pick.

Does Apinator support presence channels and client events?

Yes, both are supported with the same API shape as Pusher. Presence channels track who is online across tabs and devices. Client events let users send typing indicators, cursor positions, and similar low-value messages without a server round-trip.

What happens if my traffic spikes?

Nothing changes for you — no per-message overage, no peak-connection overage. Apinator absorbs the spike on its side; your bill stays at zero.

Pusher-Compatible API

The Free, Pusher-Compatible Realtime API

Drop-in Pusher alternative — free to use, no per-message billing.

Apinator is API-compatible with Pusher — keep your channels, your auth flow, and your client code. And it is free to use: no per-message billing, no connection tiers, no surprise invoices when traffic spikes. Migrate in minutes.

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Pusher-Compatible API

Same channel types, auth flow, and event model as Pusher. Swap the client library — nothing else changes.

No Per-Message Billing

Pusher charges per message and connection. Apinator is free to use, with no metered fees, no peak-connection overage, and no surprise invoices when traffic spikes.

Free Tier Built for Production

Presence, private channels, webhooks, and multi-region are included — not gated behind a paid plan. No credit card required.

Multi-Region (EU + US)

Choose the region for your app — EU or US — so connections stay close to your users and sensitive data stays in its jurisdiction.

Full Feature Parity

Public, private, and presence channels. Client events. Webhooks. HMAC auth. Everything you rely on Pusher for, without the per-unit bill.

Drop-In Migration

Replace pusher-js with @apinator/client and your existing channel code keeps working. Most teams migrate in under 30 minutes.

Apinator vs Pusher

Feature	Apinator	Pusher
Pricing model	Free	Per-message / per-connection
Free-tier connections	500	100
Free-tier messages / day	500,000	200,000
Per-message overage	None	Yes
Connection overage	None	Yes
Private channels
Presence channels
Client events
Webhooks
Multi-region		Enterprise only
EU data residency		Add-on

Drop-In Migration

Replace pusher-js with @apinator/client — the channel and event API is identical. One import, done.

migration.js
// Before — pusher-js
import Pusher from 'pusher-js'
const pusher = new Pusher('APP_KEY', { cluster: 'us2' })
const ch = pusher.subscribe('orders')
ch.bind('update', (data) => renderOrder(data))

// After — @apinator/client (identical API, fully managed)
import { RealtimeClient } from '@apinator/client'
const client = new RealtimeClient('APP_KEY', { host: 'wss://rt.apinator.io' })
const ch = client.subscribe('orders')
ch.bind('update', (data) => renderOrder(data))

Frequently Asked Questions

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The Free, Pusher-Compatible Realtime API

Pusher-Compatible API

No Per-Message Billing

Free Tier Built for Production

Multi-Region (EU + US)

Full Feature Parity

Drop-In Migration

Apinator vs Pusher

Drop-In Migration

Frequently Asked Questions

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