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No-Code · head to head

Appsmith vs Soketi

Appsmith logo

Appsmith

No-Code

The open-source low-code framework

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Soketi logo

Soketi

Developer Tools

Self-hosted, Pusher-compatible WebSockets server with a stalled maintenance record

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Appsmith the free cloud tier is capped at 5 users, 5 workspaces and 3 Git repositories; Soketi maintenance has effectively stalled: the maintainer has said time is severely limited, releases are infrequent, and the community has been discussing whether the project is abandoned, which means security fixes may not arrive.
  • They diverge on capability: Appsmith covers Drag-and-drop builder, Soketi covers Pusher protocol compatibility.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Appsmith and Soketi actually diverge.

Attributes where Appsmith and Soketi differ
AttributeAppsmithSoketi
Pricing modelsubscriptionOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, Self-hostedLinux, macOS, Windows
CategoryNo-CodeDeveloper Tools
Founded2019Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Appsmith

  • Drag-and-drop builder
  • Database integration
  • REST API
  • Workflows
  • Authentication
  • Custom code
  • Git integration
  • 100+ integrations

Only in Soketi

  • Pusher protocol compatibility
  • Presence and private channels
  • Horizontal scaling
  • App management backends
  • Webhooks
  • Prometheus metrics

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Appsmith

  • Building internal admin panels over existing databases and APIsnot Soketi
  • Self-hosting a low-code internal tool platformnot Soketi
  • Custom CRUD dashboards for operations teamsnot Soketi
  • Versioning applications through Gitnot Soketi

Soketi

  • A Laravel application that already uses Echo and wants to stop paying a hosted realtime providernot Appsmith
  • Realtime notifications or presence indicators where data must not leave your own infrastructure for compliance reasonsnot Appsmith
  • A local or CI environment that needs a Pusher-compatible server without hitting a paid accountnot Appsmith
  • A high-connection-count application where hosted per-connection pricing has become the largest line in the infrastructure billnot Appsmith

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Appsmith

  • The free cloud tier is capped at 5 users, 5 workspaces and 3 Git repositories
  • Workflows, custom roles and audit logs all require the Business plan at $15 per user per month
  • SAML and OIDC single sign-on need Enterprise, which starts at $2,500 a month with a 100 user minimum
  • Embedding an app privately is Enterprise only; the lower tiers embed publicly
  • Managed hosting is an Enterprise add-on rather than an included option

Soketi

  • Maintenance has effectively stalled: the maintainer has said time is severely limited, releases are infrequent, and the community has been discussing whether the project is abandoned, which means security fixes may not arrive.
  • Dependency drift on Node and uWebSockets.js will eventually force you to fork or migrate, and that cost is unbudgeted at the point you adopt it.
  • There is no commercial support to buy, so a production incident at three in the morning is entirely your problem with no escalation path.
  • Scaling beyond a single node needs Redis and careful configuration, and getting presence channels correct across nodes is a genuine source of subtle bugs.
  • It implements the Pusher protocol rather than tracking it, so any protocol feature Pusher adds later will not appear, and the compatibility guarantee slowly decays.

Pricing, plan by plan

Appsmith

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 5 users on cloud
    • 5 workspaces
    • 3 Git repos
  • Business$15/month per user
    • Up to 99 users
    • Unlimited workspaces and Git repos
    • Workflows and reusable packages
  • Enterprise$2500/month
    • Minimum 100 users
    • Unlimited users above 100
    • SAML/OIDC SSO

Soketi

Free
  • SoketiFree
    • MIT licensed
    • Unlimited connections subject to your own hardware
    • No vendor billing

Which should you pick?

Choose Appsmith if

  • You need drag-and-drop builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted.
  • You also want database integration.
Appsmith review

Choose Soketi if

  • You need pusher protocol compatibility.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want presence and private channels.
Soketi review

Questions people ask

Is Appsmith or Soketi better?
Neither clearly leads. Appsmith starts at Free and Soketi at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Appsmith or Soketi?
Appsmith starts at Free and Soketi at Free.
Does Appsmith or Soketi run on more platforms?
Appsmith runs on Web, Self-hosted. Soketi runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Appsmith for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Appsmith best used for?
Appsmith is most often used for building internal admin panels over existing databases and apis, self-hosting a low-code internal tool platform, custom crud dashboards for operations teams, versioning applications through git. Of those, building internal admin panels over existing databases and apis and self-hosting a low-code internal tool platform are not what Soketi is typically brought in for.
What can Appsmith do that Soketi cannot?
Appsmith covers Drag-and-drop builder, Database integration, REST API, Workflows. Soketi covers Pusher protocol compatibility, Presence and private channels, Horizontal scaling, App management backends.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Appsmith: How much does Appsmith cost?

Appsmith offers a free plan for up to 5 users, a Business plan at $15 per user per month (up to 99 users), and an Enterprise plan starting at $2,500 per month for a minimum of 100 users with unlimited users available at that rate.

Source
Soketi: Is Soketi still maintained?

Barely. The maintainer has stated that available time is very limited and releases have been sparse; treat it as community-maintained.

Appsmith: Does Appsmith have a free version?

Yes, Appsmith's Free plan provides access for up to 5 users with 5 workspaces, 3 Git repos, and community support at no cost. All plans offer unlimited apps.

Source
Soketi: Do I need to change my client code?

No. Pusher client SDKs and Laravel Echo work by changing the host, port and credentials.

Appsmith: What does the Business plan include compared to Free?

The Business plan at $15 per user per month supports up to 99 users, provides unlimited workspaces and Git repos, includes workflows and reusable packages, premium integrations, custom roles, and access controls with email and chat support compared to the Free plan's community support only.

Source
Soketi: What does it cost?

Nothing in licence fees. It is MIT licensed; you pay for the server it runs on.

Appsmith: How are Appsmith users counted for billing purposes?

Appsmith counts any user who builds or edits applications as a standard user for billing. Developers and builders are treated the same as other users and all users count toward the per-user billing model without separate developer seat charges.

Source
Soketi: What are people moving to?

Laravel Reverb for Laravel applications, and Sockudo, a Rust reimplementation, for others.

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