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Testing · head to head

Insomnia vs Soketi

Insomnia logo

Insomnia

Testing

REST and GraphQL API client for development and testing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Soketi logo

Soketi

Developer Tools

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Insomnia git Sync on the free tier covers up to 3 users only; 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: Insomnia covers REST API Client, Soketi covers Pusher protocol compatibility.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Insomnia and Soketi actually diverge.

Attributes where Insomnia and Soketi differ
AttributeInsomniaSoketi
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWindows, MacOS, Linux, WebLinux, macOS, Windows
CategoryTestingDeveloper Tools
Founded2010Unknown

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 Insomnia

  • REST API Client
  • GraphQL Support
  • gRPC Support
  • GitHub
  • GitLab
  • Slack
  • Windows support
  • MacOS support

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.

Insomnia

  • Sending and debugging HTTP, GraphQL and gRPC requestsnot Soketi
  • Storing collections in Git rather than a vendor cloudnot Soketi
  • Mocking an API endpoint before it existsnot Soketi
  • Running collections in CI with the Inso CLInot Soketi
  • Environment management across staging and productionnot Soketi

Soketi

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

Where each one falls short

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

Insomnia

  • Git Sync on the free tier covers up to 3 users only
  • Mock servers are capped at 1,000 requests a month on free, then $10 per 25,000
  • Role-based access control requires Pro at $12 per user per month
  • SSO, SCIM and vault integrations are Enterprise only at $45 per user per month
  • Working without an account is limited to the local-only Scratch Pad

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

Insomnia

Free
  • EssentialsFree
    • unlimited Cloud/Local projects
    • up to 3 users with Git Sync
    • 1,000 mock server requests/month
  • Pro$12/user/month
    • unlimited users with Git Sync access
    • unlimited organizations
    • role-based access control
  • Enterprise$45/user/month
    • Kong Konnect integration
    • SSO (SAML/OIDC)
    • SCIM provisioning

Soketi

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Insomnia if

  • You need rest api client.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux, Web.
  • You also want graphql support.
Insomnia 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 Insomnia or Soketi better?
Neither clearly leads. Insomnia 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, Insomnia or Soketi?
Insomnia starts at Free and Soketi at Free.
Does Insomnia or Soketi run on more platforms?
Insomnia runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux, Web. Soketi runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Insomnia for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Insomnia best used for?
Insomnia is most often used for sending and debugging http, graphql and grpc requests, storing collections in git rather than a vendor cloud, mocking an api endpoint before it exists, running collections in ci with the inso cli. Of those, sending and debugging http, graphql and grpc requests and storing collections in git rather than a vendor cloud are not what Soketi is typically brought in for.
What can Insomnia do that Soketi cannot?
Insomnia covers REST API Client, GraphQL Support, gRPC Support, GitHub. Soketi covers Pusher protocol compatibility, Presence and private channels, Horizontal scaling, App management backends.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Insomnia: How much does Insomnia cost?

Insomnia offers a free Essentials plan. Pro plans cost $12 per user per month with annual billing offering 17% savings. Enterprise plans cost $45 per user per month with support for up to 50 users self-serve; contact sales for larger teams.

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.

Insomnia: Is there a free version of Insomnia?

Yes, the Essentials plan is free and includes unlimited Cloud and Local projects, Git Sync for up to 3 users, 1,000 mock server requests per month, Inso CLI, E2EE, custom linting, plugins, and AI features.

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.

Insomnia: What mock server request limits apply to Insomnia plans?

Essentials includes 1,000 mock server requests per month. Pro includes 10,000 requests per month. Enterprise includes unlimited mock server requests. Additional mock server requests beyond plan allowances cost $10 per 25,000 requests.

Source
Soketi: What does it cost?

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

Soketi: What are people moving to?

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

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