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Cloud · head to head

Serverless Framework vs Soketi

Serverless Framework logo

Serverless Framework

Cloud

Build and deploy serverless applications on AWS Lambda

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: Serverless Framework exclusive to AWS Lambda - no support for other cloud providers; 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: Serverless Framework covers YAML configuration, Soketi covers Pusher protocol compatibility.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Serverless Framework and Soketi actually diverge.

Attributes where Serverless Framework and Soketi differ
AttributeServerless FrameworkSoketi
Pricing modelUnknownOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsAWS Lambda, AWS API Gateway, AWS CloudFormationLinux, macOS, Windows
CategoryCloudDeveloper Tools

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 Serverless Framework

  • YAML configuration
  • Single command deployment
  • Extensible plugin ecosystem
  • Multi-language support
  • Unified dashboard
  • Built-in metrics and alerts

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.

Serverless Framework

  • Deploying APIs and microservices to AWS Lambdanot Soketi
  • Building event-driven applications with serverless functionsnot Soketi
  • Managing multi-language serverless projectsnot Soketi

Soketi

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

Where each one falls short

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

Serverless Framework

  • Exclusive to AWS Lambda - no support for other cloud providers
  • Paid tier requires credit system that can be confusing for budgeting
  • Plugin ecosystem quality varies significantly

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

Serverless Framework

Free
  • FreeFree
    • For organizations with under $2M annual revenue
    • All Framework features included
  • Pay-As-You-Go$4/credit
    • 1 credit = 1 Service Instance or 50K Traces or 4M Metrics
    • Standard rate for larger organizations
  • Reserved Credits$1/credit
    • Discounts up to 74% off (1-year), 77% off (2-year), 80% off (3-year)
    • Additional 10% off for upfront payment

Soketi

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Serverless Framework if

  • You need yaml configuration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on AWS Lambda, AWS API Gateway, AWS CloudFormation.
  • You also want single command deployment.
Serverless Framework 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 Serverless Framework or Soketi better?
Neither clearly leads. Serverless Framework 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, Serverless Framework or Soketi?
Serverless Framework starts at Free and Soketi at Free.
Does Serverless Framework or Soketi run on more platforms?
Serverless Framework runs on AWS Lambda, AWS API Gateway, AWS CloudFormation. Soketi runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Serverless Framework for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Serverless Framework best used for?
Serverless Framework is most often used for deploying apis and microservices to aws lambda, building event-driven applications with serverless functions, managing multi-language serverless projects. Of those, deploying apis and microservices to aws lambda and building event-driven applications with serverless functions are not what Soketi is typically brought in for.
What can Serverless Framework do that Soketi cannot?
Serverless Framework covers YAML configuration, Single command deployment, Extensible plugin ecosystem, Multi-language support. Soketi covers Pusher protocol compatibility, Presence and private channels, Horizontal scaling, App management backends.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Serverless Framework: When do I have to pay for Serverless Framework?

The Serverless Framework CLI v4+ is free for organizations earning under $2 million annually. Organizations earning more must purchase credits at $4 per credit standard rate or reserved credits starting at $1 per credit with volume discounts.

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.

Serverless Framework: What cloud providers does Serverless Framework support?

Serverless Framework is exclusive to AWS Lambda. It does not support other cloud providers like Azure or Google Cloud.

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.

Serverless Framework: What does one credit cover?

One credit equals 1 Service Instance, 50,000 Traces, or 4 Million Metrics.

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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