pusher
Popular
Version 5.3.2
75
GoodNode.js client to interact with the Pusher Channels REST API
- Weekly Downloads
- 402.1K
- Bundle (gzip)
- 40.8 KB
- Updated
- Vulns
- 0
Health Score Breakdown
Maintenance
80
Popularity
80
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70
Pusher vs Socket.io
Side-by-side NPM package comparison
socket.io
Extremely Popular
Version 4.8.3
79
Goodnode.js realtime framework server
- Weekly Downloads
- 11.1M
- Bundle (gzip)
- 54.1 KB
- Updated
- Vulns
- 0
Health Score Breakdown
Maintenance
80
Popularity
100
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70
Choosing between Pusher and Socket.io? Here's a data-driven comparison based on real npm data — downloads, bundle size, health scores, and more — to help you decide which package fits your project best.
Downloads & Popularity
Socket.io leads with 11.1M weekly downloads — roughly 27.6x more. Pusher has 402.1K weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.
Bundle Size
Pusher has the smallest gzipped bundle at 40.8 KB. Socket.io comes in at 54.1 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.
Health Score Comparison
Socket.io has an overall health score of 79/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. Pusher has an overall health score of 75/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. Health scores are calculated from maintenance activity, code quality, security posture, popularity, and stability metrics.
When to Choose Each
Choose Pusher if you value strong security track record. Choose Socket.io if you value massive community and ecosystem, strong security track record.
Our Verdict
Both Pusher and Socket.io are solid choices for JavaScript development. Socket.io has the edge in overall health score (79/100), while each package brings unique strengths to the table. Evaluate them based on your project's priorities — whether that's community size, bundle efficiency, or maintenance activity — and choose the one that aligns best with your requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is pusher better than socket.io?
- It depends on your needs. Pusher has a health score of 75/100 while Socket.io scores 79/100. Socket.io has more weekly downloads (11.1M), suggesting broader adoption. Consider your specific requirements — bundle size, community support, and feature set — to decide which is the better fit.
- Which has a smaller bundle size, pusher or socket.io?
- Pusher has the smaller gzipped bundle at 40.8 KB. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
- How many developers use pusher vs socket.io?
- Based on npm download statistics, Pusher has approximately 402.1K weekly downloads and Socket.io has approximately 11.1M weekly downloads. These numbers reflect package installations, not unique developers, but they indicate relative adoption levels.
- Which is better maintained, pusher or socket.io?
- Socket.io currently has the higher overall health score at 79/100. Pusher has a maintenance score of 80/100 and Socket.io scores 80/100 on maintenance.