PubNub vs Socket.IO:Which is more popular by branded search?
In August 2026, Socket.IO had more branded searches than PubNub among realtime infrastructure platforms worldwide. Socket.IO was estimated to have 14.8K branded searches compared to PubNub’s 3.6K, and held a 0.46% Share of Search versus PubNub’s 0.11%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Which is more popular in search, PubNub or Socket.IO?
Compare the realtime infrastructure platforms teams use. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for Socket.IO, PubNub. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Supabase | Firebase | Pusher | Ably | Socket.IO | PubNub |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 37.8% | 55.4% | 4.1% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 0.25% |
| Nov 2025 | 42.2% | 51% | 3.8% | 1.7% | 1.1% | 0.18% |
| Dec 2025 | 42.5% | 51.3% | 3.8% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 0.18% |
| Jan 2026 | 46.9% | 46.4% | 4.2% | 1.3% | 1% | 0.17% |
| Feb 2026 | 47.5% | 47% | 3.5% | 1% | 0.85% | 0.17% |
| Mar 2026 | 52.8% | 42.9% | 2.6% | 0.95% | 0.63% | 0.13% |
| Apr 2026 | 52.9% | 42.9% | 2.6% | 0.95% | 0.63% | 0.1% |
| May 2026 | 52.9% | 42.9% | 2.6% | 0.95% | 0.52% | 0.1% |
| Jun 2026 | 57.9% | 38.2% | 2.3% | 0.85% | 0.57% | 0.11% |
| Jul 2026 | 57.5% | 37.9% | 2.8% | 1% | 0.56% | 0.11% |
| Aug 2026 | 57.6% | 38% | 2.8% | 1% | 0.46% | 0.11% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the PubNub and Socket.IO comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Socket.IO was ahead of PubNub in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, PubNub’s estimated Share of Search among realtime infrastructure platforms worldwide moved from 0.25% to 0.11%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 5.4K to 3.6K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Socket.IO’s estimated Share of Search among realtime infrastructure platforms worldwide moved from 1.2% to 0.46%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 27.1K to 14.8K.
How did search popularity change for realtime infrastructure platforms worldwide in August 2026?
2 changes
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using PubNub’s and Socket.IO’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.