Introducing WebSockets support: powering real-time experiences

The internet has always been alive and in motion, yet for decades applications were forced into an outdated routine. Whenever users wanted fresh data, their browsers had to ask the server if anything new was available. Most of the time, the answer was “not yet.” A few seconds later, the cycle repeated, again and again, wasting resources and patience.

Polling worked, but only just. It was inefficient, it burned bandwidth, and worst of all it introduced a constant delay that made truly real-time experiences feel clumsy. When you’re building a live chat, a multiplayer game, or a financial ticker, those wasted milliseconds can make the difference between a fluid, engaging experience and one that feels broken. The internet was hopping forward, but applications were still stuck in place.

Why WebSockets, and why now

WebSockets are not a new invention. Developers have used them for years to deliver chat apps, trading dashboards, multiplayer games, and more. So why are they arriving now?

Because our mission has always been clear: to make the internet hop faster. For years, we focused relentlessly on becoming the fastest CDN for cached assets. Today, that goal has been achieved. With our network consistently ranked among the fastest in the world, we are ready to take the next step.

That next step in our journey is powering dynamic and real-time applications. Static assets alone are no longer enough to deliver the experiences users expect. Modern applications demand instant updates, seamless communication, and global reliability. By adding WebSockets support, we are expanding from accelerating static content to powering real-time applications like chat, collaborative tools, dashboards, and beyond.

This isn’t just about enabling an old protocol. It’s about bringing real-time communication into the same edge-accelerated, high-performance platform that already delivers your static and media content. And that brings us to today.

What WebSockets unlock

WebSockets open the door to applications that feel immediate and connected. Conversations flow naturally, multiplayer games stay perfectly in sync, dashboards update the moment data changes, and live experiences like sports scores or IoT feeds update in real time.

Why real-time needs the edge

Building with WebSockets is easy, but that’s only the first step of the journey. The real challenge comes when you try to run them reliably at scale. Real-time applications demand more than a single open channel. They require that the channel be fast, stable, and available everywhere your users are.

This is where we make the difference. Our global edge network allows each user to connect with their nearest node, dramatically reducing the distance their data must travel. That translates to lower latency, quicker responses, and a truly global sense of “instant.” Every connection hops to the closest edge, cutting the journey down to a sprint instead of a marathon.

And because our infrastructure is built to handle massive spikes in traffic, you can grow from a handful of early adopters to millions of concurrent connections without missing a beat. From a quiet burrow of early users to a stampede of millions, your connections stay fast, stable, and ready to hop.

One platform, less headache

Until now, delivering a modern application often meant juggling multiple providers: one for static assets, another for video, and yet another for real-time communication. It was messy, fragmented, and harder to secure.

As the internet evolves, so should the infrastructure behind it. With WebSockets support, you can finally bring everything together in one place. Static files, media, and real-time data all flow through a single, unified platform with the performance you already count on. No more juggling burrows of different providers. Your platform can find its home in our burrow.

Getting started is simple: how simple? Just one click!

At bunny.net, we want to support developers through every step of their journey. That's why we offer a free tier that includes up to 500 global concurrent connections. This makes it perfect for experimenting, prototyping, or even powering relatively busy projects right out of the box.

Scaling is just as seamless. Each tier is billed hourly based on actual usage, so you only pay for the level you need. For example, imagine your app usually runs on the free tier, but one week it goes viral and you suddenly need 5,000 concurrent connections. You can upgrade instantly, and because billing is hourly, you'll only pay for the days you use that higher tier. Once traffic slows down, you can switch back and your costs adjust automatically. No overpaying, no lock-ins, just transparent billing that adapts to your needs.

Building a real-time internet together

Real-time should not feel like waiting in line. It should feel instant, alive, and seamless. With WebSockets support, you can finally deliver the kind of dynamic experiences that modern users expect, all powered by the same edge network that accelerates your content around the globe.

We made the internet faster for static content. We mastered video delivery. Now we're making real-time faster too. The internet should never stand still, and with WebSockets support, neither will your applications.

Your applications are ready to hop faster. Sign up or log in to your bunny.net dashboard and enable WebSockets today.