---
title: "Webhook vs WebSocket: What's the Difference? | WebhookRelay"
meta:
  "og:description": "Webhooks and WebSockets both deliver real-time data, but one is a short one-way callback and the other a persistent connection. When to use each."
  "og:title": "Webhook vs WebSocket: What's the Difference?"
  description: "Webhooks and WebSockets both deliver real-time data, but one is a short one-way callback and the other a persistent connection. When to use each."
---

![Stripes](https://webhookrelay.com/blog/webhook-vs-websocket/images/stripes.svg)

# **Webhook vs WebSocket: What's the Difference?**

Webhooks and WebSockets both deliver real-time data, but one is a short one-way callback and the other a persistent connection. When to use each.

Both **webhooks** and **WebSockets** are ways to get data in near real time instead of polling — but they're built for different jobs. One is a brief one-directional HTTP callback; the other is a long-lived two-way pipe.

## [The one-line answer](#the-one-line-answer)

- **Webhook:** a server sends you a single **HTTP POST** when an event happens, then the connection closes. Great for **server-to-server** event notifications.
- **WebSocket:** a **persistent, two-way connection** stays open so either side can send messages at any time. Great for **live, bidirectional** communication — usually browser ↔ server.

## [How a webhook works](#how-a-webhook-works)

A webhook is an ordinary HTTP request. You register a URL with a provider, and they POST to it the moment something happens — then it's done. (New to them? See [what is a webhook](https://webhookrelay.com/blog/webhook-vs-websocket/blog/what-is-webhook/).)

```
POST /your-webhook-endpoint
Content-Type: application/json

{ "event": "payment.succeeded", "id": "pi_123" }
```

There's no connection to keep alive. It's stateless, one-way (provider → you), and each event is an independent request the provider can retry if it fails.

## [How a WebSocket works](#how-a-websocket-works)

A WebSocket starts as an HTTP request that "upgrades" into a persistent TCP connection which stays open. After the handshake, **both sides** can push messages whenever they like, with very little per-message overhead:

```
Client  --- handshake (HTTP Upgrade) --->  Server
Client  <========= open connection ========>  Server
        (either side sends messages any time)
```

That open channel is what makes WebSockets great for chat, multiplayer, live dashboards and collaborative editing — but it also means you have to manage connection state, reconnects and scaling those long-lived connections.

## [Webhook vs WebSocket at a glance](#webhook-vs-websocket-at-a-glance)

|  | Webhook | WebSocket |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Connection | Short-lived HTTP request per event | Persistent, always-open |
| Direction | One-way (server → you) | Two-way (full duplex) |
| Who connects | Provider POSTs to your URL | Client opens the connection to a server |
| Best for | Server-to-server event notifications | Live browser ↔ server messaging |
| Overhead | New request each event | One connection, low per-message cost |
| Delivery on failure | Provider **retries** the POST | You handle reconnection & missed messages |
| Needs a public URL | Yes — a URL the provider can reach | No — the client dials out |
| Typical examples | Stripe payments, GitHub pushes, CI/CD | Chat, live dashboards, multiplayer |

## [When to use which](#when-to-use-which)

**Reach for a webhook when:**

- One backend needs to tell another backend that an event happened (a payment, a deploy, a new record).
- You want the provider to own delivery and retries.
- You don't want to maintain an always-on connection.

**Reach for a WebSocket when:**

- A browser (or client) needs live updates _and_ needs to send data back.
- You're streaming many messages continuously and want minimal per-message overhead.
- Latency on a steady stream matters — chat, presence, live prices, collaborative UIs.

## [They're better together](#theyre-better-together)

A very common architecture uses **both**: your server receives **webhooks** from providers, then fans the relevant updates out to connected browsers over **WebSockets**.

```
Stripe --webhook--> your backend --WebSocket--> user's browser (live "payment received!")
```

The webhook is the reliable server-to-server event; the WebSocket is the live last hop to the UI.

## [The catch with webhooks: you need a reachable URL](#the-catch-with-webhooks-you-need-a-reachable-url)

Unlike a WebSocket, where the client dials out, a webhook needs a **public URL the provider can POST to** — awkward when your handler runs on `localhost` or behind a firewall. That's what Webhook Relay solves: [inspect the payload](https://webhookrelay.com/blog/webhook-vs-websocket/webhook-bin/) in your browser, then [forward it to localhost or a private server](https://webhookrelay.com/blog/webhook-vs-websocket/webhooks/) with no public IP.

For the related comparison, see [webhooks vs API](https://webhookrelay.com/blog/webhook-vs-websocket/blog/webhooks-vs-api/). Ready to try one? [Test a webhook now](https://webhookrelay.com/blog/webhook-vs-websocket/webhook-bin/) or [start forwarding for free](https://my.webhookrelay.com/register).