- Push notification services side by side
- Eleven push notification services to try
- Where to start for your website or app
- On newer Android phones, notifications start switched off
- Web push versus mobile app push
- Questions to ask before you choose a push service
- Signs your push strategy needs work
- My plain advice on choosing a push notification service
- Frequently asked questions
The best push notification services send messages to phones and browsers, with segmentation, scheduling and reporting so the right people get the right alert. Some are simple web push tools for websites, while others are full engagement platforms that add email, SMS and in-app messages. Eleven options follow in no particular order.
Push notifications are one of the few channels that reach people without an inbox or an algorithm in the way. Used well, they bring readers back for breaking news, remind shoppers about an order and nudge app users at the right moment. Used badly, they get your app muted or deleted in a week.
The eleven push services below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the vendor's own website, read this week. If you're still deciding whether an app makes sense at all, my guide to whether your business needs a mobile app is worth reading first.
Push notification services side by side
I checked the free plan column on each tool's own website, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the site names a free plan, a free version, a free allowance or an open source version. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to start for free, so check the vendor's page before you rely on it.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airship | Customer experience platform | Large apps with many messaging channels | Not stated |
| Batch | Customer engagement platform for CRM teams | CRM teams running journeys without IT | Not stated |
| Firebase Cloud Messaging | Cross-platform notification service from Google | Developers building on Firebase | Not stated |
| Gravitec | Automated web push notifications | Building a web push audience for free | Yes |
| Knock | Customer engagement infrastructure | Product teams sending messages across channels | Not stated |
| OneSignal | Customer engagement platform for push and email | A widely used place to start | Not stated |
| PushAlert | Web and mobile browser push | Small sites adding browser push quickly | Not stated |
| PushEngage | Customer engagement and retention platform | Shops wanting a free plan to test push | Yes |
| Pusher Beams | Notifications API for Android, iOS and web | Developers who just want an API | Not stated |
| Pushwoosh | Customer engagement for push, email and in-app | Segmented, omnichannel campaigns | Not stated |
| Webpushr | Web push notifications | WordPress sites adding web push | Not stated |
Eleven push notification services to try
Airship
Best for: Large consumer apps that want push notifications alongside SMS, email and mobile wallet messages in one customer experience platform.
Batch
Best for: CRM teams who want mobile and web push alongside email, SMS and in-app messages, with journeys they can build without IT.
Firebase Cloud Messaging
Best for: App developers already using Firebase who want Google's own service for sending notifications across platforms.
Gravitec
Best for: Website owners who want automated web push notifications and an unlimited number of subscribers on a free allowance.
Knock
Best for: Product and engineering teams who want one workflow builder that sends email, in-app, push, SMS and chat messages from their product.
OneSignal
Best for: Apps and websites that want push alongside email and other messages from a widely used customer engagement platform.
PushAlert
Best for: Small websites and online shops that want push notifications for web and mobile browsers, plus personalised popups to win subscribers.
PushEngage
Best for: Website owners and marketers who want web push workflows, starting on a free plan with no card needed.
Pusher Beams
Best for: Developers who want a notifications API for Android, iOS and the web without building and maintaining the delivery themselves.
Pushwoosh
Best for: Marketing teams who want push, email and in-app messages with advanced segmentation, managed from one engagement platform.
Webpushr
Best for: WordPress and other websites that want web push notifications through a plugin, with uptime monitoring thrown in.
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Where to start for your website or app
- Developers who just want an API: Pusher Beams or Firebase Cloud Messaging.
- Website owners trying web push for free: PushEngage or Gravitec.
- WordPress sites: Webpushr.
- Small sites wanting popups too: PushAlert.
- Push alongside email and SMS: OneSignal, Batch or Pushwoosh.
- Large consumer apps: Airship.
- Product teams sending messages from their own app: Knock.
On newer Android phones, notifications start switched off
The Android Developers documentation says that when someone installs an app on a device running Android 13 or higher, the app's notifications are off by default. The app has to wait until it asks for permission and the user agrees.
That changes the job. Your push service matters, but so does the moment you ask. Ask when the benefit is obvious, such as after an order or when someone follows a topic, rather than the second the app opens.
Web push versus mobile app push
Web push reaches people through their browser after they've allowed it on your website. It's quick to add, needs no app and suits publishers, blogs and online shops.
Mobile push goes through iOS and Android to people who've installed your app. It's more personal and usually more powerful, but you'll need an app and a permission strategy to make it work.
Questions to ask before you choose a push service
- Do I need web push, mobile push or both?
- How detailed can audience segments get?
- Can I schedule messages by the reader's time zone?
- Does it include email or SMS as well?
- What reporting shows clicks and opt-outs?
- How easy is it to add to my site or app?
Signs your push strategy needs work
- Opt-out rates keep rising. Send fewer messages.
- Everyone gets the same alert. Segment your audience.
- Permission requests get ignored. Ask at a better moment.
- You can't see what works. Track clicks per message.
Do you make a push notification or messaging service? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on choosing a push notification service
Start with fewer, better notifications. Pick two or three moments that help the reader, such as an order update or a story they asked to follow, and send only those until you can see what people click and what makes them switch off.
Choose a service that makes segmenting easy, because one message to everyone is the quickest way to lose subscribers. For more on turning app users into customers, my notes on raising conversions in mobile apps go further.
Frequently asked questions
What is a push notification service?
A push notification service sends alerts to phones or browsers, with tools for targeting, scheduling and measuring results.
What's the difference between web push and app push?
Web push reaches people through their browser after they allow it on a website, while app push reaches people who've installed your app.
Do I need an app to send push notifications?
No. Web push works on many browsers without an app, once a visitor gives permission.
Are push notification services free?
Some offer free plans or free allowances. The free plan column above shows what each vendor's site says.
Why do Android users need to opt in?
On Android 13 and higher, notifications from newly installed apps are off by default until the user grants permission.
How often should I send push notifications?
Only as often as you have something useful to say. Watch opt-out rates and cut back if they rise.
