To choose push notification software, ask each vendor 12 questions before you buy. Ask what it costs at 10× your list, whether you can export subscribers, which browsers and iOS versions it reaches, and how it handles opt-in prompts. Also check segmentation, automation, reporting, data location, support and contract terms. Then pick the tool that answers best for your use case.
I’ve sat through plenty of software demos, and push notification demos all look the same: a pretty dashboard, a sample campaign and a big click-through number. The demo rarely shows what happens when your list grows tenfold or when you want to leave. These 12 questions get those answers in writing. Use them alongside our list of the best push notification services and tools.
How do I choose push notification software?
Choose push notification software in three steps. First, decide which type of tool you need. Next, shortlist three vendors built for your use case. Finally, send each one the 12 questions below and compare the written answers. If you’re unsure about the type, read service vs platform vs API first.
What questions should I ask a push notification vendor?
Here are the 12 questions, grouped by the risk each one covers.
Cost questions
1. What will I pay at today’s list size, and at 10×? Ask for the number in writing. Per-subscriber pricing grows with your list. For example, OneSignal Growth is $19 a month plus $0.004 per web push subscriber (pricing), so 100,000 subscribers works out to about $419 a month. A flat tier or a one-time licence behaves very differently. Our guide to push notification pricing models compares them.
2. Are intro prices different from renewal prices? Some vendors discount the first term. PushEngage’s pricing page, for instance, notes that “renewals are at full price” (pricing). So budget for year two, not just year one.
3. What’s limited on the free plan? Free plans vary widely. OneSignal’s free web push caps each send at 10,000 subscribers, PushAlert’s free plan stops sending at 3,000 subscribers (pricing), and Gravitec’s free plan adds branding and leaves out Safari (pricing).
Data and lock-in questions
4. Can I export my subscribers, and in what format? Web push subscriptions are tied to the service worker and VAPID keys used at sign-up (RFC 8292). If you can’t export endpoints and keys, switching vendors means asking every subscriber to opt in again.
5. Where is subscriber data stored? This matters for GDPR and client contracts. WonderPush, for example, says European user data is stored in Europe (pricing). Self-hosted tools keep data on your own server.
6. Do you inject ads or third-party content into my notifications? Ad-supported free plans exist. iZooto’s Monetize plan is free because it adds ads to your notification stream (details). That can be a fair trade, but get the answer in writing.
Reach questions
7. Which browsers and devices do you support, including iOS? Safari on iOS and iPadOS 16.4+ supports web push only for Home Screen web apps (WebKit). Ask how the vendor handles the manifest and the add-to-Home-Screen flow.
8. How much control do I have over the opt-in prompt? Google’s permission UX guidance advises asking for permission in context. So look for delayed, scroll- or click-triggered prompts and soft pre-prompts.
Feature questions
9. Which segmentation and automation features are on my plan? Features often sit on higher tiers. For example, cart abandonment is on PushEngage’s Growth plan, not Business. Map each feature you need to a plan. Our push notification software features checklist helps here.
10. What reports do I get, and can I send data to Google Analytics? At a minimum, you want sent, clicked and click-through rate per campaign, plus UTM tagging so you can track push notification visits in Google Analytics.
Support and contract questions
11. What support do I get, and how fast? Ask about channels (chat, email, call), response times and whether setup help is included.
12. What are the contract, refund and cancellation terms? Check the billing cycle, the refund window and what happens to your data if you cancel. PushEngage offers a 14-day money-back guarantee, and PushAlert a 15-day trial, per their pricing pages.
How do I score push notification vendors?
Score each answer from 0 to 2, then weight the questions that matter most to you. Here’s a simple scorecard:
| Question area | Weight (example) | Vendor A | Vendor B | Vendor C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost at 10× list (Q1–3) | ×3 | |||
| Data and lock-in (Q4–6) | ×3 | |||
| Reach and opt-in (Q7–8) | ×2 | |||
| Features on your plan (Q9–10) | ×2 | |||
| Support and terms (Q11–12) | ×1 |
I weight cost and lock-in highest, because they’re the hardest to fix later. You can add a segment next month, but you can’t easily move 200,000 subscribers.
What are red flags when choosing push notification software?
Watch for these warning signs during evaluation:
- No public pricing and no written quote for your projected list size
- No subscriber export, or export only “on request”
- Free plan limits that aren’t explained until you hit them
- Ads in notifications that the vendor doesn’t mention up front
- Claims of “guaranteed” delivery or click rates with no method behind them
How does LaraPush answer these questions?
Here’s LaraPush as one worked example. Cost: Startup is $499 and Pro $799, one-time and excluding tax (pricing), so the price doesn’t change at 10× the list, though your server bill might. Data: it’s self-hosted, so subscribers stay on your server, and no ads are injected. Reach: it supports iOS 16.4+ web push (iOS push). Features: segmentation, scheduling and API on Startup; AutoMagic Push and drip campaigns on Pro. Weak spots: there’s no free plan, you manage a VPS, and it doesn’t do native app push. Moving from another provider? See the migration page and contact the team.
Frequently asked questions
Look for clear pricing at your future list size, subscriber export, support for all major browsers including iOS 16.4+ web apps, control over opt-in prompts, segmentation and automation on your plan, campaign reports with UTM tracking, clear data location and fair contract terms.
Send the same 12 questions to three shortlisted vendors, score each written answer from 0 to 2, and weight cost and lock-in highest because they are hardest to change later. Then compare total cost over two years, not just the first month.
Free push notification software is often enough for small sites under about 10,000 subscribers. Check the limits first: per-send caps, subscriber caps, branding, missing Safari support or ads in notifications are common trade-offs on free plans.
Only if you can export subscriber endpoints and keys and the new tool can import them. Web push subscriptions are tied to the original service worker and VAPID keys, so without export, subscribers must opt in again. Ask about export before you sign up.
The biggest mistake is choosing on today’s price. Per-subscriber and per-MAU bills grow with your list, and intro prices may renew higher, so always model the cost at ten times your current list and check the renewal price.
