Push notification pricing models come in six main types. There are free tiers, flat tiers by subscriber count, usage pricing per subscriber, per monthly active user (MAU) pricing, ad-supported free plans and one-time licences. Per-message pricing is rare for push. Free tiers are cheapest for small lists. As lists grow, flat tiers and one-time licences usually cost the least.
Most push notification pricing pages are hard to compare because they bill on different units. One counts subscribers, another counts monthly active users, a third counts sends. So in this post I explain each model, show a real vendor example, and run the same list size through each one. For the vendor-by-vendor list, see the best push notification services and tools.
What are the push notification pricing models?
Here are the main push notification pricing models, with one real example of each:
| Model | How you’re billed | Real example (checked Oct 27, 2026) | Cheapest when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | $0 up to a limit | Webpushr: free up to 10K subscribers | Small lists |
| Flat tiers by subscribers | Fixed monthly price per band | Webpushr: $29 to 50K, $49 to 100K, $99 to 150K | Mid-size lists |
| Usage per subscriber | Base fee + rate per subscriber | OneSignal Growth: $19 + $0.004 per web subscriber; WonderPush: €1 per 1,000 | Small, fast-changing lists |
| Per MAU | Rate per monthly active user | Pushwoosh: $7 per 1,000 MAU (push only, limited offer) | Apps with steady active users |
| Ad-supported | Free; vendor shows ads | iZooto Monetize: free, unlimited subscribers | Publishers who accept ads |
| One-time licence | Pay once; you host | LaraPush: $499 Startup, $799 Pro | Large or multi-site lists |
How does per-subscriber push pricing work?
Per-subscriber pricing charges for every opted-in subscriber, usually each month. With OneSignal Growth, web push costs $19 a month plus $0.004 per subscriber. At 100,000 subscribers, that’s $19 + $400, or about $419 a month. WonderPush charges €1 per 1,000 subscribers, so 100,000 subscribers costs €100 a month.
This model is fair for small lists and scales smoothly. However, the bill grows in a straight line with your audience, and that’s the part to model.
How do subscriber tiers work?
Tiered pricing charges a fixed price for a band of subscribers. Webpushr is free up to 10,000 subscribers, then $29 a month up to 50,000, $49 up to 100,000 and $99 up to 150,000. PushEngage and PushAlert also tier their plans, though PushEngage’s listed prices are the lowest tier, and higher subscriber counts cost more (PushEngage pricing).
Tiers are predictable. On the downside, crossing a band boundary can raise your bill in one step.
What does MAU-based push pricing mean?
MAU pricing charges for monthly active users, meaning users who are active in a month, rather than every subscriber. It’s common for mobile apps. Pushwoosh lists $7 per 1,000 MAU for push only (a limited offer until Dec 31) and $13 per 1,000 MAU for Omnichannel. OneSignal charges $0.012 per mobile MAU on Growth. CleverTap prices by MAU or data points, with Core from $85 a month (pricing).
MAU pricing suits apps, because inactive installs don’t cost you. For web push, though, check how the vendor defines “active”.
Is there per-message push notification pricing?
Per-message pricing is rare for push notifications, but common for email and SMS. Most push vendors include unlimited or high send volumes and bill on audience size instead. For example, Webpushr includes unlimited notifications on all plans, and WonderPush says “unlimited push”. If a vendor bills per message, multiply your sends per day by your list size before you compare.
How do ad-supported free push plans work?
Ad-supported plans are free because the vendor places ads in your notification stream. iZooto’s Monetize plan offers unlimited subscribers and up to 10 notifications a day for free. This can work for publishers. Still, it hands some of your reader relationship to ads, so weigh the effect on trust and unsubscribes.
How does one-time push notification pricing work?
One-time pricing means you buy a licence once and host the software yourself. LaraPush Startup is $499 and Pro is $799, excluding tax. That covers one server with unlimited domains and subscribers. The ongoing cost is your VPS, which our push notification server cost post breaks down.
This model wins on large lists. On the other hand, it costs more upfront than a free tier, and you take on server upkeep.
Which push pricing model is cheapest?
The cheapest model depends on list size. Here’s the same audience run through four published price lists (web push only, excluding tax):
| Web push subscribers | Webpushr (tiers) | OneSignal Growth (per subscriber) | WonderPush (per subscriber) | LaraPush Startup (one-time) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10,000 | $0/mo | $59/mo (or $0 on Free with a 10K-per-send cap) | €10/mo | $499 once + VPS |
| 50,000 | $29/mo | about $219/mo | €50/mo | $499 once + VPS |
| 100,000 | $49/mo | about $419/mo | €100/mo | $499 once + VPS |
| 150,000 | $99/mo | about $619/mo | €150/mo | $499 once + VPS |
Over 12 months at 100,000 subscribers, those published rates add up to about $588 on Webpushr, about $5,028 on OneSignal Growth and about €1,200 on WonderPush, against $499 once for LaraPush plus your server. Prices change often, so recalculate on the vendor page before you buy.
What hidden costs should I check?
Beyond the headline price, check these:
- Intro prices that renew at full price (PushEngage notes “renewals are at full price”)
- Features gated to higher tiers, such as cart abandonment or the API
- Site limits per plan (PushAlert Premium covers 3 sites)
- Paid subscriber export, or none at all, which raises the cost of switching later
- Server and maintenance time for self-hosted tools
Next, put the shortlist through our 12 questions to ask any push notification vendor, or jump to the best push notification service for websites. To check what LaraPush includes, see the features page.
Frequently asked questions
Push notification software is usually priced by subscriber count in flat tiers, by usage per subscriber or per monthly active user, or through a free tier with limits. Some vendors offer ad-supported free plans, and self-hosted tools such as LaraPush sell a one-time licence.
For lists under about 10,000 subscribers, a free tier is cheapest. For mid-size lists, flat subscriber tiers are usually cheaper than per-subscriber usage pricing. For large or multi-site lists, a one-time licence with your own server usually costs the least over a year.
MAU means monthly active users: the number of users who are active in a given month. Vendors such as Pushwoosh and CleverTap bill per MAU, which suits mobile apps because inactive installs are not counted.
Based on prices checked on Oct 27, 2026, 100,000 web push subscribers cost about $49 a month on Webpushr, €100 a month on WonderPush and about $419 a month on OneSignal Growth. LaraPush Startup costs $499 once plus your server.
Most push notification services don’t charge per message. They bill on subscribers or monthly active users and include unlimited or high send volumes. Per-message pricing is more common for email and SMS.
