Application-initiated messages popularly known as push notifications are a strong communication channel that business people should use to reach out to their audience in real time. Whether you run a property-selling website, a construction company that requires leads, or any online platform that is content-heavy and wishes to get more traffic, push notifications are the way to increase interaction, conversion and user loyalty.
But don’t worry, in this blog, we will steer you through the 12 top push notification software solutions for 2024. There will be an explanation of what to focus on while selecting the push notification system, how to select the right push notification platform based on your business type, key considerations, and possible mistakes.
How Push Notifications Help Businesses Drive Engagement
Push notification refers to the direct message that reaches the targeted users’ device, which can be in the form of a mobile application or via the browser. They act as a small reminder of something that needs to be done now, whether you’re buying something, reading a new piece, or coming back to the app.
Key Benefits of Push Notifications:
- Instant Communication: In particular, push notifications are perfect for sending users time-sensitive messages within a short amount of time, for instance, a new product, a discount, etc.
- Higher Engagement Rates: People are more inclined to use push notifications than if they were to use emails or any other mode of communication. There are also calls to action in push notifications and those that contain links, images and buttons that can be touched.
- Improved User Retention: The feature of pushing users with related content or mere messages can help businesses retain their clients and attract them again.
- Cost-Effective: Push notifications bring much lower cost compared to traditional methods directly to smartphones like email or SMS and enable to engage users with almost no extra charges.
- Personalization: Compared to email marketing services, push notifications can be targeted according to users’ engagement, geographical location, and likes, they way; hence will customers be more responsive and will be likely to respond to more conversion.
12 Best Push Notification Software to Boost Engagement
1. PushEngage
PushEngage is one of the most comprehensive Push Notification services that target business organizations to build user engagement through behaviour-triggered notification. It is very suitable for e-commerce websites, real estate companies, and content-driven companies that may require sending timely messages to the users through web & mobile.
The main utility of the platform is its capability to send automatic notifications for customer’s actions, such as abandoned carts, product changes, and special offers. It also comes with better targeting, Split Tests and Real Time Reporting for better response and conversion.
Key Features:
- Proactive notifications like cart abandonment reminders, new product releases and offers.
- Advertising to the persons depends on their behaviour and their geographical location, as well as their preferences.
- Instant tracking and iteration of campaigns to give more POT.
- Both mobile and web push notification support.
Best For: E-commerce, real estate businesses, and content-driven websites that need targeted push notifications to increase engagement.
Website: https://www.pushengage.com
Rating: 4.6/5
2. OneSignal
OneSignal is a popular push notification service that is easy to use, highly flexible and offers a vast number of features. This includes push notifications for mobile apps, be it iOS and Android, websites and In-App messaging – making it ideal for any business of any size.
The real-time message and tracking capability of OneSignal as well as its segmentation option make it possible to achieve deep personalization in reaching audiences With the free plan, the OneSignal platform makes it easier for startups and small businesses to begin utilizing push notifications. It also works well with other marketing platforms, and this means new businesses can develop a multi-channel marketing approach.
Key Features:
- Mobile, Web and In-App push notifications.
- Linked images, videos, other media sources and related links.
- Real-time analytics and A/B testing for campaigns to identify the best-performing ones.
- Full customization options, including an easily navigable layout, and seamless API compatibility.
Best For: Developers, marketers, and businesses of all sizes looking for an easy-to-integrate, scalable solution.
Website: https://www.onesignal.com
Rating: 4.7/5
3. VWO Engage
VWO Engage was earlier called PushCrew – it is a push notification tool that can assist businesses in increasing engagement and conversion rates due to targeted and routine notifications. VWO Engage is advantageous for firms seeking to trigger web behavior notifications for increased sales and retention as it has a simple integration approach.
Segmentation, analytics, and A/B testing tools of VWO Engage put it in a position to help businesses tweak their messaging to get better responses from the users.
Key Features:
- BYO standards push notifications based on the behaviour map that targets cart abandonment, new products, and others.
- Detail target market possibilities as a result of segmentation possibilities.
- Electronic monitoring of performance and presentation of performance results in real-time.
- Application of A/B testing when conducting notifications regarding the messaging.
Best For: E-commerce websites and businesses focused on increasing conversions with behavior-driven push notifications.
Website: https://vwo.com/engage/
Rating: 4.5/5
4. Notice
Notix is a compact and intuitive push notification service that specializes in real-time notifications for sites. This makes it possible for the business to use the application to send different push notifications including; content updates, sales promotions and reactivation of users.
That ability combined with the advanced segmentation and built-in complex analysis also makes sense for organisations who wish to rapidly engage with their customers with little or no tweaking of the system.
Key Features:
- Real-time web push notifications.
- Selecting one or several target groups for a specific marketing communication effort.
- Easy to use dashboard and good integration.
- Analytical means to estimate the result.
Best For: Small to medium-sized businesses focusing on real-time engagement through web push notifications.
Website: https://www.notix.co
Rating: 4.6/5
5. MoEngage
MoEngage is an application that leverages Artificial Intelligence to assist companies in sending targeted push notifications, in-app messages, emails and text messages. The primary advantage of the platform is that push notifications are customized based on data and delivered at the right time.
MoEngage provides timely notifications and lifecycle messaging that guarantees higher conversion rates since they use advanced segmentation and recommendation techniques.
Key Features:
- Autonomous messages as a result of the user’s use of the application.
- Push, in-app and SMS support and e-mail support.
- Promotional steps and additional incentives; Targeting and customer, segmentation.
- Real-time tools and analysis of the audience.
Best For E-commerce businesses, SaaS platforms, and mobile apps that need AI-powered, personalized notifications.
Website: https://www.moengage.com
Rating: 4.5/5
6. Airship
Airship (formerly known as Urban Airship) is a complete and scalable enterprise push notification solution for large applications and businesses requiring a broad service for customer interactions. With Airship, a business can use push notifications, in-app messages & screens, SMS, and email to engage users and the platform particularly stands out for deep segmentation and real-time, behavior-triggered messages.
That is why Airship offers such tools as A/B testing, very rich media compatibility, and a strong focus on automation to make user acquisition and retention more effective across all available channels.
Key Features:
- Push notifications (Web and mobile), In-App notifications, Short Message Service (SMS), and Electronic mail (E-mail).
- Segmentation and targeting at an advanced level and targeting in real-time.
- Application A/B testing for an ideal campaign.
- Large business solution specializing in delivering comprehensive cross-functional enterprise solutions.
Best For Large enterprises and mobile app developers that require a powerful, scalable push notification solution.
Website: https://www.airship.com
Rating: 4.4/5
7. Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM)
Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) is Google’s free, open-source Cloud messaging solution for application developers. It is capable of sending mobile application notifications (iOS & Android) and on web browsers apart from allowing API interaction for analyzing user and campaign interactions using Google Analytics. FCM is very flexible, allowing exact control over the notification sending and targeting.
It is popular among developers and startup companies since it is free and synchronizes with the Google platform, which many small companies and developers use for their applications for delivering push notifications at a very low cost.
Key Features:
- Push notification services with no cost with many options for font type and colour.
- Both mobile and Web push notifications can be supported.
- Real-time data processing and capability to connect to Google Analytics.
- Real-time delivery and performance assurance.
Best For Developers and app creators seeking a free, customizable push notification solution with easy integration.
Website: https://firebase.google.com/products/cloud-messaging
Rating: 4.6/5
8. Pusher Beams
Pusher Beams is a real-time personalised push notification service for developers that allows them to send notifications to the respective users as soon as possible. Beams specialises in providing geo-targeted, individualised messages to applications for mobiles, websites and other technology platforms.
Its integration, complemented by the most powerful targeting capabilities, allows developers to easily integrate push notifications into their apps or websites.
Key Features:
- Instant updates with minimum delay.
- API integration so that it becomes effortless to implement.
- SDKs for mobile applications with predefined layouts and colours.
- Large app support for scaling.
Best For Developers and businesses needing real-time push notifications for web and mobile applications.
Website: https://pusher.com/beams
Rating: 4.7/5
9. Sendinblue
Sendinblue is an all-in-one marketing platform that encompasses email and SMS marketing and push notifications. It is meant to assist companies that fall under SMBs to have an elevated marketing process through one roof.
In addition, Sendinblue provides comprehensive automation and segmentation options in scheduling both push notifications depending on the recipient’s behavior and email and sms campaigns. Due to this, it makes online social media marketing a perfect fit for companies that need to develop integrated channel marketing strategies.
Key Features:
- Email and push notifications and SMS
- Targeting with limited refined analysis and selection of the audience
- Automated workflows for one to many campaigns
- Tracking and analysis at the time of occurrence
Best For: Small to medium-sized businesses looking for a multi-channel marketing solution with push notifications, email, and SMS.
Website: https://www.sendinblue.com
Rating: 4.5/5
10. CleverTap
CleverTap is a next-generation AI-based customer engagement and push notification solution to deliver personalized communication with users on the web, mobile, email and sms for businesses. It provides client profiling customer value analysis and versatile interactive techniques to market your product to the right customer at the right time. CleverTap has rich push notification features which will be beneficial for organizations that require live interaction based on behavior.
Key Features:
- AI technology applied to personalization and segmentation
- In-app, Push notifications, email & SMS, and web push notifications
- Power tools such as analytics and gaining knowledge about customers
- Automated processes of user interactions
Best For Enterprises and businesses looking for a comprehensive customer engagement platform with advanced analytics and AI-powered push notifications.
Website: https://www.clevertap.com
Rating: 4.6/5
11. Pushwoosh
Pushwoosh is a highly customizable and secure push notification solution for business intents across apps, e-business, and SaaS. It offers a way to perform multiple-channel broadcasting, such as push notifications, in-app message subscribers, and via SMS. Today’s application owners and administrators can easily leverage segmentation, automation, and A/B testing opportunities provided by Pushwoosh to send targeted messages at the right time, thus maximizing user reach and engagement.
Key Features:
- Mobile, web, in-app, sms push notifications all together in one platform
- Targeted communications among users
- Automation is the key term here, more specifically behavior-driven campaigns.
- Binary sheds to campaign utilization efficiency
Best For: Mobile apps, e-commerce stores, and SaaS businesses that need a reliable, scalable push notification service.
Website: https://www.pushwoosh.com
Rating: 4.5/5
Choosing the Right Push Notification Software Based on Your Business Type
Different types of businesses have different needs when it comes to push notifications. Whether you’re a realtor, contractor, or app developer, your push notification software should be customized to fit your specific goals.
For realtors
Real estate buyers/sellers’ push notifications are one of the best ways of constantly reminding people that you are still available. Realtors can use push notifications on items such as new properties, new price drops, or a reminder of an open house.
Recommended platforms:
- PushEngage: Specifically designed for real estate organizations, PushEngage lets your audience be grouped depending on their location, activity, and preferences and can easily notify them of new listings or updated properties.
- OneSignal: Definitely convenient for realtors who would like to use the platform to send notifications to website and application visitors, OneSignal can help alert clients about new properties and incorporate images and descriptions into the message.
For Contractors
Contractors can also send out their clients push notifications such as project progress, maintenance schedules or promos. Reminders can be set such as an appointment reminder, or a follow-up after they have done a job for you.
Recommended Platforms:
- VWO Engage: This platform generates automatic push notations to the contractors, to help them reach out to the clients with timely messages about an upcoming due date on a project or a new service they now offer.
- Notice: Notix is suitable for contractors who aim to reach out to their clientele based on web push notifications of prices, services offered as well as the status of the job.
For E-Commerce Stores
The studies show that push notifications can work as effective tools for e-commerce companies to generate revenue, retain users and recover lost sales from abandoned carts. Simply providing notifications that are tailored to the user’s interaction level can increase conversions by a large margin.
Recommended Platforms:
- PushEngage: An excellent solution for e-business websites, PushEngage offers an auto broadcast of Push notifications of cart abandonment, personalized product suggestions, new arrivals, and more.
- MoEngage: By using AI features, it assists a company in the e-commerce sector to notify certain users, which increases its conversion rates and sales.
For Mobile Apps
Notifications for apps need to be targeted in order to effectively re-engage users who could have ignored the app, notify users of updates and new features of the app as well as notify users of special promotions. Select a platform that has a push notification feature for gadgets such as iPad, iPhone and Android-based devices.
Recommended Platforms:
- Airship: For mobile applications, Airship provides a powerful suite for promoting users’ engagement with restart notifications, in-app messages, and SMS.
- Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM): Firebase has free services that allow stream messaging, or push, notifications for mobile apps and integrate with Google Analytics to monitor users and campaign engagement.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Push Notification Software
While push notifications can significantly enhance user engagement, they can also backfire if not implemented correctly. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:
- Over-Sending Notifications: Push notification fatigue and users cancelling receipt of these messages is the end result of continuously assaulting users with push notifications. Aim for a balanced frequency.
- Lack of Personalization: The generic one is not as effective. Just ensure that your notifications reflect the users’ behaviour, interests age, gender, and other attributes.
- Ignoring Analytics: Failing to monitor performance indicators such as open rates, click-through rates, and user engagement will harm your campaigns.
- Neglecting Opt-In: It’s important only to use notifications provided the user has given his/her permission to do so. Using opt-in is highly effective since it relieves you from pestering the users and adhering to the privacy management provisions.
Conclusion
Push notifications are one of the most effective marketing tools that can increase interactivity, and conversion rate, and result in higher retention values. Ideal Push Notification Software enable an application to provide targeted messages that are timely, relevant, and beneficial to the user. If you are a realtor, a contractor, an app developer, or running an e-commerce store there is a push notification solution for you.
While several watered-down versions of push notifications are available for free such as OneSignal and Firebase Cloud Messaging for businesses, several top-of-the-line platforms are available in 2024 that include Airship and CleverTap.
As you’re selecting a tool, and if you don’t fall into the above mistakes, you’ll be heading towards successful and effective push notification campaigns.
FAQs
What are push notifications?
Push notifications are short messages or alerts that are sent to a user’s device; mobile, web or desktop and can appear at any given time irrespective of the user’s active interaction with the application or website. These messages enable users to know of updates, new offers or any content or simply remind them of something and can guarantee a call to action say, to purchase something or read a particular article.
How do push notifications enhance user engagement?
Feedback is an effective concept in engaging users as it allows delivering specific messages that will prompt the user to perform a specified action such as a purchase, returning to the application or viewing new content. Offering value in terms of updates and/or future offers/reminders is a way to maintain users’ interest over time.
Are push notifications free?
A vast majority of push notification service providers provide a free trial with limited functionality. However, if you want to enjoy other features such as Segmentation, Automation, and A/B Testing, this tool can be used under paid plans. FCM, for instance, offers a basic push notification service where you can find other advanced services as you grow.
What has to be done to utilize push notifications for the website?
To implement push notifications for your website you have to connect a push notification service of your choice such as OneSignal, Pushwoosh, or Notix to your site. After integration, a user has the ability to subscribe and receive notices for new content, offers, or updates via their web browsers. These notifications function also when your users are not on your website, thus assisting in the promotion of traffic as well.
Is there any way to automate push notifications?
Indeed, most of the push notification services allow for sending what is called automatic push notifications. They can be initiated to signal a particular behavior that the user performs; this includes purchasing an item, leaving an item in the cart, signing up for an account and inactivity.
Push notifications are one of the better time savers and more effective means of engaging users through sending messages at the right time and about the right topics, all without human interference.
