OneSignal alternatives: where to go and how to switch without losing subscribers
Seven destinations, one for each reason to leave, and a seven-step migration plan.
The short answer: Pushwoosh if your app is past 1,000 monthly active users and you want a public per-MAU price, WonderPush if you want the cheapest option with EU user data stored in Europe, Webpushr if you only do web push and stay under 10,000 subscribers, Customer.io if push has to live in the same journeys as your email, Firebase Cloud Messaging if you have a developer and no budget, PushEngage for a WordPress site, CleverTap for a product team that runs app retention. One thing to know first: mobile push tokens can be carried over, web push subscriptions can't be imported. They come back on their own when visitors return to your site. We compared these seven tools and went through their pricing pages in 2026.
The ranking is editorial: a sponsored spot is always labeled on its card, and no affiliate link changes a score.
Why so many teams are looking elsewhere
OneSignal is still the most widely used push tool, and for good reason: web push, mobile push, email and in-app from one dashboard. The 2026 departures start with a change to the free plan, then come down to usage-based billing. Six reasons, each checked against OneSignal's own pages.
Free mobile push now stops at 1,000 MAU
Since fall 2026, the Free plan no longer sends mobile push or in-app messages once you pass 1,000 monthly active users (MAU). The cap is per organization, not per app, so three small apps in one account share the same 1,000. Over the limit, mobile sends pause until you upgrade, and journeys skip mobile subscriptions. Web push and email keep running under the old limits.
You pay for your audience, not your sends
Growth starts at $19 a month, plus $0.012 per mobile MAU and $0.004 per web subscriber. Run the numbers: an app with 20,000 MAU comes to about $259 a month ($19 plus $240), and a site with 50,000 web subscribers to about $219 ($19 plus $200). One notification a month or one a day, the bill is the same. You're paying for audience size.
Free plan limits show up fast
Free keeps 3 active journeys, 6 segments, 6 data tags, 30 days of reporting and admin-only access. Web push is capped at 10,000 subscribers per send. Growth goes to 5 journeys and 10 segments, which is still tight if you want flows per language or per country.
Past 50,000 MAU, discounts mean annual terms
Above 50,000 MAU, OneSignal offers volume discounts if you move to an annual plan. Professional and Enterprise are custom-quoted, on annual terms. If you want a self-serve price you can read at that size, you need a tool that publishes its rate card.
Reviews that mention billing and the SDK
The negative reviews from 2025 and 2026 follow a pattern: a payment applied to an old invoice without the plan activating, email sending switched off with no support reply, a charge after cancellation. The WordPress plugin still rates well (4.3 out of 5 from 360 reviews), but its latest negative reviews mention setup bugs. None of this is a deal-breaker alone. If billing is already your problem, though, take it seriously.
Leaving takes work, especially on the web
The subscriptions export gives you a CSV (tokens, emails, phone numbers). API-sent messages are only kept for about 30 days, and on free plans an inactive user's data is deleted after 18 months. Above all, web push subscriptions can't be imported anywhere: the browser ties them to your site and key, and they're recreated when the visitor comes back with the new tool installed.
You're leaving because… go to…
The right OneSignal alternative depends on what's pushing you out. Usually only one line applies. Each card jumps to the full write-up below.
Public price per 1,000 MAU, and a team that runs the import for you.
You want to pay as little as possible, with EU data in EuropeWonderPush€1 a month per 1,000 subscribers, web and mobile.
You only send web pushWebpushrFree while you stay under 10,000 subscribers.
You want push and email in the same journeysCustomer.ioUnlimited mobile and web push from Essentials.
You have a developer and no budgetFirebase Cloud MessagingNo cost, but no marketing interface.
Your site runs on WordPressPushEngageWordPress plugin, $8 a month in year one, billed yearly.
OneSignal alternatives, tool by tool
For each tool: why switch to it, who it's for, its limit, how to migrate from OneSignal, and what it costs. Prices are the ones listed in 2026, in the currency the vendor shows.
Pushwoosh: the closest swap for a mobile app
Mobile appsWhy switch to Pushwoosh. It's the tool that looks most like OneSignal: mobile push, web push, in-app, email and SMS, with a public rate card. Push only costs $7 per 1,000 MAU, a limited-time offer with the price locked for 24 months. At 20,000 MAU that's about $140 a month, against roughly $259 on OneSignal Growth. Omnichannel, at $13 per 1,000 MAU, adds email (20 sends per MAU included) and messaging apps.
Who it's for. App teams that outgrew OneSignal's free plan and want a readable price without a sales call.
Who it's not for. A small site that only does web push: Webpushr or WonderPush cost far less.
Its limit. The free tier also ends at 1,000 MAU. You don't escape the cap, you just pay less above it. Once your estimate passes $3,000 a month, the rate card gives way to a custom plan.
How to migrate. Pushwoosh runs the import: you send a CSV export or your OneSignal app ID and an API key, plus your APNs .p8 key and Firebase service account JSON. iOS and Android tokens, tags and external_user_id come across. Segments get rebuilt; history and journeys don't transfer.
- Free
- under 1,000 MAU
- Paid
- Push only $7 per 1,000 MAU
- Best for
- mobile apps past the free tier
- Limit
- web push re-subscribes
WonderPush: the cheapest, with EU data kept in Europe
CheapestWhy switch to WonderPush. The pricing fits on one line: €1 a month, plus €1 per additional 1,000 subscribers. 20,000 subscribers cost about €20 a month. The vendor states that European user data is stored in Europe, and WonderPush has been part of the Brevo group since 2023 while running as an independent app. Web push, iOS and Android are all covered.
Who it's for. Online stores and publishers that want solid web push for a token price, and teams whose legal department asks where the data lives.
Who it's not for. A team that wants email and SMS in the same tool: WonderPush stays focused on push.
Its limit. No permanent free plan, only a 14-day trial with no card. And the rate card beyond a few thousand subscribers isn't shown in full, so check your tier before you commit.
How to migrate. WonderPush documents the move from OneSignal for web, iOS and Android. For websites, the recommended route is progressive: remove the OneSignal code, add WonderPush, and every visitor who had granted permission shows up in your dashboard on their next visit. A one-off import using your VAPID keys exists, but the vendor advises against it.
- Price
- €1/mo + €1 per 1,000 subscribers
- Trial
- 14 days, no card
- Data
- EU data stored in Europe
- Limit
- no permanent free plan
Webpushr: the most generous free plan for web push
Web onlyWhy switch to Webpushr. If you only used OneSignal for web push, Webpushr stays free as long as your total subscribers are under 10,000. Above that, tiers are flat: $29 a month up to 50,000 subscribers, $49 up to 100,000, $99 up to 150,000. At 50,000 web subscribers that's $29, against about $219 on OneSignal Growth.
Who it's for. Blogs, publishers and small stores sending article alerts or promotions.
Who it's not for. Any mobile app: Webpushr is web only.
Its limit. The count is your total subscriber base, not per send: at 10,001 subscribers you're on a paid plan. On its WordPress plugin (4.7 out of 5 from 63 reviews), a recent review complains about inconsistent display across browsers and phones.
How to migrate. As with any web tool, you replace OneSignal's script and service worker with Webpushr's on the same domain. Subscribers come back as they visit; keep OneSignal running for a few weeks to reach the ones who haven't returned yet.
- Free
- under 10,000 subscribers
- Paid
- $29/mo up to 50,000
- Best for
- blogs, publishers
- Limit
- web push only
Customer.io: when push has to live with your email
Push and emailWhy switch to Customer.io. Here you don't pay for push: mobile and web push are unlimited on every plan. You pay for profiles. Essentials starts at $100 a month for 5,000 profiles, then $0.009 per extra profile, so 20,000 profiles come to about $235. It's the right pick when one journey has to send an email, wait, then follow up with a push.
Who it's for. SaaS companies and apps that run activation and retention off product data.
Who it's not for. A publisher sending web push to a big anonymous audience: you'd be paying for profiles you don't need.
Its limit. No free plan, and Premium starts at $1,000 a month billed yearly.
How to migrate. Customer.io has a OneSignal-specific guide with a counterintuitive tip: don't export the tokens. Export your audience from Audience then Subscriptions, leaving out the Push Token column, import the CSV mapping external_user_id to your ID, and tokens register again as users install the new app version. A built-in "has a mobile device" segment shows your progress.
- Paid
- Essentials from $100/mo
- Included
- 5,000 profiles
- Push
- unlimited, mobile and web
- Limit
- no free plan
Firebase Cloud Messaging: free, if you have a developer
FreeWhy switch to FCM. Firebase Cloud Messaging is no-cost on both the Spark and Blaze plans. It's also the delivery layer OneSignal itself builds on for Android. If what you need is to send notifications from your own server, you don't need a paid middleman.
Who it's for. Engineering teams sending service notifications (order shipped, new message) from their own code.
Who it's not for. A marketing team: no ready-made advanced segmentation, no journeys, much thinner reporting.
Its limit. Everything OneSignal does on top of delivery (segments, journeys, A/B tests, a dashboard a non-developer can use) is yours to build.
How to migrate. On Android, your app already uses FCM: remove the OneSignal SDK, keep the Firebase SDK and store tokens in your own database. On iOS, watch out: OneSignal stores the raw APNs token, which FCM rejects, so let the Firebase SDK own push registration on iOS. Our switch from Firebase page covers the opposite path.
- Price
- no-cost (Spark and Blaze)
- Best for
- service notifications
- Needs
- a developer
- Limit
- no marketing tooling
PushEngage: for a WordPress or WooCommerce site
WordPressWhy switch to PushEngage. It's built around WordPress: a plugin, cart reminders, price-drop alerts. Business starts at $8 a month in year one billed yearly (the calculator on the same page shows $9, so check at checkout), then $14 at renewal, or $19 month to month, for up to 50,000 subscribers. Premium goes to 100,000 subscribers and 2 sites ($15 a month in year one), Growth to 250,000 and 3 sites ($24).
Who it's for. WooCommerce stores and WordPress blogs that want ready-made campaigns.
Who it's not for. A mobile app, or a site that wants email in the same tool.
Its limit. The free plan stops at 200 subscribers and 30 campaigns, so treat it as a trial. Budget on the renewal price, not the year-one price. The tool is owned by the same group as several sites that rank it first in their roundups.
How to migrate. Deactivate the OneSignal plugin, install PushEngage, and subscribers re-subscribe on their next visits. Remove the old service worker so nobody sees two permission prompts.
- Free
- 200 subscribers, 30 campaigns
- Paid
- Business $8/mo in year one
- Renewal
- $14/mo
- Limit
- mostly web push
CleverTap: for a product team that owns retention
App retentionWhy switch to CleverTap. Where OneSignal sends messages, CleverTap also analyzes in-app behavior: cohorts, funnels, real-time segments. Core lists $85 a month, before taxes and add-ons, and a 30-day trial before billing starts.
Who it's for. Consumer apps (gaming, fintech, delivery) where retention is managed daily.
Who it's not for. A site that only wants web push: it's a lot of tool for one channel.
Its limit. The pricing page doesn't say which MAU tier the listed Core price covers, and Pro and Ultimate go through a demo. Get your exact quote for your MAU count before you start migrating.
How to migrate. As with Customer.io, the clean route is to ship an app version with the CleverTap SDK and let tokens register. Import profiles and tags by CSV, and keep OneSignal running until most users have updated.
- Paid
- Core $85/mo
- Trial
- 30 days before billing
- Best for
- app retention
- Limit
- Pro and Ultimate via demo
The 7 alternatives side by side
Our default pick: Pushwoosh for a mobile app, WonderPush or Webpushr for a website. For scale, take 20,000 mobile MAU: OneSignal Growth runs about $259 a month, Pushwoosh Push only about $140, Customer.io about $235 for 20,000 profiles with email included. On the web, 50,000 subscribers cost about $219 on OneSignal and $29 on Webpushr. One row per tool: free plan on the left, first paid price and migration path on the right.
| Free plan | First paid tier and migration | |
|---|---|---|
| OneSignalWhere you start | Mobile push up to 1,000 MAU, web push 10,000 subscribers per send, 10,000 emails a month | Growth from $19 a month, plus $0.012 per MAU and $0.004 per web subscriber |
| PushwooshMobile apps | Under 1,000 MAU | Push only $7 per 1,000 MAU, Omnichannel $13; vendor-run import |
| WonderPushCheapest | 14-day trial, no card | €1 a month plus €1 per 1,000 subscribers; documented progressive migration |
| WebpushrWeb only | Under 10,000 subscribers | $29 a month up to 50,000 subscribers; re-subscribe on visit |
| Customer.ioPush and email | None | Essentials $100 a month (5,000 profiles); OneSignal migration guide |
| Firebase Cloud MessagingDevelopers | No-cost | No-cost; you manage the Firebase SDK |
| PushEngageWordPress | 200 subscribers, 30 campaigns | Business $8 a month in year one billed yearly ($14 after); WordPress plugin |
| CleverTapApp retention | 30-day trial | Core $85 a month before taxes; new SDK in the app |
Entry prices before tax, subject to change. The 20,000 MAU and 50,000 subscriber figures are our own math from the public rate cards.
Migrate from OneSignal in seven steps
Order matters. Each step protects something: your subscribers, your keys, your journeys, and the patience of people who don't want the same notification twice.
Take inventory of everything that runs
Day 1List your apps and sites, your segments and their filters, your data tags, every journey with its messages and delays, and every API call your server makes to OneSignal. One screenshot per segment and per journey is enough: none of it exports.
Write down your mobile MAU and your web subscriber count too. Those two numbers set your bill at the destination.
- Time
- half a day
- Risk if rushed
- a forgotten API call
Export subscriptions and the history you need
In Audience, Subscriptions, pick your columns and export: you get a compressed CSV with tokens, emails and phone numbers. Download the message reports you want to keep too: API-sent messages are only kept for about 30 days.
- Format
- compressed CSV
- API history
- about 30 days
Collect your keys, which belong to you
Your mobile tokens are tied to your app and your keys, not to OneSignal. Gather Apple's APNs .p8 key, the Firebase service account JSON, and Huawei keys if you use them. For web, get your VAPID keys if the destination offers a one-off import.
- iOS
- APNs .p8 key
- Android
- Firebase service account
Ship the new app version
Remove the OneSignal SDK and add the destination's SDK in the same release. Never run two push SDKs at once: users would get duplicates or broken notifications. Plan the release around app store review, which is often the slowest step.
- Rule
- one push SDK
- Timing
- app store review
Move web push on the same domain
Replace OneSignal's script and service worker with the destination's, on the same HTTPS domain. Visitors who had already allowed notifications are re-subscribed on their next visit, with no new permission prompt. Anyone who blocked notifications stays blocked.
- Import
- not possible for web
- Comes back
- on next visit
Rebuild segments and journeys
Start with what earns money: welcome, cart reminder, win-back. Rebuild segments from your screenshots, then send each journey to your own device before going live. Pause the welcome journey during import, or your whole base gets a "Welcome!".
- Priority
- welcome, cart, win-back
- Risk if rushed
- duplicate messages
Run both, then shut down
Keep OneSignal live until most users have the new app version and your web visitors have come back. Track progress with a "has a device" segment at the destination, compared to your export. When the two numbers meet, stop OneSignal sends, then close the account.
- Signal
- registered tokens vs export
- Shutdown
- once most users updated
Is your tool missing from this page? Email us: hello@hackceleration.com
What makes a OneSignal exit go wrong
The same mistakes show up across vendor migration guides. None of them is deeply technical. They're oversights, and each one costs subscribers you won't get back.
Assuming web push imports
No tool loads your web subscribers from a file. They only come back if they visit your site after the switch. A site with little repeat traffic loses part of its base, so keep OneSignal running for a few weeks to reach the ones who don't return right away.
Changing domains at the same time
Notification permission is tied to the exact origin (domain and subdomain). A redesign that moves from www to the root, or a legacy OneSignal subdomain from an old setup, resets everyone. Migrate push on your current domain first, redesign later.
Leaving two SDKs active
Two push SDKs in one app fight over the token and the display. You get duplicates or notifications that stop arriving. One release, one SDK.
Forgetting server-side API calls
Your backend may call OneSignal for service notifications (orders, messages, alerts). If those calls aren't rewritten on cutover day, they go nowhere or to old devices.
Comparing prices without comparing units
OneSignal bills per mobile MAU and per web subscriber, Pushwoosh per MAU, WonderPush and Webpushr per subscriber, Customer.io per profile. Compare on your two real numbers: mobile MAU and web subscribers. Our push notification software ranking breaks down the rate cards.
Closing the account too early
On free plans OneSignal deletes an inactive user's data after 18 months, but a closed account is gone immediately. Keep it until your exports and reports are saved.
- Inventory of apps, sites, segments, tags, journeys and API calls
- Subscriptions CSV and message reports saved
- APNs, Firebase and VAPID keys collected
- New app version with a single push SDK
- OneSignal script and service worker replaced on the same domain
- Welcome journey paused during import
- Revenue journeys rebuilt and sent to your own device
- Server-side API calls rewritten
- OneSignal kept live until most users have updated
OneSignal alternatives: frequently asked questions
What is the best free alternative to OneSignal?
For web push, Webpushr: free while you stay under 10,000 subscribers. For an app with a developer, Firebase Cloud Messaging is no-cost but has no marketing tooling. Pushwoosh is free under 1,000 MAU, like OneSignal. Our push notification software ranking compares every free plan.
Is OneSignal still free in 2026?
Yes, but no longer without limits on mobile. The Free plan stops sending mobile push and in-app messages above 1,000 MAU per organization. Web push stays free (10,000 subscribers per send), and email keeps 10,000 sends a month. If you go over, you get 24 hours to upgrade before mobile sends stop.
Can I export my OneSignal web push subscribers?
You can export the list, but you can't reuse it as is. OneSignal's own docs say web push subscriptions can't be imported because of browser security limits. They're recreated when the visitor returns to the same domain with the new tool installed.
Will my mobile users have to opt in again?
No. Permission belongs to your app, not to OneSignal. With your APNs and Firebase keys, the destination takes over the tokens or registers them again when the user opens the new app version. You only lose users who never update.
How much does OneSignal cost for 20,000 active users?
About $259 a month on Growth: a $19 platform fee plus $0.012 per mobile MAU. Add $0.004 per web subscriber if you also send web push. Above 50,000 MAU, OneSignal offers volume discounts on an annual plan.
Is there a OneSignal alternative that keeps data in the EU?
Yes. WonderPush stores its European users' data in Europe. Batch advertises infrastructure that's 100% in Europe and not subject to the US CLOUD Act, with no public rate card on its pricing page. For any other tool, read the data processing agreement before you sign.
Firebase Cloud Messaging or OneSignal?
FCM is the delivery layer; OneSignal is the platform on top: segments, journeys, dashboard. If your notifications are triggered by your code, FCM is enough and costs nothing. If a marketing team writes and targets messages, you need OneSignal or one of its alternatives.
OneSignal or Braze for a large app?
Braze targets enterprise accounts, on quote, with a platform far broader than push. If you're weighing it, read our switch from Braze page first: it explains why some teams make the opposite move, and what a migration that size takes.
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