OneSignal

Overview

OneSignal is a customer messaging and automation platform for teams coordinating campaigns across mobile and web. It is best suited to organizations that need push, email and other channels alongside audience segmentation and automated journeys. Its broad toolkit and free entry plan are appealing, but channel limits and usage fees deserve close attention as activity grows.

Key features

Channels and campaigns

OneSignal brings mobile and web push, email, in-app messaging, RCS, SMS and Live Activities into one platform. Behavioral triggers, segmentation, automation workflows, a visual journey builder and A/B testing let teams coordinate campaigns rather than manage each send in isolation. That range suits cross-channel programs; a team seeking only a narrow push tool may not need the full platform.

SDKs cover Android, iOS, Flutter, React Native, Expo and Unity. Integrations connect with analytics tools, customer data platforms, warehouses and CRMs, while the API provides unlimited message-delivery send access across plans. Mobile analytics and data export are also supported.

Limits and administration

Web push allows up to 10,000 subscribers per send. The plan comparison sets mobile push support at up to 1,000 monthly active users, a meaningful ceiling for growing mobile audiences. Free subscription records remain available when active within the past 18 months. Permissions range from Admin and Viewer to broader role options on higher plans; selected plans also include prioritized support, jump-start onboarding or dedicated success management.

Security provisions include GDPR compliance, two-factor authentication, audit logs and security/legal packages. OneSignal reports 1.3 trillion messages sent yearly, 1.5 billion monthly active users and 200,000 apps powered.

Pricing

The Free plan costs $0 per month and targets individuals and organizations getting started. It includes all channels, basic automation and analytics, AI and MCP, basic personalization, 3 active Journeys, 6 audience segments and 6 data tags. Its plan allocation is 10,000 email sends per month, 1,000 monthly active mobile users and 10,000 web push subscribers per send. Another plan summary gives Free 20,000 free email sends per month, then $1.50 per 1,000 sends; confirm the applicable allowance before forecasting volume. The free tier is useful for a small program, but its audience and journey caps constrain broader campaign work.

Growth starts at $19 per month, billed month-to-month, for small teams optimizing growth. Usage fees apply by channel on top of the fixed platform fee. It includes 5 active Journeys, 20,000 free email sends per month, 10 audience segments, 10 data tags, 30+ core integrations and 90 days of reporting history. Customers can change plans or downgrade to Free at any time without penalty, making it the flexible paid option, though variable charges complicate budgeting.

Professional and Enterprise have custom pricing, annual contracts and may offer customized volume-based pricing. Professional is aimed at quickly growing businesses and adds 20 active Journeys, 20 segments, 100 data tags, 30+ integrations, one year of reporting history and 60 days of message-event retention; volume discounts are available. Enterprise targets organizations running advanced campaigns at scale, with unlimited Journeys, segments and data tags, 30+ integrations, two years of reporting history and 90 days of event retention. Those annual commitments are better suited to teams that need the higher limits and can plan around a contract.

Payments are accepted in USD, with some annual customers paying locally through reseller partners. Billing is handled by Recurly with 128-bit SSL encryption, and billing information is not saved on the site.

Platforms

OneSignal supports web, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android. Its SDKs additionally cover Flutter, React Native, Expo and Unity.

Who it's for

OneSignal is a strong fit for teams building coordinated messaging programs that need multiple channels, campaign automation and integrations in one place. Free works for a bounded early-stage program; Growth fits smaller teams wanting more journeys and reporting without an annual contract. Organizations needing larger quotas, longer reporting history or extensive campaign capacity should weigh custom-priced annual plans against their commitment. Teams with modest needs on a single channel may be better served by a narrower tool.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Broad channel coverage, SDKs for several app frameworks and integrations across analytics, CDPs, warehouses and CRMs support connected campaigns.
• Pros: Free access includes all channels and core automation and analytics, while Growth offers month-to-month billing and penalty-free downgrades.
• Cons: Channel limits are material: web push is capped at 10,000 subscribers per send, and the listed mobile-push comparison caps support at 1,000 monthly active users.
• Cons: Paid usage fees vary by channel, and the conflicting Free email allowances make cost planning less straightforward.
• Cons: Professional and Enterprise require annual contracts and custom pricing, which makes them less flexible than Growth.

Alternatives

Pushwoosh is another freemium option, with a listed Pay-as-you-go plan including 1,000 MAU, 5 AI requests per day, 20,000 email sends per month and unlimited push notifications; consider it if those stated allowances better suit your starting needs.

Reteno offers a free Startup plan with unlimited mobile pushes, 1,000 sends in each channel monthly, 20,000 workflow launches per month and unlimited segments, so it may suit teams prioritizing those allowances.

EngageLab is a paid option with a free trial and a Marketing Automation plan listed with omnichannel coverage, a 360-degree customer view and a visual campaign builder.

Airship Experimentation offers paid Airship Essentials with self-service, no-code app and web experiences, automation and real-time orchestration.

Batch offers a paid Enterprise plan with the full Batch feature set, a dedicated account manager and connectors for other MarTech tools.

CleverTap is a paid alternative with a free trial; its Core plan is $85.00 USD per month, with taxes applying and add-ons excluded, and billing starts after the 30-day trial.

Journiq is a paid alternative with a free trial; its Starter plan is $49.00 USD per month and includes monthly quotas for API calls, email, SMS and push plus 1,000 customer profiles and 5 active campaigns.

Plotline is a paid alternative without a free plan or free trial; its Starter plan begins at $999.00 USD per month and includes up to 10 audience segments, an impression cap based on tier and email support.

Compare more options in Mobile Marketing Automation Software, Customer Journey Orchestration Software and Push Notification Software.

Verdict

Choose OneSignal if your team needs several messaging channels, campaign automation and integrations under one roof, with a free starting point or flexible month-to-month Growth plan. Look elsewhere if your needs are narrow, your audience exceeds the stated channel limits, or variable usage fees and annual custom-priced commitments do not fit your budget.