OneSignal vs Pusher
OneSignal
A leading omnichannel engagement platform specializing in push notifications and multi-channel messaging
Publishers using it: 61 · incl. ABC27, Ad Age, Al Jazeera
Pusher
A leading real-time communication platform providing scalable WebSocket infrastructure and push notification APIs.
Publishers using it: —
Last verified Oct 19, 2026
At a glance
- OneSignal scores 3.9/5 and Pusher scores 2.8/5 in Benchmark Grid's independent push notification services benchmark, both assessed on the same 10 criteria.
- The widest gaps are automation & triggers (OneSignal 4.6, Pusher 2.0) and targeting & segmentation (OneSignal 4.7, Pusher 2.2); they are within 0.3 on 3 of 10 criteria.
- OneSignal is built for small and mid-market publishers; Pusher for small, mid-market and enterprise.
- On total cost of ownership OneSignal scores 3.3 and Pusher 3.2 (higher means better value, not a lower price).
- In our tracking 61 publishers use OneSignal and 0 use Pusher.
- Scores last verified 19 Oct 2026. Vendors cannot pay for a score or a position.
Where they differ
OneSignal is stronger on automation & triggers (4.6 vs 2.0), opt-in rate optimisation (4.5 vs 2.0), targeting & segmentation (4.7 vs 2.2) and analytics & attribution (3.8 vs 2.0).
Which one fits
Choose OneSignal if…
- You publish at small and mid-market scale.
- You weight automation & triggers, targeting & segmentation and opt-in rate optimisation heavily — OneSignal leads on those in this benchmark.
Choose Pusher if…
- You publish at small, mid-market and enterprise scale.
- You weight privacy & compliance, delivery speed & reliability at scale and monetisation heavily — Pusher leads on those in this benchmark.
Also weighing these
The nearest-scored tools to OneSignal and Pusher in this benchmark, listed A to Z.
- 3.3AirshipEnterprise-grade mobile engagement platform for orchestrating automated multi-channel customer journeys at scaleRead review
- 3.6FoxPushA programmatic push notification platform built for publisher monetization and audience retentionRead review
- 3.5PushEngageThe leading web push notification platform to increase traffic, engagement, and sales with automated messaging.Read review
- 3.0WonderPush (a Brevo company)Unlimited push notifications for iOS, Android and WebRead review
All 12 scored tools are in Best Push Notification Services.
Who uses them
Publishers we have detected running each tool, from ads.txt, site code and published case studies. Agencies, brands and vendors are excluded.
OneSignal · 61
- ABC27
- Ad Age
- Al Jazeera
- Gedi Digital
- Global News
- La Repubblica
- Newsweek
- NFL
- Outside
- RTL Luxembourg
- Skift
- The Sun
Pusher · 0
No publisher adoption verified yet.
Head to head
| Criterion | OneSignal | Pusher |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery speed & reliability at scale14% of capability | 4.5 | 4.8 |
| Automation & triggers12% of capability | 4.6 | 2.0 |
| Opt-in rate optimisation12% of capability | 4.5 | 2.0 |
| Targeting & segmentation12% of capability | 4.7 | 2.2 |
| Analytics & attribution10% of capability | 3.8 | 2.0 |
| Integration effort & page speed8% of capability | 4.6 | 4.2 |
| Monetisation8% of capability | 0.8 | 1.0 |
| Platform coverage8% of capability | 4.8 | 4.6 |
| Privacy & compliance8% of capability | 3.5 | 4.5 |
| Rich content & formats8% of capability | 4.5 | 3.0 |
| Capability45% of composite | 4.1 | 3.0 |
| Publisher fit40% of composite | 4.0 | 2.5 |
| Total cost of ownership15% of composite | 3.3 | 3.2 |
Cost of ownership
| Sub-score | OneSignal | Pusher |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing transparency | 3.5 | 3.9 |
| Entry cost | 4.1 | 3.7 |
| Implementation cost | 3.6 | 3.8 |
| Hidden-fee risk | 2.2 | 2.1 |
| Ongoing cost | 3.0 | 2.5 |
OneSignal pricing
Free plan (10,000 web push subscribers per send, 1,000 mobile MAU); Growth from $19/month plus usage; Professional and Enterprise are custom-priced on annual contracts.
Pusher pricing
Beams (push): free Sandbox up to 1,000 subscribers; Startup $29/month (10,000), Pro $99 (50,000), Business $199 (115,000), Premium $399/month (250,000). Channels (WebSockets) is priced separately, from $49 to $1,199/month.
What users say
OneSignal
29 positive · 13 neutral · 9 negative
Pusher
1 positive · 0 neutral · 0 negative
Mentions we could not tie to a real user, and those flagged as promotional, are excluded. Sentiment is opinion, and is independent of the verified publisher adoptions above.
OneSignal scores 3.9 and Pusher scores 2.8 in Benchmark Grid's independent Best Push Notification Services benchmark (benchmarkgrid.com/vs/onesignal/pusher, verified Oct 19, 2026)
Common questions
How do OneSignal and Pusher differ?
OneSignal is stronger on automation & triggers (4.6 vs 2.0), opt-in rate optimisation (4.5 vs 2.0), targeting & segmentation (4.7 vs 2.2) and analytics & attribution (3.8 vs 2.0). Neither is better in the abstract — which one suits you depends on which of those dimensions carries the most weight in your operation.
Which is cheaper, OneSignal or Pusher?
On total cost of ownership — pricing transparency, entry cost, implementation, hidden-fee risk and ongoing cost — OneSignal scores 3.3/5 and Pusher scores 3.2/5. A higher score means better value, not a lower sticker price.
How are these scores calculated?
Each tool is assessed against its category's published criteria (10 in this benchmark), which make up Capability (45% of the composite), Publisher fit (40%) and Total cost of ownership (15%). Assessment is carried out by SODP's editorial team against a published methodology. Vendors cannot pay for inclusion, scores or positions.
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Both tools are scored in Best Push Notification Services. See alternatives to OneSignal or alternatives to Pusher.
Weighing a third option? Add a tool to this comparison.
Where to next
Related comparisons
Other head-to-heads publishers look at in Best Push Notification Services.
