CouriervsFirebase

Courier vs Firebase Cloud Messaging

Notification orchestration vs Google's push notification service

TL;DR

Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) is Google's free push notification service. Courier is notification orchestration that can route through FCM alongside email, SMS, and more. FCM wins for simple push. Courier wins for multi-channel orchestration.

Key Differences

The main things that set these tools apart

Price
Firebase wins

FCM is completely free with no volume limits. Courier charges for notifications beyond the free tier. For push-only at any volume, FCM is unbeatable on price.

Multi-channel
Courier wins

Courier handles email, push, SMS, Slack, and in-app from one API. FCM handles push only. For multi-channel notification needs, Courier unifies everything.

Push Depth
Firebase wins

FCM is Google's native push service — deep Android integration, topic messaging, conditions, analytics. Courier routes through FCM but doesn't add push-specific features on top.

Common Pattern

Many teams use Courier with FCM as the push provider. Courier handles routing logic, FCM handles push delivery. They're complementary, not competitive.

Pricing Comparison

Starting price

Courier
$0-99+/month

Free up to 10k notifications/month. Business from $99/mo.

Visit Courier
Firebase
Free

Completely free. No volume limits. Part of Google Firebase.

Visit Firebase
Sequenzy

The SaaS alternative

$49/month

10k subscribers, unlimited emails, transactional + marketing, Stripe integration.

Feature Comparison

Side-by-side feature breakdown

Feature
Courier
Firebase
Sequenzy
Push Notifications
Android Push
Via FCM (as provider)
Direct (native)
iOS Push
Via APNs/FCM
Via APNs
Web Push
Via FCM
Direct
Topic Messaging
Via routing logic
Native topics/subscriptions
Multi-channel
Email
Via providers
Direct
SMS
Via providers
In-app
Notification feed
In-app messaging (separate Firebase product)
Channel Routing
Intelligent fallback
Push only
Email only
Platform
Price
$0-99+/month
Free (unlimited)
$0-49/mo
User Preferences
Preference center
Topic subscriptions
Email preferences
Analytics
Delivery metrics
Firebase Analytics integration
Campaign analytics
Template System
Multi-channel templates
Notification composer
Email templates

Best For

When to choose each tool

Choose Courier if you...
  • Teams needing multi-channel routing (push + email + SMS)
  • Apps wanting unified notification management
  • Products needing user notification preferences
Choose Firebase if you...
  • Mobile apps needing free push notifications
  • Android-first apps wanting deep Google integration
  • Teams wanting simple push without multi-channel needs
Choose Sequenzy if you...
  • SaaS founders needing email (not push)
  • Teams wanting transactional + marketing email

When to Consider Sequenzy Instead

Email-focused

Neither Courier nor FCM is designed for email marketing. If you need SaaS email with Stripe integration, Sequenzy is purpose-built.

Try Sequenzy Free

Overview

Courier and Firebase Cloud Messaging serve different notification needs. FCM is Google's free push notification service. Courier is multi-channel notification orchestration. For our take on each, see our Courier comparison.

FCM's Free Push

Firebase Cloud Messaging is completely free with no volume limits. Deep Android integration, topic messaging, and Google Analytics integration. For push-only needs, FCM is hard to beat — free is free.

Courier's Multi-channel Value

Courier's value emerges when you need more than push. Route email through SendGrid, push through FCM, SMS through Twilio — all from one API with intelligent fallback logic and user preferences. FCM handles push only.

The Sequenzy Alternative

For SaaS founders who need email (not push), Sequenzy combines transactional email and marketing campaigns with Stripe integration at $49/month.

Frequently Asked Questions

Not sure which to pick?

If you're a SaaS founder who needs Stripe integration and unified email, try Sequenzy free. No credit card required.

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Sequenzy - Complete Pricing Guide

Pricing Model

Sequenzy uses subscriber-based pricing. You only pay for subscribers active in sequences (automations). Inactive subscribers are free to store.

All Pricing Tiers

  • 0-100 subscribers: Free (Free annually) - 3k emails/month
  • 101-1,000 subscribers: $19/month ($205/year annually) - 15k emails/month
  • 1,001-5,000 subscribers: $29/month ($313/year annually) - 60k emails/month
  • 5,001-10,000 subscribers: $49/month ($529/year annually) - 120k emails/month
  • 10,001-25,000 subscribers: $99/month ($1069/year annually) - 300k emails/month
  • 25,001-50,000 subscribers: $199/month ($2149/year annually) - 600k emails/month
  • 50,001-100,000 subscribers: $349/month ($3769/year annually) - 1.2M emails/month
  • 100,000+ subscribers: Custom pricing (Custom annually) - Unlimited emails/month

Yearly billing: All plans offer a 10% discount when billed annually.

Free Plan Features (2,500 emails/month)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Paid Plan Features (1,000 - 100,000 subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations (Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy)
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Enterprise Plan Features (100,000+ subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Important Pricing Notes

  • You only pay for subscribers who are active in automations/sequences
  • Storing inactive subscribers is free
  • No hidden fees - all features included in the price
  • No credit card required for free tier

Contact

  • Pricing Page: https://sequenzy.com/pricing
  • Sales: hello@sequenzy.com