CouriervsOneSignal

Courier vs OneSignal

Notification orchestration vs push-first messaging platform

TL;DR

Courier orchestrates notifications across channels through providers. OneSignal is a direct messaging platform focused on push notifications, email, SMS, and in-app. OneSignal wins on push and direct delivery. Courier wins on provider abstraction and routing flexibility.

Key Differences

The main things that set these tools apart

Direct vs Orchestrated
OneSignal wins

OneSignal sends messages directly — push, email, SMS, all from one platform. Courier routes through third-party providers. OneSignal is simpler and all-inclusive. Courier is more flexible on provider choice.

Push Excellence
OneSignal wins

OneSignal started as a push notification platform and it shows. Unlimited free mobile push, rich notifications, detailed analytics. Courier routes push through providers — less specialized.

Provider Flexibility
Courier wins

Courier lets you switch providers without code changes. OneSignal locks you into their delivery infrastructure. If provider choice matters, Courier wins.

Free Tier
OneSignal wins

OneSignal offers unlimited free mobile push notifications. Courier's free tier is 10k notifications/month total. For push-heavy apps, OneSignal's free tier is dramatically more generous.

Pricing Comparison

Starting price

Courier
$0-99+/month

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

Visit Courier
OneSignal
$0+/month

Free for mobile push (unlimited). Growth from $9/mo for email.

Visit OneSignal
Sequenzy

The SaaS alternative

$49/month

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

Feature Comparison

Side-by-side feature breakdown

Feature
Courier
OneSignal
Sequenzy
Push Notifications
Mobile Push
Via providers (FCM, APNs)
Direct (built-in)
Web Push
Via providers
Direct (built-in)
Rich Push
Provider-dependent
Images, buttons, sounds
Push Analytics
Basic
Detailed (delivery, clicks, conversions)
Multi-channel
Email
Via providers
Direct (built-in)
Direct
SMS
Via providers
Direct
In-app Messages
Feed component
In-app messaging
Provider Abstraction
Yes (50+ providers)
No (sends directly)
No (sends directly)
Platform
Journeys/Workflows
Routing logic
Journey builder
Sequences
Segmentation
Basic
Tags + segments
Tags + attributes
A/B Testing
Subject lines
Marketing Email
Basic campaigns
Full campaigns

Best For

When to choose each tool

Choose Courier if you...
  • Teams wanting provider abstraction and flexibility
  • Companies with complex routing requirements
  • Organizations needing specific provider choices
Choose OneSignal if you...
  • Mobile apps needing push notifications
  • Teams wanting direct multi-channel delivery
  • Apps needing web push notifications
  • Companies wanting free mobile push
Choose Sequenzy if you...
  • SaaS founders needing email with Stripe integration
  • Teams wanting email marketing automation

When to Consider Sequenzy Instead

Email-focused SaaS

Neither Courier nor OneSignal excels at email marketing. For SaaS email with Stripe integration and marketing automation, Sequenzy is purpose-built.

Try Sequenzy Free

Overview

Courier and OneSignal both handle multi-channel messaging but differently. OneSignal sends messages directly — especially push notifications, where it dominates. Courier orchestrates notifications through providers. For our take on each, see our Courier comparison.

OneSignal's Push Dominance

OneSignal was built for push notifications and it shows. Unlimited free mobile push, rich notification support, detailed delivery analytics. No other platform matches OneSignal's push notification expertise. Courier routes push through providers like FCM and APNs but doesn't specialize in it.

Courier's Routing Value

Courier's value is in provider abstraction — route through different providers per channel, switch providers without code changes, build complex routing logic. If you need specific providers for compliance or performance reasons, Courier's flexibility matters.

The Sequenzy Alternative

For SaaS founders who need email specifically, Sequenzy combines transactional email and marketing campaigns with Stripe integration at $49/month — a different tool for email-focused needs.

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