Enterprise Push Notifications: Firebase Cloud Messaging & Alternatives

Push notifications have become one of the most effective ways for a business or an app to keep its users engaged. Firebase Cloud Messaging is one of the most popular and powerful platforms to help you send web push notifications.

Let's learn how Firebase Cloud Messaging works and what its top alternatives are.

Part 1: What is Firebase Cloud Messaging? FCM & Enterprise Push Notification Services

Firebase Cloud Messaging, commonly abbreviated as FCM, is an official cross-platform messaging solution by Google. It helps developers in sending notifications and data messages to client applications on different devices, including Android, iOS, and the web.

A major benefit of FCM is that it is available as a free service within Google's Firebase ecosystem. Hence, FCM is often the first enterprise push notification service that many users rely on. But, with an app's growth and evolving requirements, users often have to move towards a more advanced service.

Working of FCM As a Push Notification Service

The working of FCM as a push notification service can be simplified in the following points:

• A simple client-server architecture receives messages from your application server and transfers them to FCM servers.
• FCM servers route the messages to target devices via the web, Android, or iOS.
• Firebase Cloud Messaging API supports notification messages and data messages. It gives developers significant flexibility in implementing the push notification feature.


Source：https://firebase.google.com/

Core Pain Points of FCM

The free tier of Firebase Cloud Messaging makes it one of the most attractive push notification services currently available in the market. However, this free nature comes with significant limitations that can affect your business operations as well as user engagement:

Limited Channel Support: FCM only supports major channels, including FCM for Android and APNs for iOS. It excludes globally popular manufacturer channels often found in Pakistan, China, and Southeast Asia.

Potential Speed Issues: Limited channel support creates a delivery gap for businesses operating in regions with unsupported channels.

Lack of Enterprise Features: FCMs lack enterprise-grade features to successfully implement a push notification campaign.

Limited Security: FCM offers compliance with standards like GDPR and HIPAA. However, it does not have advanced security features like role-based access control or IP whitelisting.

Lack of Dedicated Support: Forums and documentation are the only support available while using FCM. You don't get any dedicated support from FCM.

Considering these significant limitations of Firebase Cloud Messaging, we must explore the features you need to look for in enterprise-grade push services.

Core Needs of Enterprise-Grade Push Services

Almost every other modern enterprise requires push notification services that support advanced features other than the basics of message delivery. The following are some key features you need to look for in such services:

Part 2: Firebase Cloud Messaging Alternatives for B2B Clients

It is important to explore Firebase Cloud Messaging alternatives due to its limitations and ambiguous pricing model.

FCM Cost Trap Analysis

Firebase Cloud Messaging is available for "free" for all businesses. However, it has significant hidden development and operational costs:

Source:https://www.simform.com/

• 1

  Development Overhead Cost

  Advanced features like user segmentation, frequency control, and advanced analytics are not available in FCM, but their implementation is necessary for an enterprise-level push notification service. So, you'll have to allocate a significant budget towards their custom development. Large-scale enterprises have to build more advanced features like user tagging, multi-language template systems, complex timezone handling logic, and implement channel fallback mechanisms. Custom development of such features can exceed the total cost of FCM alternatives by 200%.
• 2

  Complexity

  You need significant development resources to manage FCM-powered push notification systems at scale. Moreover, you have to spend money on continuous maintenance and optimization. Since FCM lacks built-in operational tools, businesses have to invest in building custom dashboards and comprehensive analytics solutions that drive up the total cost.
• 3

  Scaling Issues

  Firebase Cloud Messaging's limitations become even more prominent when you are dealing with a high volume of messages. It does not have a built-in delivery optimization mechanism or automated failover system. Moreover, you have to incur charges for additional features like sending a 1MB image to 3 million devices costs $450 due to bandwidth charges.

Hence, managing push notifications at scale can be difficult with FCM, especially without any custom development.

Compare FCM with other mainstream solutions

Considering the pricing and operational issues with FCM, it is only logical that we compare FCM with other mainstream solutions in detail.

1. FCM vs WebSocket/SSE

Firebase Cloud Messaging vs WebSocket comparison shows major architectural differences that affect their use cases. Both WebSocket and Server-Sent Events (SSE) provide real-time bidirectional communication capabilities that are simply not present in FCM. Hence, WebSockets and SSE are better for applications that require quick data synchronization and better interactive features.

Moreover, WebSocket connections are normally used for instant message delivery and real-time user interactions in chat applications and collaborative tools. But, it is important to note that WebSocket implementations require more complex client-side management.

Source：https://substackcdn.com/

FCM wins over WebSocket and SSEs in common push notification use cases like system notifications, marketing messages, and news alerts. It works great for small-scale apps where the primary target is to reach users while the app is not running in the background.

Hence, the choice between Firebase Cloud Messaging vs WebSocket / SSEs comes down to use case requirements. Apps needing real-time interactivity will find WebSocket implementation more helpful, while apps focused on user engagement will like FCM-based solutions.

2. FCM vs AWS SNS

Amazon Simple Notification Service (AWS SNS) is another reliable alternative to FCM. It is important to compare Firebase Cloud Messaging vs AWS SNS to understand their different approaches to messaging infrastructure and enterprise integration.

AWS Simple Notification Service is a part of the AWS ecosystem. For instance, you can connect it with CloudWatch for advanced analytics. Therefore, AWS SNS is a more comprehensive messaging platform with support for multiple protocols, advanced targeting options, and enterprise-level security features.

Source：AWS

Moreover, AWS SNS is not limited to just push notifications. It also supports sending SMS, email, and HTTP/HTTPS endpoints via a unified API. Hence, you can implement omnichannel messaging strategies with AWS SNS that are not supported by FCM.

However, if we compare Firebase Cloud Messaging vs Amazon SNS in terms of cost, FCM comes out as a winner for small-scale implementations.

WS SNS has a pricing model based on message volume. It also includes charges for each notification delivery attempt. FCM has this basic functionality for free. Nevertheless, for enterprise-grade implementation and handling of high-volume notifications, AWS SNS provides better value with its advanced features.

In terms of complexity, the Firebase Cloud Messaging API is simpler to implement for basic use cases. AWS SNS requires more complex integration but provides better functionality with enterprise-grade capabilities. Businesses with existing AWS infrastructure will find SNS integration simpler due to unified monitoring capabilities.

3. FCM vs Self-Built Systems

Other than the available push notification systems, it is also common for enterprises to build custom push notification systems. It gives enterprises maximum control over the system, and they can customize it as they see fit.

However, building a complex IT infrastructure like a push notification system requires significant investment and ongoing maintenance. A significant benefit of self-built solutions is that they can address unique business requirements that FCM or its alternatives are not able to fulfill.

If you are thinking of building a custom push notification system, you'll need expertise in the following areas:

• Device-specific push protocols (FCM, APNs, manufacturer channels)
• Message queuing systems
• Delivery optimization algorithms
• Analytics pipelines
• Security and monitoring infrastructure.

Moreover, the immediate implementation of custom software is not easy. The development timeline for such a solution can take anywhere between 6 to 12 months with ongoing maintenance.

Summary

Let's summarize the differences discussed above:

Part 3: Why Recommend EngageLab as an FCM Alternative?

Other than the alternatives discussed in the previous section, there is one Firebase Cloud Messaging alternative that stands out with its efficiency, high delivery rate, security, and many other advanced features. That platform is EngageLab, an all-in-one customer engagement platform.

Key Advantages of EngageLab

Let's explore why we recommend EngageLab as the best alternative to FCM:

✨Multi-Channel Delivery

FCM has limited channel support. EngageLab provides comprehensive coverage, including FCM, APNs, and domestic manufacturer channels (Huawei, OPPO, Vivo, Honor, Meizu), in addition to proprietary EngageLab channels.

✨Higher Delivery Rate

EngageLab's multi-channel approach improves delivery rates by approximately 40% compared to FCM-only implementations. This effect is even more visible in Asian markets where manufacturer channels are dominant.

✨Advanced Targeting

EngageLab provides advanced user segmentation capabilities with real-time grouping, behavioral trigger support, and multi-language template management. Also, features like AI-driven timing optimization and timezone-aware delivery help businesses maximize user engagement via precisely targeted campaigns.

✨Enterprise-Grade Analytics

EngageLab offers comprehensive lifecycle tracking from messages sent through delivery, display, and user interaction. This level of analytics visibility enables continuous optimization and accurate ROI measurement. Such capabilities are absent in FCM.

✨Operational Efficiency Features

EngageLab also includes advanced features like visual template editors with auto-translation, one-click frequency control configuration, dedicated test environments, and built-in A/B testing frameworks. These features significantly reduce operational overhead compared to building similar functionality while using FCM.

EngageLab's Global Business Support

Enterprises operating across multiple markets will find EngageLab to be a great platform to engage their target audience. It offers localization features specifically designed for global operations.

Penetrating China's Market

EngageLab supports Chinese manufacturer channels to ensure market penetration in China. Moreover, it has text-to-speech capabilities in multiple languages and comprehensive timezone-aware scheduling that automatically optimizes delivery timing based on recipient locations.

Global Data Centers

EngageLab operates through multiple global data centers (Singapore, Virginia, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, etc.) with built-in compliance features supporting GDPR and other regional regulations. Such of well-established infrastructure offers both performance and regulatory compliance advantages that FCM cannot match.

Dedicated Customer Support

Most importantly, EngageLab has 24/7 dedicated customer support in Chinese and English. It provides the enterprise-grade support that FCM's community-based model does not deliver. This reliable customer support is essential for enterprises that need push notification services to be functional all the time.

Business Scalability with EngageLab

EngageLab has a pay-as-you-go pricing model. It is based on Daily Active Users (DAU) and message volume, which provides predictable scaling costs with built-in cost estimation tools. This pricing model is much better than the hidden costs involved in Firebase Cloud Messaging pricing.

EngageLab also supports an organization's scalability with features like automatic channel fallback, dynamic device-state adaptation, and intelligent routing optimization. These built-in scalability features eliminate the need for custom infrastructure development 4t that FCM implementations require.

Part 4: How to Migrate from Firebase Cloud Messaging to EngageLab?

Let's see how you can migrate from FCM to EngageLab and why it is important in the first place.

Impact of FCM Legacy API Deprecation

Google is phasing out the FCM legacy APIs, which makes it necessary for businesses to evaluate Firebase Cloud Messaging alternatives and pick the right solution.

The transition from legacy HTTP API to HTTP v1 API requires code changes and testing. Other key areas that are affected by legacy API depreciation are authentication methods, message formatting, and response handling.

This transition period provides a natural opportunity to evaluate whether FCM continues to meet business requirements or if migration to a more advanced platform would provide better long-term value.

It is highly recommended that businesses currently using legacy FCM APIs audit their current push notification requirements against available alternatives and consider both migration costs and long-term operational benefits of a better customer engagement platform.

EngageLab's Full-Protocol Support

Migration from FCM to EngageLab is quick and easy because EngageLab supports multiple protocols and provides comprehensive migration tools and documentation. The platform's support for existing FCM protocols means businesses can implement gradual migrations without disturbing current operations.

Source:miro

The migration process from FCM to EngageLab typically involves three phases:

• Initial setup and testing in EngageLab's dedicated test environment.
• Gradual traffic shifting using A/B testing capabilities.
• Complete migration with continuous monitoring.

With this systematic approach, you can minimize the risk of suffering any drop in delivery rates. Moreover, EngageLab's technical team will help you throughout this migration process. They offer dedicated migration support, including custom integration assistance, performance optimization recommendations, and ongoing operational guidance.

Conclusion

Considering all the aspects of Firebase Cloud Messaging, it can be concluded that it can only fulfill basic push notification requirements. FCM's limitations can get extremely costly for enterprises requiring sophisticated customer engagement features, multi-channel delivery, and advanced analytics.

The comparison of Firebase Cloud Messaging alternatives also makes it clear that specialized platforms like EngageLab provide better value through improved delivery rates, wide-ranging engagement features, and dedicated enterprise support that FCM cannot match.

So, if you are tired of FCM's limitations and want a better customer engagement solution to send push notifications, please contact us!