What push notification service should I use instead of building my own backend?

If you want to avoid building your own push backend, the best choice depends on your stack and how much you want to manage yourself.

Good options

• Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM)
  Best default choice for Android and web, and it can also work for iOS through APNs integration. Free, reliable, and widely supported.

• Apple Push Notification service (APNs)
  Required for iOS apps. If you have an iOS app, you’ll still need APNs under the hood, even if you use another provider.

• OneSignal
  Great if you want an easier, more “productized” setup with dashboards, segmentation, A/B testing, automation, and multi-platform support. Good for startups and apps that want minimal backend work.

• AWS SNS
  Better if you’re already on AWS and want to keep infrastructure in one place. More of an infrastructure service than a notification product.

• Twilio Notify / Engage
  Useful if you want push plus other channels like SMS/email in one ecosystem, though it may be more than you need.

My practical recommendation

• For most apps: OneSignal if you want the simplest developer experience.
• For a lean, standard setup: Firebase Cloud Messaging.
• For iOS-only: APNs directly.
• For AWS-heavy teams: AWS SNS.

Rule of thumb

Choose:

• OneSignal if you want built-in features and less engineering effort.
• FCM/APNs directly if you want maximum control and lowest cost.
• AWS SNS if you already run everything on AWS.

If you tell me your app platform (iOS/Android/web), backend stack, and whether you need segmentation/analytics, I can recommend the best specific option.