Reach Your Users Anywhere
Reach your users on every channel — push notifications for iOS and Android, plus transactional emails. Target the right audience, schedule delivery, and track engagement in real time.
How Notifications Work
Send push notifications and emails from your app or Cloud Functions. Back4app sends them via APNs, FCM, and built-in email.
Complete User Communication
Push and email notifications — reach users wherever they are.
Native Push for Both Platforms
Send push notifications to iOS devices via APNs and Android devices via FCM. Configure once, reach users everywhere with rich notifications.
- Apple Push Notification service (APNs) support
- Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) for Android
- Rich notifications with images and actions
- Silent push for background updates
- Badge count management
Configure once, push to millions.
Reach the Right Users
Target notifications using any user attribute, channel subscription, or custom query. Send to one user or millions with the same API.
- Query-based targeting (any user field)
- Channel subscriptions for topics
- Geo-targeted notifications
- User segments and cohorts
- A/B testing with audience splits
Precision targeting at any scale.
Transactional Emails
Send emails for verification and password reset — all built in.
- Built-in email verification flow
- Password reset emails
- Customizable email content
Automated emails your users can trust.
Send Your First Push
Simple SDK methods for both platforms.
JavaScript
Server-SideSend push from Cloud Functions
// Send push notification to specific users
Parse.Cloud.define("sendOrderNotification", async (request) => {
const { userId, orderId, status } = request.params;
// Build the push query
const pushQuery = new Parse.Query(Parse.Installation);
pushQuery.equalTo("userId", userId);
// Send the notification
await Parse.Push.send({
where: pushQuery,
data: {
alert: `Your order #${orderId} is now ${status}`,
title: "Order Update",
badge: 1,
sound: "default",
// Custom data for your app
orderId: orderId,
type: "order_update"
}
}, { useMasterKey: true });
return { success: true };
});
// Send to a channel (topic)
await Parse.Push.send({
channels: ["news", "sports"],
data: {
alert: "Breaking news!",
title: "News Alert"
}
}, { useMasterKey: true });
// Advanced targeting with queries
const inactiveUsers = new Parse.Query(Parse.Installation);
inactiveUsers.lessThan("lastActive", sevenDaysAgo);
inactiveUsers.equalTo("pushEnabled", true);
await Parse.Push.send({
where: inactiveUsers,
data: {
alert: "We miss you! Come back for 20% off.",
title: "Special Offer"
}
}, { useMasterKey: true });Engage Users Everywhere
From transactional alerts to marketing campaigns.
Order Updates
Notify customers when orders are confirmed, shipped, or delivered with real-time tracking.
Re-Engagement
Bring back inactive users with personalized offers, content recommendations, or reminders.
Chat & Messaging
Instant notifications for new messages, mentions, and group activity in messaging apps.
Breaking News
Push alerts for news apps, sports scores, stock updates, and time-sensitive content.
Social Activity
Notify users about likes, comments, follows, and friend requests in social apps.
Reminders & Alerts
Appointment reminders, task due dates, and calendar notifications for productivity apps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which push notification services does Back4app support?
How do I set up push notifications for iOS?
How do I set up push notifications for Android?
Can I target specific users or groups with push notifications?
Does Back4app support transactional emails?
Can I send push notifications from Cloud Functions?
Start Sending Notifications Today
1 million free push notifications per month. No credit card required.