Built-In Notifications

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.

iOS & Android Push
Transactional Emails
Advanced Targeting

How Notifications Work

Send push notifications and emails from your app or Cloud Functions. Back4app sends them via APNs, FCM, and built-in email.

Your App
B4A
Back4app
iOS
Android
Email
End User
Notification Features

Complete User Communication

Push and email notifications — reach users wherever they are.

01iOS & Android Push

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.

Supported Platforms
iOS
APNs
Android
FCM
02Targeting & Segments

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.

Target Audience
Inactive > 7 days12,450 users
Premium users3,200 users
Location: NYC8,100 users
03Email Notifications

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.

Email Templates
Welcome EmailActive
Password ResetActive
Code Examples

Send Your First Push

Simple SDK methods for both platforms.

JavaScript

Server-Side

Send 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 });
Use Cases

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.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Which push notification services does Back4app support?
Back4app supports Apple Push Notification service (APNs) for iOS devices and Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) for Android devices. Both services are fully integrated and can be configured through the dashboard.
How do I set up push notifications for iOS?
Upload your APNs authentication key (p8 file) or certificate (p12 file) in the Back4app dashboard. Configure your Team ID and Key ID, then use the SDK to register devices and send notifications.
How do I set up push notifications for Android?
Create a Firebase project, generate a server key, and add it to your Back4app dashboard under App Settings > Push. Use the Parse SDK in your Android app to register device tokens.
Can I target specific users or groups with push notifications?
Yes. Back4app supports advanced targeting using Parse queries. You can target users by any field in your database, including custom attributes, location, activity status, or roles. You can also create channels for topic-based subscriptions.
Does Back4app support transactional emails?
Yes. Back4app includes built-in email verification and password reset flows with customizable content.
Can I send push notifications from Cloud Functions?
Yes. Use Parse.Push.send() in your Cloud Functions to send notifications programmatically. This is ideal for event-driven notifications triggered by data changes or scheduled jobs.

Start Sending Notifications Today

1 million free push notifications per month. No credit card required.