Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

OneSignal VS Parse

Compare OneSignal VS Parse and see what are their differences

OneSignal logo OneSignal

Customer engagement platform used by over 1 million developers and marketers; the fastest and most reliable way to send mobile and web push notifications, in-app messages, emails, and SMS.

Parse logo Parse

Build applications faster with object and file storage, user authentication, push notifications, dashboard and more out of the box.
  • OneSignal
    Image date //
    2024-09-12
  • Parse Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-17

OneSignal features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    OneSignal offers a user-friendly interface and straightforward setup process, making it accessible even for those with limited technical knowledge.
  • Multi-Platform Support
    The service supports a wide range of platforms including iOS, Android, and web browsers, allowing for comprehensive push notification campaigns.
  • Free Tier
    OneSignal provides a generous free tier that includes many features, which is highly beneficial for startups and small businesses with budget constraints.
  • Automation Capabilities
    Offers robust automation features like automated messaging, segmentation, and personalized notifications, enhancing user engagement.
  • Analytics
    Provides detailed analytics and reporting, allowing users to track the performance of their notifications and optimize campaigns.
  • Integrations
    Supports integration with various platforms and services such as WordPress, Shopify, and Google Analytics, making it versatile and adaptable to different needs.

Possible disadvantages of OneSignal

  • Data Privacy Concerns
    There have been concerns about data privacy and security, as OneSignal collects user data which may not be ideal for companies with strict data compliance needs.
  • Limited Customization
    While OneSignal offers many features, some users find the customization options for the appearance and behavior of notifications to be limited.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    Though it's easy to get started, employing some of the more advanced features and API capabilities may require a steeper learning curve.
  • Cost for Premium Features
    While the free tier is generous, access to advanced features and higher usage limits requires a paid subscription, which might be cost-prohibitive for very small businesses.
  • Dependence on Third-Party Service
    Relying on a third-party service for critical user engagement features can be risky, particularly if there are service outages or changes in terms of service.
  • Notification Fatigue
    Without careful management and user segmentation, there's a risk of overwhelming users with notifications, which could lead to reduced engagement or app uninstalls.

Parse features and specs

  • Open Source
    Parse Platform is open-source, which means it is free to use and can be customized to fit the needs of your application without any licensing fees.
  • Rich Feature Set
    Parse provides a wide range of built-in features such as a robust database system, real-time notifications, user authentication, cloud functions, and file storage, reducing the amount of development work needed.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Parse supports multiple platforms including iOS, Android, JavaScript, .NET, and more, enabling easier development across different types of applications.
  • Community and Documentation
    There is a strong community around Parse with extensive documentation and numerous tutorials, which can help developers quickly resolve issues and learn best practices.
  • Unified Backend
    Parse allows developers to manage database, server code, and user authentication in one unified platform, simplifying backend management.

Possible disadvantages of Parse

  • Self-Hosting Complexity
    While Parse is open-source, it requires self-hosting, which involves managing and maintaining your own server infrastructure, adding operational complexity.
  • Performance
    Depending on your server setup and scaling needs, you might encounter performance issues, especially for high-traffic applications, requiring constant monitoring and fine-tuning.
  • Limited Scalability
    Parse might not be as scalable as other backend solutions like Firebase, particularly for apps that need to handle massive amounts of data and users.
  • Initial Setup Time
    The initial setup of a Parse server and its environment can be time-consuming and challenging, particularly for those without DevOps experience.
  • Feature Limitations
    While Parse offers a rich feature set, some advanced features available in other modern backend-as-a-service (BaaS) platforms may lack, necessitating custom development.

Analysis of OneSignal

Overall verdict

  • Overall, OneSignal is a highly regarded tool in the realm of push notification services and is generally recommended for both small businesses and large enterprises looking for an effective communication channel with their users.

Why this product is good

  • OneSignal is often considered a good platform because it provides robust and user-friendly solutions for web and mobile push notifications, in-app messaging, and email marketing. Its ease of integration, rich set of features, powerful analytics, and flexible pricing options (including a free tier) make it a popular choice for developers and marketers alike. OneSignal also offers support for multiple platforms and easy segmentation of audiences to tailor messages effectively.

Recommended for

  • Mobile app developers seeking reliable push notification services with multi-platform support.
  • Marketers wanting to engage users through targeted push notifications and in-app messaging.
  • Businesses of all sizes looking for affordable and scalable communication solutions.
  • Teams that want detailed analytics to track user engagement and campaign performance.

Analysis of Parse

Overall verdict

  • Parse is a good choice for developers looking for a flexible and scalable backend solution that can be deployed on their own servers or using cloud services. It is particularly beneficial due to its active community and extensive documentation.

Why this product is good

  • Parse is a popular open-source backend-as-a-service framework that simplifies app development by handling server-side components, freeing developers to focus on front-end development. It offers features like push notifications, cloud functions, social media integration, and a real-time database.

Recommended for

  • Developers who want an open-source solution with the freedom to self-host.
  • Teams building mobile or web applications that require a robust backend service.
  • Projects that need strong support for relational data and real-time functionalities.
  • Developers looking to avoid the overhead of writing custom backend code.

OneSignal videos

OneSignal Product Demo

More videos:

  • Review - Send Push Notifications Through Wordpress Using OneSignal
  • Demo - OneSignal: Product Demo/Overview

Parse videos

No Parse videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to OneSignal and Parse)
Mobile Push Messaging
100 100%
0% 0
Developer Tools
37 37%
63% 63
Web Push Notifications
100 100%
0% 0
Realtime Backend / API
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare OneSignal and Parse

OneSignal Reviews

Best WordPress Push Notification Plugins For Publishers
Looking for OneSignal alternatives?Check out this in-depth OneSignal comparison guide to make the right choice.
Source: www.izooto.com
35 Best Free Push Notification Services and Tools (+ Open Source Push Notification Services to Consider)
OneSignal is a prominent notification aggregator. Users will be able to send push notifications across different platforms, as well as SMS and emails, making it a well-rounded tool for all messaging. OneSignal offers many capabilities including A/B testing, API service, analytics, segmentation, and personalization. On the free tier, developers can send 1 push message, email,...

Parse Reviews

10 Top Firebase Alternatives to Ignite Your Development in 2024
If youโ€™re looking for a Firebase alternative that gives you full control and the freedom to tinker, Parse Platform is your jam. Again, itโ€™s a popular open-source framework loved by developers who want to build custom backends without being tied to a specific provider.
Source: genezio.com
Top 7 Firebase Alternatives for App Development in 2024
Back4App is a backend-as-a-service (BaaS) platform that uses Parse Server, the open-source version of the Parse backend. It simplifies backend development and management, providing developers with a robust platform for building modern applications.
Source: signoz.io
What is AWS Amplify? - AWS Amplify Alternatives
It is well-known for making the development process quick, easy, and simple. Using Parse, you may complete a day's worth of work in a few hours.
Source: mindmajix.com
2023 Firebase Alternatives: Top 10 Open-Source & Free
Community Support โ€“ If Firebase comes with the backing of Google, then Parse is also tested and trusted by Facebook. Yes, Facebook is the parent company of Parse. Therefore, it has a big community. You can find resources and solutions regarding Parse on GitHub, Stack Overflow and several other programming forums.
12 Best Open-source Database Backend Server and Google Firebase Alternatives
Parse server is an open-source database backend solution which speed up application building. It features database, user management, authentication, file upload and push notification.I used Parse for a few times, and I was satisfied with the speed and productivity it offers, especially in terms of developer tools as it comes with dozens of SDKs, libraries and sample code to...
Source: medevel.com

Social recommendations and mentions

OneSignal might be a bit more popular than Parse. We know about 28 links to it since March 2021 and only 21 links to Parse. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

OneSignal mentions (28)

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Parse mentions (21)

  • Supabase Alternatives ๐Ÿ”„ in 2025 ๐Ÿ˜ผ
    Parse deserves mention primarily for its historical significance as the precursor that inspired the entire backend-as-a-service space. Founded in 2011, Parse pioneered many concepts that we now take for granted in modern BaaS platforms. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • The 2024 Web Hosting Report
    Backend as a Service (BaaS) goes back to early 2010โ€™s with companies like Parse and Firebase. These products integrated everything a backend provides to a webapp in a single, integrated package that makes it easier to get started and enables you to offload some of the devops maintenance work to someone else. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • How to set up a Parse Server backend with Typescript
    Parse Server is a great way to quickly spin up a backend for your project. Parse is a Node based utility that sits on top of ExpressJS. - Source: dev.to / over 3 years ago
  • Free online DB for production app
    You can try https://parseplatform.org/, it is self-hosted if you need. And also there are a number of cloud services with compatible API, like https://www.back4app.com/ It has dart-friendly generated API client, much simpler than firebase and is built on top of postgresql and mongodb. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Supabase Series B
    Not to crash the party or anything. Supabase is great and all but in terms of feature completeness and getting actual products built, it doesn't come close to Parse[0]. Same with Appwrite. Both of these are very popular but they either lack essential features or have them behind a subscription wall. For example, the OSS version of Supabase (last I checked) doesn't include the edge functions which are really... - Source: Hacker News / almost 4 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing OneSignal and Parse, you can also consider the following products

iZooto - Engage your mobile and desktop web users with intelligent web push notifications.

Firebase - Firebase is a cloud service designed to power real-time, collaborative applications for mobile and web.

PushCrew - Push Notifications for Websites

AWS Amplify - JavaScript library for app development using cloud services

Back4App - Low code backend to build apps faster and scale easily.

Truepush - Unleash limitless possibilities with Truepush and save up to $600 monthly. Free up to 10K Subscribers on all features.