{"id":11071,"date":"2024-09-30T06:40:14","date_gmt":"2024-09-30T06:40:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/push-notifications-vs-in-app-notifications\/"},"modified":"2026-04-01T07:49:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T07:49:20","slug":"push-notifications-vs-in-app-notifications","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/userpilot.com\/blog\/push-notifications-vs-in-app-notifications\/","title":{"rendered":"Push Notifications vs In-App Notifications: Key Differences"},"content":{"rendered":"

What are in-app notifications?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In-app notifications are messages that help you communicate with your users inside the app. They can help with onboarding, providing in-app guidance<\/a>, driving customer expansion, and increasing feature adoption<\/a> across the board.<\/p>\n

What are push notifications?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Push notifications (also called push messages or push alerts) are short messages you can send to a user\u2019s device (such as a smartphone, tablet, or desktop) while they aren’t using your product.<\/p>\n

They appear as pop-up alerts or banners and can include alerts about suspicious account activity, update announcements, feature launches<\/a>, order updates, and payment reminders.<\/p>\n

Push notifications vs in-app notifications: What are the key differences?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Both types of notifications<\/a> have their place, depending on what you want to achieve. Take a look at their main differences to make an informed decision.<\/p>\n

Main purpose<\/h3>\n

The primary goal of in-app notifications is to guide and educate users<\/a> as they interact with your product. You can use them to share contextual tips and updates based on a user\u2019s in-app activity.<\/p>\n

Push notifications, on the other hand, help you connect with users when they\u2019re not using your product. In other words, their purpose is to re-engage users and prompt them to take actions that bring them back to your product. This way, they help minimize churn<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For instance, you can use these retention push notifications to alert inactive users during feature launches and promotional offers. Or you can send a payment reminder<\/a> when a user\u2019s plan is about to expire.<\/p>\n

Audience<\/h3>\n

In-app notifications cater to active users<\/a>, i.e., people who are interacting with your product at that moment. These users are already engaged, and your goal is to keep them hooked by delivering a frictionless experience.<\/p>\n

Push notifications have a wider reach because they can be delivered to users who are away from your product. When a user hasn\u2019t been active<\/a> in a while or isn\u2019t using your product currently, these messages can help you connect with them.<\/p>\n

Visibility<\/h3>\n

In-app notifications appear within a product while a user is interacting with it. They\u2019re integrated into the user interface and usually disappear after a user takes the desired action or navigates to a different page. Also, they\u2019re designed to cause minimal disruption to the user experience<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In contrast, push notifications are delivered to a user\u2019s device or browser outside your product. If they\u2019ve installed your app on multiple devices, you can send the notification to each device, resulting in increased visibility. Plus, the message remains on a user\u2019s lock screen and notification center until they take the desired action or dismiss the notification.<\/p>\n

This also means that push notifications are more intrusive and can frustrate users<\/a> if used frequently. However, users can adjust their device settings to block or silence these messages.<\/p>\n

Personalization<\/h3>\n

In-app notifications offer higher personalization because you can tailor these messages in real time based on in-app user behavior<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For instance, you can track user interaction with a specific feature and launch tooltips that share more details about how the feature works. Similarly, you can deliver congratulatory messages when a user reaches certain milestones. That, in turn, helps create a hyper-personalized experience<\/a>.<\/p>\n

When it comes to push notifications, personalization capabilities<\/a> are based on a user\u2019s personal details and previous in-app interactions<\/a>. You can also tailor messages according to a user\u2019s current location.<\/p>\n

Opt-in requirements<\/h3>\n

Most platforms, including Android and iOS, require users to explicitly opt-in to receive push notifications. When a user installs your app, you can use a system-level prompt to ask for permission to send push messages. This is done to protect user privacy.<\/p>\n

Even if a user consents to receiving push notifications, they have the freedom to block or mute them later.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, in-app notifications<\/a> are usually considered a part of the user experience and, therefore, don\u2019t have opt-in requirements.<\/p>\n

Types<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s now time for us to dig deeper into the different types of in-app messages and push notifications you can use to educate and re-engage users<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Types of in-app messages<\/h4>\n

In-app notifications is an umbrella term, but there are many different types of in-app messaging<\/a> that you can capitalize on. The three main types of in-app notifications are:<\/p>\n

Modals<\/strong><\/p>\n

In-app modals<\/a> are pop-up messages that capture the user’s attention by dimming the background and usually prompt them to take action. That said, modals can be pretty intrusive at times, so it\u2019s a good idea to reserve them for key moments.<\/p>\n

You can use this in-app notification to inform users about new features in your app and send important updates about their accounts. They even come in handy for welcoming new users during user onboarding<\/a>, collecting data through microsurveys<\/a>, or inviting them to register for events.<\/p>\n

\"Userpilot-event-registration-modal\"<\/picture>
Webinar invite modal.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tooltips<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tooltips are small, hover- or click-activated pop-up boxes that provide brief, contextual information about a specific element or feature. This makes them a great way to highlight subtle elements in your UI and provide contextual help<\/a> that only shows up when the user is already curious.<\/p>\n

\"Userpilot-tooltip-example\"<\/picture>
Tooltip example.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In general, you want to make sure you stick to the HIVR formula when creating tooltips<\/a>. This means your tooltips should be<\/a> h<\/strong>elpful, i<\/strong>nteresting, v<\/strong>aluable, and r<\/strong>elevant instead of disrupting user experience and leading to frustration.<\/p>\n

Checklists<\/strong><\/p>\n

Checklists are like an in-app message combined with a to-do list since they offer step-by-step guides for users. This reduces the time-to-value<\/a> of your onboarding and, therefore, accelerates the user activation<\/a> process.<\/p>\n

You can also use checklists during secondary onboarding<\/a> to drive engagement with more advanced features. After all, surface-level features may get users in, but it’s the unique capabilities of your solution that will keep them from switching to a competitor. And onboarding checklists can motivate them through this process.<\/p>\n

\"Userpilot-checklist\"<\/picture>
Checklist created with Userpilot<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Types of push notifications<\/h4>\n

Depending on the device and platform where push notifications are delivered, they\u2019re categorized as follows:<\/p>\n

Web push notifications<\/strong><\/p>\n

Web push notifications are messages sent from a website to a user\u2019s browser. You can use them to re-engage users on both desktops and mobile devices as long as they\u2019ve consented to receive these notifications. They\u2019re also useful for sending general announcements and updates to users who haven\u2019t interacted<\/a> with your product in a long time.<\/p>\n

Commonly used browsers, such as Chrome, Edge, and Firefox, support browser push notifications. The great thing about this type of push notification is that it can be delivered to users who haven\u2019t installed your app on their mobile devices. Typically, they only persist for a few seconds on the browser unless a user actively interacts with them.<\/p>\n

\"Web-push-notification\"<\/picture>
Image source<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

App push notifications<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mobile app push notifications are delivered directly to a user\u2019s mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet (both Android and iOS). They do, however, require users to install your product on their device and explicitly opt-in.<\/p>\n

You can customize mobile push notifications based on a user\u2019s previous in-app activity and purchase history or even include a persuasive CTA to motivate users to take action right away.<\/p>\n

App push notifications are particularly suitable for re-engaging users who\u2019ve installed your app but don\u2019t open it regularly. Plus, you can them for sending personalized promotions<\/a> and order updates.<\/p>\n

\"App-push-notifications\"<\/picture>
Image source<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Use cases<\/h3>\n

How do you maximize the impact of push notifications and in-app notifications? The key is to understand their various use cases. Let\u2019s find out more.<\/p>\n

Use cases of in-app notifications<\/h4>\n

Being familiar with all the types of in-app notifications<\/a> is the first step to realizing their full potential. But you should also know when to use them. There are a few use cases where in-app notifications would be beneficial, such as to:<\/p>\n

Onboard new users<\/strong><\/p>\n

The onboarding experience<\/a> can determine whether a user sticks around for years and upgrades their subscription or ends up churning and then signing up with a competitor. With so much at stake, it’s essential that every onboarding flow<\/a> feels tailored to the user and their needs.<\/p>\n

In-app messages can not only help onboard new signups<\/a>, but also encourage users to share a few details about themselves\/their goals so you can start the customer segmentation<\/a> process early on. It\u2019s the key to delivering a personalized in-app onboarding<\/a> experience.<\/p>\n

User persona data that you can gather through welcome screens could be things like:<\/p>\n