Push Notifications
Push notifications are short messages that an app's server sends to a user's phone, appearing on the lock screen even when the app is closed. On Android they are delivered through Firebase Cloud Messaging.
What it means
A push notification is a short message your app's server sends to a customer's phone. It appears on the lock screen even when the app is closed. On Android it travels through Firebase Cloud Messaging, which does not charge per message. Google keeps one connection open to each phone, so your server only has to hand the message over and Google delivers it when it can.
What makes them work or fail
Three things decide whether notifications help or annoy. The first is permission: since Android 13 the phone asks the user to allow notifications, and many tap Deny, so the app should explain the benefit first, such as "we will tell you when your order is out for delivery". The second is relevance: messages about the user's own order, booking or payment are welcomed, while generic offers several times a day get muted. The third is honesty about delivery. A push is best effort, and phones that are off, offline or running aggressive battery savers can delay or drop it.
That is why anything critical, such as a payment receipt, should also go by SMS or WhatsApp, which reach people who never installed your app. Push is quick and cheap, but it only reaches those who installed the app and allowed it.
An example from Coimbatore
A veterinary clinic in Coimbatore keeps a vaccination record for every pet. Its app sends three kinds of push: a reminder a week before a vaccine is due, "your pet's report is ready", and one seasonal care tip a month. Owners keep notifications on because each message concerns their own animal. Had the clinic sent a promotion every day, owners would soon switch the permission off.
How we use it
Where an Android app needs push, we set it up through Firebase Cloud Messaging, with separate notification channels so users can mute offers without losing appointment updates. VS Tech Builders agrees the list of messages with you at the design stage and pairs the important ones with SMS or WhatsApp. See native Android app development and Firebase app development, our WhatsApp automation guide, the veterinary clinics page, and the entries on Firebase and the WhatsApp Business API.
Common questions
Are push notifications free to send?
On Android, sending through Firebase Cloud Messaging has no per-message charge, which makes push the cheapest way to reach people who have your app. The real costs are building the sending logic, designing the message list and running a server to trigger the messages. SMS and WhatsApp messages, by contrast, are billed per message, which is why push suits frequent, low-value updates.
Why do some customers never receive my notifications?
Common causes are the notification permission being denied, the app being force-stopped, battery savers on some phone brands blocking background activity, and the phone staying offline for a long time. A message can also expire if it waits too long. Test on several phone brands, and give customers a way to see the same updates inside the app.
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