If you run a WordPress website and are thinking about adding push notifications, you have probably come across both PushPilot and OneSignal. Both tools send push notifications, but they work very differently. The pricing is different, the setup is different, and even where your subscriber data is saved is different.
This post covers the three things that matter most for WordPress site owners: pricing, how well it fits into WordPress, and who actually holds your subscriber data.
Quick overview
OneSignal
OneSignal is a big customer messaging platform. It supports web push, mobile push, email, SMS, and in-app messages. It works across websites, Android apps, iOS apps, and more. It is mainly built for developer teams who manage multiple channels from one place. You manage everything from an outside dashboard, not from WordPress.
PushPilot
PushPilot is a push notification plugin made only for WordPress. Everything sits inside your WordPress dashboard. You do not need to go to any outside website to manage your subscribers or send notifications. It uses Google Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) to deliver notifications, the same system Google uses at large scale.
Pricing: fixed cost vs bills that keep growing
How OneSignal charges
OneSignal has a free plan, but it only lets you send to 10,000 subscribers per send. After that, you move to the paid plan which starts at $19 per month as a base charge. But that is not all. Web push subscribers are charged separately at $0.004 per subscriber per month on top of the base. So your total bill depends on how many subscribers you have:
- 25,000 subscribers: $19 + $100 = about $119/month
- 50,000 subscribers: $19 + $200 = about $219/month
- 75,000 subscribers: $19 + $300 = about $319/month
- 100,000 subscribers: $19 + $400 = about $419/month
As your audience grows, your bill goes up every month. Email and mobile push have their own separate charges on top of this.
How PushPilot charges
PushPilot keeps it simple. You pick a plan based on how many subscribers you need and pay one fixed price. No base fee, no extra charges per subscriber, no surprises.
| Plan | Subscribers | Monthly | Yearly (save 20%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free forever | 12,000 | Rs. 0 / $0 | Rs. 0 / $0 |
| Starter | 25,000 | Rs. 249/mo | Rs. 199/mo |
| Growth | 50,000 | Rs. 499/mo | Rs. 399/mo |
| Professional | 75,000 | Rs. 749/mo | Rs. 599/mo |
| Business | 100,000 | Rs. 999/mo | Rs. 799/mo |
Yearly billing saves you 20%. No hidden charges, no setup fees. First purchase also comes with a 30-day money back guarantee.
Cost comparison
| Subscribers | PushPilot (monthly) | OneSignal (monthly approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 12,000 | Rs. 0 — free forever | $0 (10K send limit applies) |
| 25,000 | Rs. 249/mo | ~$119/mo ($19 + $100) |
| 50,000 | Rs. 499/mo | ~$219/mo ($19 + $200) |
| 75,000 | Rs. 749/mo | ~$319/mo ($19 + $300) |
| 100,000 | Rs. 999/mo | ~$419/mo ($19 + $400) |
OneSignal numbers are based on their published Growth plan: $19/month base + $0.004 per web push subscriber per month.
For a WordPress site owner, PushPilot is much cheaper and your monthly cost stays the same no matter how fast your audience grows.
WordPress fit: made for WordPress vs made for everyone
OneSignal on WordPress
OneSignal has a WordPress plugin, but WordPress is just one of many platforms it works on. The plugin connects your site to OneSignal’s outside dashboard. All the actual work, sending campaigns, checking reports, managing settings, happens outside WordPress. You have to keep going back and forth between two places.
PushPilot on WordPress
PushPilot works only on WordPress and everything is right there in your dashboard. Some things that make it easy to use:
- Auto push: Every time you publish a new post, a notification goes out automatically. You can use placeholders like
{post_title}and{post_excerpt}in your message. Just turn it on once. - Bell widget: A small bell icon stays on your website at all times. Visitors who skipped the first prompt can still subscribe later by clicking it.
- License inside WordPress: You can connect, upgrade, or check your plan from PushPilot, Setup, Account and License. No need to visit an outside website for regular tasks.
- Prompt settings in WordPress: You can set when the prompt appears, how long to wait before showing it again, and more. All from your WordPress dashboard.
If you work inside WordPress every day, PushPilot keeps everything in one place. With OneSignal, you always need to open a separate website to do anything.
Your subscriber data: saved on your server vs saved on theirs
This is probably the biggest difference and most people do not think about it until it is too late.
Where does OneSignal save your data?
When someone subscribes on your website through OneSignal, their details, browser token, device type, location, and activity, are all saved on OneSignal’s servers. You do not control that data. It sits with a third party company.
This creates a few problems:
- If OneSignal changes its pricing or terms, your subscriber data is affected too.
- If you want to move to another tool, taking your subscribers with you is very difficult. Push tokens are tied to the service that created them.
- Even on the free plan, OneSignal keeps data of subscribers who were active in the last 18 months on their servers.
How PushPilot handles your data
With PushPilot, all subscriber data is saved in your own WordPress database on your own hosting. PushPilot does not collect or store any of your subscriber information on their end.
What this means for you:
- Your subscriber list belongs to you. No outside company holds it.
- Browser tokens and subscriber details never leave your server.
- GDPR compliance is easier when the data stays on your own website.
- If you ever stop using PushPilot, your data stays with you.
PushPilot saves your subscriber data on your own server. OneSignal saves it on theirs. If data privacy matters to you, this difference is important.
Full feature comparison
| Feature | PushPilot | OneSignal |
|---|---|---|
| Works on | WordPress only | All platforms (web, iOS, Android) |
| Subscriber data saved on | Your own server | OneSignal’s servers |
| Free plan | 12,000 subscribers, free forever | 10,000 subscribers per send |
| Paid pricing | Fixed monthly or yearly | Base fee + per subscriber charge |
| Works inside WordPress | Yes, fully | No, needs outside dashboard |
| Auto push for new posts | Yes, one toggle | Needs manual setup |
| Bell widget | All plans | Available |
| A/B testing | Paid plans | All plans (basic) |
| Segmentation | Paid plans | Limited on free, more on paid |
| Scheduling | Paid plans | All plans |
| UTM tracking | Paid plans | All plans |
| Import and export subscribers | All plans | Only on Professional plan and above |
| Channels supported | Web push only | Push, email, SMS, in-app |
| Mobile app push | Not available | Available |
Who should use which?
Go with OneSignal if:
- You have an iOS or Android app and need mobile push notifications along with web push.
- You have a developer team handling your tech setup.
- You need email and SMS from the same tool.
- Your website is not on WordPress.
Go with PushPilot if:
- You run a WordPress website and want everything managed inside WordPress.
- You want your subscriber data saved on your own server, not with a third party.
- You want simple, fixed pricing that does not change as your audience grows.
- You publish posts regularly and want subscribers to get notified automatically.
- You want clear pricing with no hidden costs and a money back guarantee.
Final thoughts
OneSignal is a good tool if you are building something across multiple platforms with a tech team behind you.
But if you run a WordPress website and just want a simple, affordable way to reach your audience directly, PushPilot is the better fit. Your data stays on your server, your work stays inside WordPress, and your cost stays the same every month.
When you own the channel, you own the audience. That is what PushPilot is built for.
Want to try PushPilot? The free forever plan supports up to 12,000 subscribers. No credit card needed. Setup takes less than 15 minutes.