Firebase Cloud Messaging, also known as FCM, is a free service provided by Google that delivers push notifications to your visitors’ browsers and devices.
You can access Firebase at: https://console.firebase.google.com/
Why Firebase is Required #
PushPilot creates and manages your notifications inside WordPress, but it does not directly send notifications to your subscribers’ devices. That job is handled by Firebase Cloud Messaging, which works as the delivery system in the background.
Think of it this way:
PushPilot creates and manages notifications inside WordPress. Firebase delivers those notifications to your subscribers’ screens.
Without Firebase, push notifications cannot be sent.
What Firebase Does #
Firebase handles all the technical parts of notification delivery including secure communication with browsers like Chrome, Firefox and Edge, managing subscriber device tokens, and delivering notifications instantly. Google maintains this system so you do not need to manage any servers or technical infrastructure yourself.
Is Firebase Free? #
Yes. Firebase Cloud Messaging is completely free for web push notifications. You do not need to add any billing details for normal usage with PushPilot.
Do I Need Technical Knowledge? #
No. There is no coding or development experience required. Setup involves three things:
- Creating a Firebase project
- Copying a few credentials that Firebase provides
- Pasting them into the PushPilot plugin settings
The entire process takes around 10 minutes and only needs to be done once per website.
Before You Start #
Make sure you have the following ready:
- A free Google or Gmail account
- The PushPilot plugin installed and activated on your WordPress website
Next Step: Read: Create a Firebase Project & Get API Credentials