Web push notifications are one of the most effective channels for driving repeat traffic to your WordPress site. They don't require an email address, they work across desktop and mobile browsers, and they consistently deliver higher engagement rates than email or social media.

The good news: you don't need to spend a dime to get started. Several push notification plugins offer free tiers that are genuinely usable — not just trial versions in disguise.

We tested the leading free options and ranked them based on subscriber limits, feature availability, ease of use, data ownership, and long-term value. Here are the five best free push notification plugins for WordPress in 2026.

1. EasyPusher – Best Overall Free Push Notification Plugin

EasyPusher is a self-hosted WordPress plugin that gives you complete control over your push notification subscriber data. It's our top pick because it offers the most generous free tier, the simplest setup, and full data ownership — something no other option on this list can match.

Free Tier

  • Up to 20,000 subscribers
  • Unlimited campaigns
  • Full segmentation and scheduling
  • Complete analytics dashboard
  • All features included — no paywalls
  • No branding or watermarks

Pros

  • 100% self-hosted. Subscriber data stays in your WordPress database. You're the sole data controller — no third party ever touches your audience.
  • Most generous free tier. 20,000 subscribers with every feature unlocked. Most competitors cap at 500–10,000 and restrict features.
  • WordPress-native. One-click install, no external accounts or API keys. Everything runs in your WordPress admin.
  • Flat pricing when you upgrade. Pro is just $4.99/mo for 50K subscribers. No per-subscriber billing surprises.
  • Zero performance impact. Lightweight async script with no measurable effect on Core Web Vitals.
  • GDPR compliant by design. Self-hosted data means no third-party DPA needed.

Cons

  • Web push only — no email, SMS, or mobile app push.
  • No built-in drip campaigns or A/B testing (yet).
  • Newer product with a smaller community compared to established players.

Best For

WordPress site owners who want a full-featured push notification system for free, with complete data ownership and no hidden limitations. Ideal for publishers, bloggers, eCommerce stores, and membership sites.

Try EasyPusher Free

2. OneSignal – Best Free Tier for Multi-Channel Messaging

OneSignal is one of the most widely used push notification platforms globally. It supports web push, mobile push, email, SMS, and in-app messaging. The WordPress integration is handled through a community plugin that connects your site to OneSignal's cloud infrastructure.

Free Tier

  • Up to 10,000 web push subscribers
  • Unlimited push sends
  • Basic segmentation
  • OneSignal branding on opt-in prompts
  • Limited personalization options

Pros

  • Multi-channel support. Push, email, SMS, and in-app messaging from one platform.
  • Generous free subscriber count. 10,000 free subscribers is solid for a cloud-hosted service.
  • Large community. Plenty of documentation, tutorials, and community support.
  • Developer-friendly. Comprehensive REST API and SDKs for custom integrations.
  • Mobile push support. Supports iOS and Android push notifications.

Cons

  • Data hosted by OneSignal. Subscriber data lives on their servers, not yours.
  • WordPress integration is indirect. Requires a community plugin and external account setup with API keys.
  • Branding on free plan. "Powered by OneSignal" on opt-in prompts.
  • Feature-gating. Advanced segmentation, A/B testing, and personalization require paid plans.
  • Pricing scales quickly. Beyond 10K subscribers, costs can climb to $50+/mo.

Best For

Developers and teams who need multi-channel messaging (push + email + SMS) from a single platform, or who need mobile app push support alongside web push.

3. PushEngage – Best Free Option for Marketing Automation

PushEngage is a cloud-based push notification platform with a strong focus on marketing automation. It offers drip campaigns, A/B testing, and triggered notifications — though most of these features are locked behind paid plans.

Free Tier

  • Up to 500 subscribers
  • 30 campaigns per month
  • Basic segmentation
  • PushEngage branding

Pros

  • Advanced automation on paid plans. Drip campaigns, A/B testing, triggered notifications, and goal tracking are available when you upgrade.
  • WordPress plugin available. Bridges your site to PushEngage's platform.
  • Good analytics. Detailed reporting on delivery, clicks, and conversions.
  • eCommerce features. Cart abandonment and browse abandonment notifications on higher plans.

Cons

  • Extremely limited free tier. 500 subscribers and 30 campaigns/month is barely a trial. You'll outgrow it in weeks.
  • Expensive paid plans. Business plan starts at $9/mo, Premium at $29/mo, Growth at $99+/mo.
  • Data hosted externally. Subscriber data lives on PushEngage's infrastructure.
  • Feature-gating. Most valuable automation features require Premium ($29/mo) or higher.
  • External dashboard required. Campaign management happens outside WordPress.

Best For

Marketing teams who plan to invest in paid push notification automation and want to test PushEngage before committing. The free tier is more of a trial than a long-term solution.

4. WebPushr – Best Basic Free Option

WebPushr is a straightforward push notification service that offers a relatively generous free tier with basic features. It positions itself as a simpler alternative to the more feature-heavy platforms.

Free Tier

  • Up to 10,000 subscribers
  • Unlimited notifications
  • Basic segmentation
  • WebPushr branding

Pros

  • Decent free subscriber limit. 10,000 subscribers with unlimited sends is competitive.
  • Simple setup. Quick installation with WordPress plugin or manual integration.
  • RSS-to-push. Automatically send notifications when your RSS feed updates.
  • Basic customization. Custom opt-in prompts, notification icons, and landing URLs.

Cons

  • Data hosted externally. Like most cloud-based services, subscriber data lives on WebPushr's servers.
  • Limited advanced features. No drip campaigns, no A/B testing, no triggered notifications on the free plan.
  • Branding on free tier. WebPushr branding appears on opt-in prompts.
  • Smaller ecosystem. Less community support and fewer integrations than OneSignal or PushEngage.
  • Analytics are basic. Reporting is functional but lacks depth.

Best For

Small to medium WordPress sites that need basic push notifications with a decent free subscriber limit and don't require advanced automation features.

5. Push.js – Best for Developers Who Want Full Control

Push.js is an open-source JavaScript library for browser push notifications. Unlike the other options on this list, it's not a WordPress plugin or SaaS platform — it's a developer tool that gives you raw access to the browser's Notification API and Push API.

Free Tier

  • Completely free and open source
  • No subscriber limits
  • No feature restrictions
  • No branding

Pros

  • 100% free and open source. No costs, no subscriber caps, no vendor lock-in.
  • Full control. You own the code and the implementation. Customize everything.
  • Lightweight. Tiny library footprint with no external dependencies.
  • No third-party data sharing. Since you're implementing everything yourself, data stays where you put it.

Cons

  • Requires developer skills. You need to write code to set up service workers, manage subscriptions, handle tokens, and send notifications from a backend.
  • No WordPress integration. There's no plugin. You'll need to build the WordPress integration yourself.
  • No built-in dashboard. No campaign management, segmentation, scheduling, or analytics out of the box. You build everything.
  • Maintenance burden. You're responsible for keeping the implementation working as browser APIs evolve.
  • Not practical for non-developers. If you can't write JavaScript and manage server-side code, this isn't for you.

Best For

Developers who want to build a custom push notification system from the ground up, with complete control over every aspect of the implementation. Not recommended for non-technical WordPress users.

Summary Comparison

Plugin Free Subscribers Self-Hosted All Features Free WordPress-Native Best For
EasyPusher 20,000 Yes Yes Yes Most WordPress sites
OneSignal 10,000 No No Via plugin Multi-channel needs
PushEngage 500 No No Via plugin Marketing automation
WebPushr 10,000 No No Via plugin Basic use cases
Push.js Unlimited Yes (DIY) Yes No (custom) Developers only

How We Ranked These Plugins

We evaluated each plugin across five key criteria:

  • Free tier generosity: How many subscribers and features are available without paying?
  • Data ownership: Does subscriber data stay on your server or a third party's?
  • WordPress integration: Is it a native plugin or a bridge to an external platform?
  • Ease of use: Can a non-technical WordPress user set it up and manage campaigns?
  • Long-term value: What happens when you outgrow the free tier? Is the upgrade path reasonable?

EasyPusher scored highest across all five criteria. It offers the most free subscribers, full data ownership, native WordPress integration, the simplest setup, and the most affordable upgrade path.

What to Look for in a Free Push Notification Plugin

Before you choose, here are the key factors to consider:

Subscriber Limits

A free tier that caps at 500 subscribers is a trial, not a product. Look for at least 5,000–10,000 free subscribers to have room to grow. EasyPusher's 20,000 subscriber free tier is the most generous in the market.

Feature Restrictions

Many plugins offer "free" plans that lock essential features — segmentation, scheduling, or analytics — behind paywalls. Make sure the features you need are available on the free plan.

Data Ownership

Where does your subscriber data live? With most cloud-based services, a third party holds your audience data. Self-hosted solutions like EasyPusher keep everything on your server, which matters for GDPR compliance, vendor independence, and long-term control.

Upgrade Costs

Your free tier won't last forever. Check what happens when you outgrow it. Per-subscriber pricing can escalate quickly. Flat pricing (like EasyPusher's $4.99/mo for 50K subscribers) is more predictable and budget-friendly.

Performance Impact

Every script you add affects page load. Self-hosted plugins generally have less impact than cloud services that require loading external SDKs. Check Core Web Vitals before and after installation.

Our Recommendation

For most WordPress site owners, EasyPusher is the clear winner. It combines the most generous free tier (20,000 subscribers), full feature access, complete data ownership, and native WordPress integration — all at zero cost.

When you outgrow the free plan, EasyPusher's paid tiers start at just $4.99/month for 50,000 subscribers — a fraction of what competitors charge.

If you need multi-channel messaging, OneSignal is a strong second choice. If you're a developer who wants to build everything from scratch, Push.js gives you that freedom. But for the typical WordPress site that wants push notifications working in minutes with no compromises, EasyPusher is the answer.

Ready to get started? Install EasyPusher free — takes less than 2 minutes, no credit card required.

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