Head to head
Courier vs Expo Push
As a push notification API, Courier rates higher on the APIbenchmarks Index, 82.6 to 79, a 3.6-point gap. Here is how they compare on each criterion.
Criterion by criterion
| Criterion | Courier | Expo Push |
|---|---|---|
| Documentation & DX | ||
| Reliability | ||
| Ecosystem & SDKs | ||
| Accessibility | ||
| APIbenchmarks Index | 82.6 | 79.0 |
Specifications
| Courier | Expo Push | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Multi-channel notification routing | Free push for React Native |
| Free tier | 10k notifications/mo | Free (600 notif/sec/project) |
| Pricing | Per notification (usage-based) | Free (transport) |
| Official SDKs | 12 languages | 9 languages |
Is Courier better than Expo Push?
On the APIbenchmarks Index, Courier rates higher (82.6 vs 79). It leads on the four weighted criteria, but price is reported separately, so the best choice still depends on your budget.
Verdict in one line
Courier leads by 3.6 points (82.6 vs 79) and wins 2 of 4 criteria; Expo Push wins 1.
Winner by criterion
| Criterion | Winner | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Documentation & DX | 85 | 80 | |
| Reliability | 78 | 78 | Tie |
| Ecosystem & SDKs | 80 | 70 | |
| Accessibility | 88 | 90 |
Choose Courier if… / choose Expo Push if…
- →documentation & dx matters most to you (85 vs 80)
- →ecosystem & sdks matters most to you (80 vs 70)
- →you need broad SDK coverage (12 official SDKs vs 9)
- →your use case matches its focus: multi-channel notification routing
- →accessibility matters most to you (90 vs 88)
- →your use case matches its focus: free push for react native
Pricing side by side
- Model
- Per notification (usage-based)
- Free tier
- 10k notifications/mo
- Developer (Free)$0/mo
- Business$0.005 per send
- EnterpriseCustom
- Model
- Free (transport)
- Free tier
- Free (600 notif/sec/project)
- Push notification serviceFree
- Free (EAS platform)$0/month
- Production (EAS)$99/month
- Enterprise (EAS)$999/month
Vendor-published pricing, verified 2026-06-27 (Courier) and 2026-06-27 (Expo Push).
SDK and language coverage
Both · 5
Node.jsPythonRubyPHPJava
Only Courier · 7
GoiOS (Swift)Android (Kotlin)React NativeFlutterReact (courier-react)JavaScript (client-side)
Only Expo Push · 4
Rust (community)Go / Golang (community)Elixir (community)REST HTTP API (direct, any language)
Strengths and weaknesses
- +Single unified API and template designer covers push, email, SMS, in-app inbox, and chat, no per-provider integrations to maintain
- +Routes to ~11 push providers (APNS, FCM, Expo, OneSignal, Airship, Pusher Beams, etc.) so teams aren't locked to one push vendor
- +Native iOS, Android, React Native, and Flutter SDKs auto-manage device tokens and delivery/click tracking
- –Per-send pricing across all channels can be costlier than a single-purpose push vendor at very high volume
- –Handlebars-based templating has a learning curve some small teams find awkward
- –Some users report platform slowness during peak usage
- +Push notification service is completely free with no per-message charges
- +Single unified API abstracts away both APNs and FCM, cutting cross-platform integration work
- +Tight integration with the React Native / Expo / EAS toolchain
- –No SLA and no uptime guarantee for the push service
- –Hard rate limit of 600 notifications/second per project constrains large-scale blasts
- –At-least-once best-effort delivery means notifications can be duplicated or dropped
Courier vs Expo Push: questions
- Which has better documentation, Courier or Expo Push?
- Courier scores higher on documentation and developer experience: 85 vs 80 out of 100.
- Which is more reliable, Courier or Expo Push?
- Courier and Expo Push score the same on reliability (78).
- Do Courier and Expo Push have a free tier?
- Courier: yes (10k notifications/mo). Expo Push: yes (Free (600 notif/sec/project)).
- How are Courier and Expo Push priced?
- Courier: Per notification (usage-based). Expo Push: Free (transport).
- Which has more official SDKs?
- Courier lists 12 official SDKs, Expo Push lists 9.