Notifications enhance customer experiences and are integral to effective product adoption and engagement strategies. Traditionally, businesses developed their notification service internally, but recent trends have shifted towards utilizing specialized services.
The rise of developer-first plus component-driven solutions—such as those for authentication, payment processing, and analytics—has extended to notification systems. Braze was among the pioneers in creating a customer engagement tool that seamlessly integrates into marketing teams’ flows. Braze enabled businesses to effectively run personalized campaigns and improve user engagement.
However, since 2020, numerous companies have entered the notification infrastructure market, each offering unique advantages and drawbacks. This article will delve into some of the leading alternatives to Braze, highlighting their features and why they may suit your business needs.
Why do you need a Braze Alternative in 2024?
Businesses look for alternate solutions for better integrations, more developer control, newer channels, competitive pricing, quick support, etc. This section will check some key reasons for considering a Braze alternative that can satisfy your use cases.
Here are 5 key points that highlight potential drawbacks of Braze:
1. Limited reporting and analytics capabilities:
Several users mentioned that Braze's reporting and data analysis features are lacking. They desire more detailed, in-depth reports to gain granular insights into their campaigns.
2. Steep learning curve for advanced features:
Some users noted that while basic functions are user-friendly, more complex scenarios often require technical expertise or Braze representatives' support.
3. UI/UX improvements needed:
A few reviewers mentioned that certain user interface aspects, particularly for features like the journey/canvas builder, could be improved for better accessibility and ease of use.
4. Limitations in email and in-app message editors:
Some users found the drag-and-drop editors too restrictive, while the HTML editors require more technical knowledge, creating a gap in usability for different skill levels.
Top 11 Braze Alternatives in 2024
If you want to replace your current notifications tool, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s look at the top 11 Braze competitors.
1. SuprSend
Developed by a team of seasoned engineers with deep expertise in building notification systems, SuprSend enhances any product by integrating a complete notification engine. It delivers a seamless developer experience while offering rich capabilities for product teams. Through a single unified API, SuprSend enables effortless triggering of notifications across multiple channels, allowing for quick deployment of cross-channel alerts paired with custom business logic. Let's explore some of SuprSend's standout features that distinguish it from alternatives like Braze.
Comparison of Key Features:
[Feature 1]: Intuitive Template Editor
SuprSend's WYSIWYG template editor empowers non-technical teams to create and customize notifications directly from the dashboard. This user-friendly tool supports multiple languages and version tracking, reducing the workload on technical teams by eliminating the need for hard coding in the codebase.
[Feature 2]: Flexible Preference Center
The platform offers a flexible preference center that allows teams to easily manage notification settings across various different notification categories, channels, frequency and tenants. Teams also get ready components for preference center that can be integrated within the product, as well as a hosted preference page.
[Feature 3]: Powerful Workflow Engine
SuprSend excels in creating advanced notification workflows. Users can effortlessly set up multi-step and multi-channels, incorporate features like branching, conditions, channel routing, message batching, throttling, timezone management, fetch data and integrate with external systems.
[Feature 4]: Observability and Troubleshooting
SuprSend prioritizes transparency and troubleshooting ease. The platform tracks every step of the notification process, which is visible in the workflow executions. A centralized Logs section provides detailed information about notifications, workflows, and users, facilitating quick root cause analysis.
[Feature 5]: Integration with CDP, Data Warehouses and Databases
SuprSend seamlessly integrates with popular CDP and databases like MySQL and BigQuery. This integration allows for easy user syncing and querying based on 360 degree customer data, enabling richer notifications without the need for managing data pipelines for syncing users and properties.
Pros
- Developer-first approach with APIs, frontend components, and multiple environments with CLI and CI / CD deployment.
- In-app notifications center with UI-based components
- Rapid implementation with multiple SDK options
- Sophisticated WYSIWYG template editor for visually appealing notifications
- User-friendly, multi-tenant preference center
- Robust workflow engine for complex notification automation like batching and digests
- Comprehensive analytics and logging for reliable notification delivery, along with real-time logs and data sync to various monitoring tools
Cons
- Some advanced features, such as multi-tenancy and preferences, are not included in the free plan
Pricing
SuprSend offers three primary plans in their pricing, starting with a free plan for indie devs and small projects. Then, they have growth and enterprise plans with additional features and compliance considerations.
Their pricing model is primarily based on the volume of notifications; however, they also support user-based or workflow-based pricing.
2. Moengage
MoEngage is a customer engagement platform designed to help businesses build personalized, real-time transactional messaging and cross-channel marketing campaigns.
It empowers brands to send engagement alerts, manage customer journeys, and gain insights across various messaging channels like email, SMS, WhatsApp, and more.
Key Features
- Multi-Channel Alerts: MoEngage enables messaging across multiple channels, including Email, SMS, Mobile Push Notifications, WhatsApp, and Web Push, all through a single API.
- Insights-Led Engagement: Provides in-depth insights and analytics into how customers interact with messages, enabling brands to refine their communication strategy.
- Smart Orchestration: Automatically stops sending duplicate alerts across channels once a user engages, ensuring an optimized customer experience.
- Unified View: Offers a centralized view to manage, analyze, and adjust alerts in real time across various functions like Marketing, Product, and Design.
Pros
- Efficient Messaging: Smart orchestration ensures that users don’t receive duplicate notifications across channels, reducing unnecessary costs.
- Comprehensive Insights: Provides actionable insights on message performance and customer behavior, allowing data-driven decision-making.
Cons
- Complexity for Small Teams: The extensive feature set may overwhelm smaller teams with basic messaging needs.
- Learning Curve: Mastering the platform's full capabilities, especially across multiple channels, may require some time and expertise.
- Not developer-first: Primarily meant to be used by non-tech teams for sending campaigns.
Pricing
- Free Tier: Ideal for startups and smaller teams, offering essential features with basic limits.
- Pro Plan: Priced at $299/month, includes advanced features like Smart Orchestration, priority support, and increased messaging limits.
- Enterprise Solutions: Tailored pricing for large businesses with custom needs, offering personalized support and access to advanced features like fallback mechanisms and secure delivery.
3. Clevertap
CleverTap is an all-in-one customer engagement and retention platform that helps businesses build personalized experiences across mobile apps and websites. It empowers brands to understand customer behavior, optimize engagement strategies, and retain their most valuable users through no-code tools and powerful analytics.
Key Features
- No-Code Experience Optimization: Easily optimize app and web experiences without requiring developer involvement, ensuring faster implementation and testing.
- Customer Data Insights: Gain in-depth insights into customer behavior, allowing for tailored engagement and data-driven decision-making.
- Omnichannel Engagement: Send personalized messages across channels like Push Notifications, Email, SMS, WhatsApp, and In-App Messaging for a unified customer experience.
- AI-Powered Segmentation: Automatically segment customers based on behavior, enabling precise targeting and improved engagement outcomes.
Pros
- Easy-to-Use No-Code Tools: Allows marketers and product teams to optimize and personalize customer experiences without writing code.
- Comprehensive Analytics: Detailed insights help brands understand customer journeys and refine retention strategies effectively.
- Omnichannel Orchestration: Streamline messaging across multiple channels, ensuring consistent and personalized interactions.
Cons
- Learning Curve: Mastering CleverTap’s full potential may require time, especially for non-technical teams aiming to leverage advanced analytics.
- Not developer-first: Primarily meant to be used by non-tech teams for sending campaigns.
Pricing
- Essentials Tier: Essentials tier starts at 70 USD/ month with up to 5,000 MAU
- Advanced Plan: Custom pricing, offering advanced analytics, personalization features, and priority support.
- Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing based on business requirements, with tailored support, enhanced automation, and advanced AI capabilities.
4. Customer.io
Customer.io is a customer engagement platform that enables brands to create personalized, data-driven messaging across multiple channels. Powered by first-party data, Customer.io helps businesses design, automate, and optimize communication journeys, ensuring meaningful customer interactions across the web, mobile, email, SMS, and more.
Key Features
- Data-Powered Messaging: Tailor and manage customer communication based on real-time data and first-party insights, all within a unified platform.
- Journeys: Automate and craft flexible, personalized messaging journeys using a visual workflow builder for seamless cross-channel engagement.
- Data Pipelines: Collect, route, and activate your first-party data by integrating it with your tools, ensuring data is synced and accessible.
- Parcel: A development platform for email creation where teams can code, preview, and collaborate on campaigns.
Pros
- Omnichannel Communication: Deliver a unified customer experience across email, SMS, push notifications, in-app messaging, and the web.
- Customizable Workflows: Create and automate customer journeys using a drag-and-drop workflow builder.
- Data Flexibility: Leverage powerful data tools like APIs, event triggers, and reverse ETL to move and sync data across platforms in real time.
- High Scalability: Designed to grow with businesses of all sizes, from startups to enterprises.
Cons
- Steep Learning Curve: Some users may find the advanced customization options and data integrations challenging without prior experience.
- Limited UI Customization: The platform could benefit from more customization options in terms of design flexibility for non-developers.
Pricing
- Basic Plan: Starts at $100/month for up to 5000 profiles, offering core features like basic automation and email support.
- Premium Plan: Offers enhanced features such as unlimited messages, advanced analytics, and priority support. At $1000/ month with custom volume.
- Enterprise Plan: Custom plan for more volume and features.
5. OneSignal
OneSignal is a powerful customer engagement platform that offers push notifications, emails, SMS, in-app pop-ups, and live activity updates. OneSignal focuses on providing an omnichannel experience to users powered by its no-code workflows and automation tools.
It allows marketers to create personalized messaging sequences without requiring continuous technical support, making it a go-to platform for developers and marketing teams alike.
Key Features
- Omnichannel Messaging: Supports mobile/ web push notifications, emails, SMS, and in-app pop-ups, enabling communication across multiple channels.
- Journeys: A drag-and-drop workflow builder to automate customer engagement without needing to write code.
- Personalization: User segmentation and personalization options to tailor content for each user.
- Analytics: Real-time insights to measure performance and optimize engagement strategies.
- SDK & API Integrations: Supports seamless integrations with popular development platforms, allowing for easy adoption in apps and websites.
Pros
- Comprehensive Messaging Platform: Covers multiple channels like push, email, SMS, and more, all in one platform.
- Easy-to-Use: No-code features like the Journeys workflow builder make it accessible for non-developers.
- Strong Developer Support: Reliable SDKs, APIs, and extensive documentation cater to developer needs.
- Scalability: Suitable for businesses of all sizes, from startups to enterprises, and easily scales with your user base.
Cons
- Unified API for all channels: They don’t provide a single unified API to access all the notification channels.
- Multi-tenancy not supported: In case your business model includes multi-tenants, you would find it complex to support custom notifications for each brand at scale.
- Basic preferences: Users only get basic preferences with many necessary options that are not available.
- Fewer workflow options: Some necessary workflow nodes like batching and digests are not available.
- Step-by-step workflow logs are unavailable: You can’t see the step-by-step workflow node logs, including the payload, requests, status, and overall summary, at a granular level.
Pricing
- Free Plan: Includes essential features like push notifications and email, with usage limits.
- Growth Plan: Starts at $9/month, offering higher limits and additional features.
- Professional & Enterprise Plans: Custom pricing based on specific business needs, with advanced capabilities and dedicated support.
6. Insider
Insider is a customer engagement platform designed to deliver personalized, cross-channel experiences. It supports marketers in creating tailored journeys across various touchpoints like SMS, email, web, WhatsApp, and more.
With a focus on AI-powered automation, Insider helps businesses build lasting relationships with customers by offering tools for gamification, dynamic messaging, and personalized product discovery. Insider caters to various industries, including retail, automotive, finance, media, and telecom, making it a versatile solution for customer engagement.
Key Features
- Omnichannel Engagement: Connects with customers via SMS, email, web push, WhatsApp, in-app messages, and more.
- Journey Orchestration: A visual journey builder, Architect, enables marketers to map and automate customer journeys across multiple channels.
- Personalization: Leverages AI-driven insights for behavior-based, dynamic content personalization across email, web, and mobile.
- Gamification & Templates: Offers pre-built, high-performing gamification templates that can be customized using a drag-and-drop editor.
- Product Discovery: Tailored recommendations and search results based on customer behaviors, past purchases, and browsing history.
- Price & Inventory Alerts: Automated, personalized notifications for price drops, back-in-stock updates, and other timely messages.
Pros
- Dynamic Messaging: Real-time AI-powered messaging creates personalized, interactive communications like AMP emails, timers, and coupons.
- User-Centric Engagement: Deep personalization across channels creates individualized experiences, such as hyper-personalized shopping pages and content.
- Comprehensive Integrations: Supports over 12+ channels with APIs, enabling seamless connectivity across web, mobile, and messaging platforms.
- Industry Agnostic: Insider works well across retail, telecom, finance, and media, offering solutions that scale with business needs.
- Gamification & AI Tools: Advanced gamification options and AI-powered tools enhance customer engagement and loyalty.
Cons
- Customization Complexity: Some users may find advanced personalization tools complex to set up without technical knowledge.
- Workflow Limitations: Although robust, the journey orchestration tool lacks certain advanced workflow nodes seen in competitors.
- Onboarding Process: Initial setup and onboarding for extensive features may take time, especially for teams unfamiliar with AI-driven platforms.
- No Unified API for All Channels: While integration is supported across multiple channels, a single unified API covering all touchpoints isn’t available.
Pricing
- Custom Pricing: Insider provides tailored plans based on specific business needs and scale. It does not offer detailed public pricing, so businesses are encouraged to contact the sales team for more information.
7. WebEngage
WebEngage is a comprehensive customer engagement and retention platform that helps businesses unify data, personalize messaging, and automate campaigns across multiple channels. With its Retention Operating System (OS), WebEngage provides solutions for customer segmentation, marketing automation, and data-driven engagement, helping brands boost ROI and streamline operations. Trusted by 800+ global brands, WebEngage enables marketers to execute powerful, personalized campaigns effortlessly.
Key Features
- Customer Data Platform: Consolidates customer data from multiple sources to create a unified, secure customer view.
- Multi-Channel Engagement: Engage users through email, SMS, web push, in-app messages, and more.
- Dynamic Micro-Segmentation: Real-time segmentation based on behavioral patterns and business goals using RFM modeling.
- Campaign Orchestration: Automate customer journeys with workflows triggered by events, set rules, and select channels for contextual campaigns.
- Personalization: Hyper-personalized messaging across web and app experiences, enabling customized notifications, pop-ups, and recommendations.
- Product & Revenue Analytics: Gain insights into customer behavior and product usage with tools like cohort analysis, funnels, and event tracking.
Pros
- Unified Data Management: Eliminates data silos by centralizing customer data for more effective, data-driven engagement strategies.
- Easy-to-Use Platform: Designed for both developers and marketers to execute campaigns seamlessly without extensive technical knowledge.
- Omnichannel Support: Engages customers through multiple channels, ensuring no touchpoint is missed.
- Scalable Solutions: Suitable for various industries, including e-commerce, gaming, BFSI, and more, with flexible tools that scale as your business grows.
- Personalization at Scale: Allows businesses to create personalized experiences for every user, driving higher engagement and conversions.
Cons
- Complex Initial Setup: The breadth of features can require a steep learning curve during the initial setup phase.
- Limited Customization for Smaller Teams: Smaller teams might need more resources to fully leverage advanced features.
- Pricing Information: Public pricing details are not readily available, making requesting a demo to understand the cost structure for your specific needs is necessary.
Pricing
- Custom Pricing: WebEngage offers custom pricing based on business needs. Prospective clients must contact the sales team for detailed pricing information.
8. Klaviyo
Klaviyo is a leading unified data and marketing automation platform designed to help businesses drive growth through personalized, omnichannel communication.
With a focus on email, SMS, reviews, and mobile push notifications, Klaviyo enables brands to create seamless, data-driven customer experiences. Trusted by over 151,000 brands globally, Klaviyo consolidates customer data to fuel engagement strategies that increase sales and strengthen digital relationships.
Key Features
- Email Marketing: Create dynamic, engaging email campaigns with personalized product recommendations and custom content.
- SMS Marketing: Reach and interact with VIP customers through two-way SMS communication, offering timely promotions and updates.
- Mobile Push Notifications: Increase customer engagement with perfectly timed mobile notifications, informing users about orders, updates, and more.
- Customer Reviews: Collect and display customer reviews to build trust and increase conversions.
- Customer Data Platform (CDP): Unify and activate customer data from across various platforms to create more personalized marketing campaigns.
- AI & Predictive Analytics: Leverage AI tools to recommend products, guide campaigns, and segment customers based on past and future behaviors.
- Real-Time Segmentation: Build and activate highly specific audience segments using real-time data for improved targeting.
Pros
- Unified Platform: Combines email, SMS, mobile push, and reviews into one seamless platform, reducing the need for multiple tools.
- Personalization at Scale: Uses AI to deliver personalized content across channels, boosting customer engagement and lifetime value.
- Comprehensive Data Management: Klaviyo's CDP consolidates data from multiple sources, offering deep customer insights and improving campaign performance.
- Predictive Analytics: Provides valuable predictive insights, allowing businesses to anticipate customer needs and behaviors, improving conversion rates.
- Easy Integration: Supports over 350+ integrations, Shopify being most popular, making it easy to connect with other tools in your tech stack for unified data access and automation.
Cons
- Learning Curve for New Users: While powerful, Klaviyo’s vast array of features may require some onboarding time for new users unfamiliar with marketing automation.
- Pricing for High-Volume Users: Costs can increase significantly for businesses with larger contact lists or extensive usage of email/SMS features.
- No Built-in Support for Certain Channels: While Klaviyo supports many channels, some niche communication platforms may require additional integrations.
Pricing
- Email and SMS: Starting at $60/month for 1,001 - 1,500 active profiles;
- Email Only: Starting at $45/month for 1,001 - 1,500 active profiles;
- Free Plan: $0/month for up to 500 active profiles.
9. Bloomreach
Bloomreach is an AI-powered e-commerce personalization platform that uniquely integrates real-time customer and product data to deliver personalized marketing, product discovery, and conversational shopping experiences. With a focus on seamlessly connecting brands with their customers, Bloomreach helps businesses drive growth through targeted and relevant interactions. Trusted by over 1,400 brands globally, Bloomreach empowers teams to optimize their e-commerce strategies and enhance customer satisfaction.
Key Features
- AI-Powered Personalization: Utilize Loomi AI to provide contextual product recommendations tailored to individual shopper preferences.
- Unified Marketing Automation: Create cohesive campaigns across multiple channels, including email, SMS, and mobile notifications.
- Comprehensive Customer Data Platform (CDP): Consolidate customer data from various sources to gain actionable insights and improve targeting.
- Search & Merchandising: Enhance product discoverability and improve customer engagement through optimized search capabilities.
- Mobile App Personalization: Deliver personalized experiences in mobile applications to increase user engagement and retention.
Pros
- Seamless Integration: Bloomreach easily connects with leading e-commerce platforms and tools, simplifying data management and campaign execution.
- Real-Time Data Activation: Utilize real-time customer data to deliver timely, relevant marketing messages that resonate with audiences.
- Scalable Solutions: Designed to grow your business, Bloomreach’s flexible platform accommodates varying marketing needs and campaign sizes.
- Robust Analytics: Gain deep insights into customer behavior and campaign performance, enabling data-driven decision-making.
Cons
- Complexity for New Users: The extensive feature set may require a learning curve for teams unfamiliar with advanced e-commerce tools.
- Pricing for Comprehensive Features: Costs may increase as businesses scale and require more advanced functionalities, which could concern smaller brands.
- Integration Limitations: Some specific or niche tools may need additional integration efforts while supporting many channels.
Pricing
Flexible Pricing: Bloomreach offers tiered pricing models based on the features and volume of usage, allowing businesses to select a plan that best fits their needs. Interested companies can request a demo for a tailored pricing proposal.
10. Experience Cloud
Salesforce Experience Cloud is the world’s #1 CRM platform, designed to deliver customer-first digital experiences across multiple channels. With a focus on building connected websites, portals, and applications, Experience Cloud enables businesses to engage customers quickly and effectively while leveraging a single source of truth for all their data. Trusted by businesses globally, it helps create personalized interactions that enhance relationships and drive growth.
Key Features
- Customer-Focused Experiences: Quickly create interactive sites, apps, and portals tailored to specific industry needs, enhancing customer engagement.
- Data Integration: Seamlessly pull data from Salesforce and other third-party sources to enhance functionality and personalization.
- Customizable Templates: Use prebuilt templates and themes to design unique experiences that reflect your brand identity.
- Mobile Optimization: All digital experiences are fully responsive, ensuring ease of use across all devices.
- Engagement Tools: Recognize active community members with custom badges and enable skill endorsements to foster engagement.
Pros
- Unified Platform: Centralizes customer data, making delivering personalized content and experiences easier.
- Rapid Deployment: Users can build and launch experiences quickly using clicks or code, reducing time-to-market.
- Extensive Customization: Offers a high degree of flexibility in design and functionality, allowing businesses to tailor solutions to their unique needs.
- Robust Analytics: Provides customizable dashboards for tracking and optimizing user engagement and site performance.
Cons
- Complex Setup for New Users: The breadth of features may overwhelm new users, requiring a learning curve and training.
- Potential for High Costs: Depending on the level of customization and integration needed, costs can escalate, particularly for larger enterprises.
- Dependency on Salesforce Ecosystem: While powerful, users may rely on Salesforce products for full functionality.
Pricing
Flexible Pricing: Salesforce Experience Cloud offers tiered pricing based on the required features and scale of usage. Businesses can contact Salesforce for a tailored demo to understand the best pricing plan for their specific needs.
11. Iterable
Iterable is a powerful marketing platform designed to help brands connect with customers on a personal level. Iterable allows businesses to create individualized messaging and harmonized campaigns across multiple channels by leveraging real-time data.
With a focus on automation and dynamic campaign management, Iterable helps brands elevate their marketing efforts and foster meaningful customer relationships.
Key Features
- Individualized Messaging: Utilize real-time data to deliver personalized communications tailored to each customer’s preferences and behaviors.
- Channel Orchestration: Seamlessly coordinate messaging across different channels, maximizing impact and reducing noise in customer communications.
- Automated Journeys: Create dynamic customer journeys that adapt in real-time to customer signals, enhancing engagement and efficiency.
- Sophisticated Segmentation: Use advanced segmentation features to target customers effectively and drive stronger connections.
- AI-Powered Tools: Use the capabilities of AI to streamline journey creation and enhance marketing message relevance.
Pros
- High Level of Personalization: Enables businesses to move beyond traditional marketing approaches with tailored experiences for individual customers.
- Integration Capabilities: Easily integrates various data sources to support comprehensive marketing communications.
- Robust Support: Offers extensive customer support resources, including documentation and live chat, helping users maximize the platform’s potential.
Cons
- Learning Curve: New users may face challenges in navigating the platform due to its extensive features and capabilities.
- Potential Complexity: As organizations push the platform's limits, some users may find the depth of features overwhelming without adequate support.
- Pricing for Larger Campaigns: Costs may increase for businesses running extensive automated campaigns or utilizing numerous features.
Pricing
Request Demo for Custom Pricing: Iterable offers tailored pricing based on the specific needs and scale of business usage. Interested companies are encouraged to request a demo to better understand pricing options.
Comparison Table: SuprSend vs Braze
What to Consider When Choosing a Notification Infrastructure
When choosing a way to send notifications, keep these things in mind:
- Your Business Needs: Assess both your current requirements and future growth to ensure the system can scale with you.
- Multi-channel Support and Customer Communication Preferences: Recognize that some customers prefer emails while others prefer texts; choose a system that accommodates all communication channels.
- Reliable Support: Prioritize excellent customer support; look for a readily available provider when you need assistance.
- Seamless Integration: Ensure your new system integrates smoothly with existing tools and workflows.
- Development and Testing Simplicity: Verify that the system offers SDK support for your frontend and backend languages, along with pre-built components for quick integration.
- Value for Investment: Consider the initial cost and how expenses may evolve as your business expands.
- Scalability: As your customer base grows, confirm that the system can handle an increasing volume of messages effectively.
- Deliverability Insights: The system should provide comprehensive logs and analytics to track the success and failures of your notifications.
- User-Friendly Interface: Look for robust and flexible APIs, coupled with an intuitive frontend interface that enhances usability.
- Data Protection: Ensure compliance with privacy regulations to safeguard customer information and maintain trust.
Get Started with SuprSend
Choosing the right notification infrastructure enhances user engagement and customer satisfaction. If you want to streamline communication and ensure accurate message delivery to the right users, SuprSend could be an excellent choice. It helps keep your audience not just informed but fully engaged.
Ready to experience SuprSend? Book a demo today!
