Top Catapush Alternatives: Find Your Perfect Push Notification Solution
Catapush has made a name for itself by offering guaranteed and faster push notification delivery, thanks to its independent XMPP-based gateway. This approach goes beyond the “best effort” delivery of traditional services like Android GCM and Apple APN, making it a strong choice for real-time applications where every notification counts. However, as with any specialized software, developers and businesses often seek Catapush alternative solutions that might better fit their specific project requirements, budget, or preferred tech stack. This article explores some of the leading alternatives to Catapush, offering a diverse range of features and deployment options.
Top Catapush Alternatives
Whether you're looking for open-source flexibility, comprehensive backend services, or specialized mobile marketing tools, these alternatives provide compelling options for robust push notification delivery and real-time communication.

Pubnub
PubNub stands out as a global Real-Time Network, enabling developers to build and scale real-time applications rapidly. It's a robust Catapush alternative offering a Freemium platform compatible with Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, Android, iPhone, Chrome OS, and iPad. PubNub provides a comprehensive backend, data streaming, and real-time pushing capabilities, making it ideal for applications requiring consistent, fast data exchange.

Nakama
Nakama is an excellent open-source Catapush alternative, providing a distributed social and real-time server primarily for games and apps. Available for Free on Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, Self-Hosted environments, and Unity, it offers a large set of services including backend, chat, developer tools, gaming, and multiplayer functionality. Its open-source nature provides flexibility and control for developers seeking a self-hosted solution.

BAASBOX
BAASBOX is a strong Freemium Catapush alternative focused on rapid app development with no vendor lock-in. It supports Windows, Linux, Android, iPhone, Android Tablet, and iPad. BAASBOX provides essential backend services, database management, developer tools, and critically, Push Notifications, allowing you to deploy your app anywhere with various SDKs.

Appcelerator
Appcelerator offers a Commercial platform for creating native mobile apps from a single JavaScript codebase, making it a viable Catapush alternative for cross-platform development. Available on Mac, Windows, and Linux, it includes key features like Push Notifications and real-time analytics, streamlining the mobile app development process.

Urban Airship
Urban Airship (now Airship) is a Commercial, web-based mobile marketing solution and a strong Catapush alternative for comprehensive customer engagement. It specializes in Push Notifications, location-based marketing, and analytics across all major mobile platforms, helping businesses improve user interaction and retention.

Boxcar
Boxcar is a Commercial, web-based Universal Push Notification Platform known for its scalability. As a Catapush alternative, it focuses purely on push notifications, designed to support very large loads, making it suitable for applications with high message volume requirements. It also offers IFTTT integration for enhanced automation.

Zuznow
Zuznow provides a Commercial solution for enterprises to adapt hundreds of existing applications for mobile. Compatible with Windows, Linux, Web, Android, iPhone, Android Tablet, Windows Phone, iPad, and Self-Hosted environments, it focuses on rapid adaptation, making it a unique Catapush alternative for large-scale enterprise mobility.

AWS Mobile Hub
AWS Mobile Hub is a Commercial, web-based service from Amazon that simplifies the addition and configuration of features for mobile apps. As a comprehensive Catapush alternative, it enables user authentication, data storage, backend logic, and robust Push Notifications, leveraging the power of the AWS ecosystem.

SashiDo.io
SashiDo.io is a Commercial, web-based Parse Alternative offering affordable managed Parse Server hosting. It's a versatile Catapush alternative supporting Android, iPhone, Self-Hosted, and various other platforms. SashiDo.io includes critical features like Push Notifications, GitHub integration, and auto-scaling, making it ideal for those seeking a flexible and managed backend-as-a-service solution.

moback
moBack is a Freemium, web-based enterprise-ready mobile backend platform. As a scalable Catapush alternative, it combines an array of services for rapid development and deployment of applications over your existing infrastructure, focusing on robust backend capabilities.
Each of these alternatives offers unique strengths, from specialized push notification services to comprehensive backend platforms. Consider your project's specific needs regarding platform compatibility, feature set, pricing model (freemium, commercial, open-source), and required level of control (self-hosted vs. managed) to identify the best Catapush alternative for your next real-time application.