Thinking about switching your push notifications from your current provider to something that, frankly, might just work better? This guide is for you. Whether your old provider is too expensive, missing features, or just plain unreliable, moving to OneSignal is a solid choice—but only if you do it right. Here’s a step-by-step guide for developers, marketers, or product folks who want a clean migration without breaking stuff or annoying users.
1. Get Clear on Why You’re Migrating
First, don’t just migrate because someone read a blog post or because it’s “the industry standard.” Know what you want to fix:
- Are you chasing better delivery rates?
- Want more robust analytics?
- Looking for easier integration, or just a better price?
Write this down. You’ll avoid chasing shiny features you’ll never use, and you’ll know what “success” looks like after the dust settles.
Pro tip: If you’re happy with your current provider’s reliability and features, migrating isn’t always worth the hassle. The grass isn’t always greener.
2. Audit Your Current Push Setup
This is the step most people skip, and they regret it later. Spend some time mapping out:
- Which platforms are you sending to? (Web, iOS, Android, etc.)
- How do you segment users? (Tags, attributes, channels?)
- What automation and triggers are set up? (Drip campaigns, event-triggered pushes, scheduled notifications.)
- How are you managing user tokens and permissions?
- Any third-party integrations? (CRM, analytics, etc.)
Take screenshots, export configs, and document what you actually use—not just what exists.
What to ignore: Don’t bother documenting features you never used, or automations that haven’t fired in months. Focus on what matters most to your users and business.
3. Set Up Your OneSignal Account
Sign up at OneSignal if you haven’t already. The setup wizard is straightforward, and you’ll need to:
- Pick the platforms you’ll use (Web Push, iOS, Android, Email, SMS, etc.).
- Get your API keys and project/app IDs ready for integration.
- Invite collaborators if your team is involved.
Watch out: OneSignal’s free tier is generous, but paid plans unlock things like advanced analytics and message personalization. Know what you’ll need before migrating.
4. Integrate OneSignal SDKs in Your Apps
This is where things get real. You’ll need to swap out your old push SDK for OneSignal’s. The docs are good, but here’s what to focus on:
- Mobile (iOS/Android): Remove the old provider’s SDK completely. Residual code can cause conflicts.
- Web: Replace old service worker code. Double-check browser compatibility for your audience.
- Backend: Update your backend code to use OneSignal’s REST API for sending notifications and managing users.
Pitfalls to avoid: - Mixing SDKs from different providers can break notifications or cause duplicate pushes. - If you use custom event tracking or user segments, you’ll need to map these to OneSignal’s equivalent.
Pro tip: Test on a staging environment first—don’t experiment on your live users.
5. Migrate User Tokens and Permissions
This is the trickiest step, especially if you have a lot of active users.
- Mobile: User tokens (device IDs) are usually provider-specific. You can’t just export/import them. Users will need to re-register with OneSignal the next time they open your app.
- Web: Same story—browser push tokens can’t be migrated directly. Users will need to re-opt in.
- What you can migrate: User attributes, segments, and tags—if you’ve exported this data from your old provider, you can import it into OneSignal via their API.
Don’t over-engineer: Trying to “hack” a migration for push tokens is usually more trouble than it’s worth. Expect a drop in subscribed users at first, but most will re-opt in with the right prompts.
6. Recreate Your Segments, Automations, and Triggers
Now’s the time to rebuild the stuff that actually matters to your users:
- Segments: Import your lists, tags, or user properties—OneSignal has flexible segmentation tools.
- Automations: Recreate any welcome series, drip campaigns, or trigger-based pushes you actually use.
- Scheduled/recurring notifications: Set these up in the OneSignal dashboard.
What to skip: Don’t blindly copy everything. If there’s an old campaign or segment that’s not delivering results, now’s your chance to leave it behind.
Gotchas: OneSignal’s automation builder is powerful, but it’s not always a 1:1 match with your old provider’s features. Test thoroughly.
7. Test Everything—For Real
Don’t just “smoke test” a single notification. Here’s what to actually do:
- Test push delivery on every platform and browser you support.
- Trigger automations and confirm they fire as expected.
- Check user opt-in flows—are permissions prompts clear and not annoying?
- Validate analytics—are opens, deliveries, and errors tracking correctly?
Recruit teammates or a few real users to test with their actual devices. Bugs only show up when you least expect them.
Pro tip: Keep your old provider running in parallel (but muted) for a week or two. Gives you a safety net if something breaks.
8. Communicate the Change (If Needed)
Most users won’t notice the backend switch, but some might need to re-opt in. Consider:
- Prompting users with a friendly message explaining why they need to enable notifications again.
- Reminding power users or admins via email.
- Monitoring opt-in rates—look for sudden drops that could signal issues with the new flow.
Don’t oversell: No need for a “we’re migrating to OneSignal!” campaign. Just make it easy for users to re-enable notifications if needed.
9. Monitor, Iterate, and Optimize
You’re live! Now, keep an eye on:
- Delivery rates: Are notifications reaching as many users as before?
- Opt-in rates: Did your subscriber count dip? If so, tweak your prompts and onboarding.
- User engagement: Are open rates, clicks, and conversions steady or improving?
- Error logs: Watch for platform-specific issues, especially on iOS (Apple loves to break things).
Tweak your campaigns and segments as you learn. Don’t be afraid to kill features that aren’t working.
What to ignore: Don’t obsess over minor feature differences between providers. Focus on what your users actually notice.
Switching push providers isn’t glamorous, but it doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Focus on the basics: clean integration, clear communication, and keeping what works. Skip the “lift and shift” mindset and use this as a chance to simplify. Get the essentials running, then iterate. If you’ve made it this far, you’ve already done the hardest part.