Push notifications
Push notifications setup
Connect Firebase, capture FCM tokens automatically, and understand what makes a push reachable.
Why Firebase#
Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) is the delivery network Google and Apple expose for pushes. Nerja sends through your Firebase project, so tokens, quotas and sender identity stay yours.
Connect Firebase#
- 1
Create or open your Firebase project
Firebase console → your project. Add your Android and/or iOS app (and a Web app for browser push).
- 2
Download a service-account key
Project settings → Service accounts → Generate new private key. You get a JSON file. Treat it like a password.
- 3
Integrate in Nerja
AI Connectors → Firebase (FCM) → Integrate. Paste or drop the JSON. Nerja verifies it with Google before saving anything. Nerja stores only the project id, service-account email and private key, encrypted.
After connecting, the same dialog shows your app key and copy-paste snippets. To change the key, Disconnect and connect again.
How tokens are captured#
- 1launch — only people with a token
- 2send with your service account
- 3route to the device
- 4notification arrives
- 5delivered · opened · clicked
You never paste tokens. When the SDK (or the browser) obtains an FCM token it registers it with the signed-in user. The lead then shows an FCM token in Intent Signals, and the person becomes reachable on push.
// what
One token per app install or browser. A person can have several.
// why
Nerja sends to every active token of the person and removes tokens Google reports as dead (uninstalled/expired).
iPhone: the APNs key#
FCM hands iOS pushes to Apple (APNs), so Firebase needs your Apple key: Apple Developer → Keys → create a key with “Apple Push Notifications service”, then upload the .p8 in Firebase → Project settings → Cloud Messaging → Apple app configuration. Without it Nerja shows: “Apple rejected this iOS push — upload your APNs authentication key…”.
Web push#
Browsers can receive pushes too (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari on iPhone when the site is added to the Home Screen). It needs your Firebase web config, a web push key (VAPID) from Cloud Messaging → Web configuration, a service worker, and the visitor's permission.
What it costs#
- Firebase Cloud Messaging is free — the free Spark plan is enough.
- iOS adds Apple's Developer Program fee (paid by the app owner, not by Nerja).
- Google Play has its own one-time developer fee if you publish an Android app.
Built-in safeguards#
| Safeguard | What it does |
|---|---|
| No token, no send | A person without an FCM token is never messaged. A push-only campaign to people without tokens is refused at launch. |
| Daily cap | At most 3 push notifications per person per 24 hours. |
| Quiet hours | Pushes wait until the recipient's local daytime. |
| Do-not-contact | Suppressed contacts are skipped before anything is sent. |
| Your site only | A tap link must be on your website (Settings → Website); anything else is replaced by your store link. |
Prefer to talk it through? Book a 30-minute call with the Nerja team.
Something unclear or missing? Email support@nerja.ai and we will improve this page.