ntfy

Name: ntfy
Price: 5 USD

Free plan AndroidAPIiPhoneSelf-hostedWeb

What ntfy is

ntfy is an HTTP-based publish-subscribe notification service for delivering messages to phones or desktops from scripts and REST API requests. Send a message with an HTTP PUT or POST request; topics are created when someone publishes to or subscribes to them. Notifications can include priorities, attachments, action buttons, tags, and emojis. The web app can subscribe to topics and display incoming messages as browser notifications, while open-source Android and iOS apps provide mobile push notifications.

You can self-host the ntfy server, with installation options including a binary, tarball, deb or rpm package, and Docker image. Listed integrations include Home Assistant, Healthchecks.io, changedetection.io, Uptime Kuma, and Netdata. Android intents connect the app to automation tools such as MacroDroid and Tasker. The service supports anonymous use. By default, messages are cached for 12 hours and attachments for 3 hours; connections to ntfy.sh use TLS/HTTPS, passwords are stored as bcrypt hashes, and message content is not logged by default. Public ntfy.sh topics require care: without access control, anyone who knows the topic name can use it, so the documentation advises using an unguessable name. Messages can be up to 4,096 bytes, with longer content treated as attachments. ntfy has a free plan and paid plans from $5/mo (annual).

Who it suits

ntfy suits people who want scripts, REST API requests, or automation tools to send alerts to phones or browser sessions. It can serve users who want hosted notifications as well as those who prefer to self-host the server.

What it does well

Publishes messages through HTTP PUT or POST requests.
Open-source Android and iOS apps provide mobile notifications.
Supports priorities, attachments, buttons, tags, and emojis.
Can be self-hosted with several installation routes.
Lists integrations including Home Assistant and Uptime Kuma.
Anonymous use is supported.

What to know first

Desktop push is marked unavailable.
Messages are limited to 4,096 bytes before longer content becomes an attachment.
Public topics need access control or an unguessable name.
Free plan limits are not described here.

Limits

The free plan's quotas are not described here. The listed message size limit is 4,096 bytes; longer messages are treated as attachments. By default, messages are cached for 12 hours and attachments for 3 hours.

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Supporter	Monthly/Annually selector shown; page displays $6$5/ month · 2,500 daily messages · 3 reserved topics · 3 phone calls · 50 daily emails · 25 MB per attachment	$5 a month
Pro	Monthly/Annually selector shown; page displays $12$10/ month · 20k daily messages · 10 reserved topics · 20 phone calls · 250 daily emails · 250 MB per attachment · Email support	$10 a month
Business	Monthly/Annually selector shown; page displays $25$20/ month · 50k daily messages · 50 reserved topics · 50 phone calls · 500 daily emails · 1 GB per attachment · Email & chat support	$20 a month

As ntfy.sh lists them, read 5 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Visit ntfy.sh.
Choose the web app, Android or iOS app, or a self-hosted server.
Subscribe to a topic in the web app or mobile app.
Publish to the topic using an HTTP PUT or POST request.
For self-hosting, choose a listed binary, tarball, deb/rpm package, or Docker image.

Verdict

Choose ntfy if you want to send alerts from scripts or APIs to mobile apps or browser notifications, with a self-hosting option. Look elsewhere if desktop push is required or if you need guarantees beyond the stated public-topic safeguards.

Questions

What does ntfy cost?

A free plan is available. Paid access starts at $5/mo (annual).

Which platforms does ntfy support?

The listed platforms are Android, iOS, web, API, and self-hosted. Desktop push is marked unavailable.

Can I self-host ntfy?

Yes. Installation options include a binary, tarball, deb or rpm package, and Docker image.

Is ntfy open source?

The Android and iOS apps are described as open-source.

Which integrations are listed?

Officially listed integrations include Home Assistant, Healthchecks.io, changedetection.io, Uptime Kuma, and Netdata.

Are ntfy.sh topics private?

Topics are public unless access control is configured. Without access control, an unguessable topic name functions as the password.

Facts from ntfy's own pages

API access: Yes · ntfy.sh, 20 Sept 2026
API limit: The documentation states that each message can be up to 4,096 bytes long, with longer messages treated as attachments. · docs.ntfy.sh, 5 Oct 2026
Automation: The Android app integrates with automation apps such as MacroDroid and Tasker using Android intents. · docs.ntfy.sh, 5 Oct 2026
Automation workflows: Yes · ntfy.sh, 20 Sept 2026
Desktop push: No · ntfy.sh, 20 Sept 2026
Desktop web: The web app can subscribe to topics and show incoming messages as browser notifications. · docs.ntfy.sh, 5 Oct 2026
Free plan: Yes · ntfy.sh, 20 Sept 2026
Integrations: Officially listed integrations include Home Assistant, Healthchecks.io, changedetection.io, Uptime Kuma, and Netdata. · docs.ntfy.sh, 5 Oct 2026
Intended audience: The site describes using ntfy to receive alerts about script failures, completed long-running commands, and home automation events. · docs.ntfy.sh, 5 Oct 2026
Mobile apps: ntfy provides open-source Android and iOS apps, and Android is also available through F-Droid and GitHub APKs. · docs.ntfy.sh, 5 Oct 2026
Mobile push: Yes · ntfy.sh, 20 Sept 2026
Notifications: Notifications support priorities, attachments, action buttons, tags, and emojis. · ntfy.sh, 5 Oct 2026
Privacy: The privacy policy says anonymous use is supported, messages are cached by default for 12 hours, and attachments for 3 hours. · docs.ntfy.sh, 5 Oct 2026
Product: ntfy is an HTTP-based publish-subscribe notification service for sending notifications to phones or desktops from scripts or through a REST API. · ntfy.sh, 5 Oct 2026
Public topics: The documentation warns that ntfy.sh topics are public and that an unguessable topic name functions as the password when access control is not configured. · docs.ntfy.sh, 5 Oct 2026
Publishing: Messages can be published with HTTP PUT or POST requests, and topics are created when subscribed to or published to. · ntfy.sh, 5 Oct 2026
Security: The privacy policy states that connections to ntfy.sh use TLS/HTTPS, passwords are stored as bcrypt hashes, and message content is not logged by default. · docs.ntfy.sh, 5 Oct 2026
Self-hosting: The ntfy server can be self-hosted, and the installation documentation lists binary, tarball, deb/rpm package, and Docker image options. · docs.ntfy.sh, 5 Oct 2026
Paid from: 5 · ntfy.sh, 20 Sept 2026
Support: The Pro plan includes email support and the Business plan includes email and chat support. · ntfy.sh, 5 Oct 2026
Web push: Yes · ntfy.sh, 20 Sept 2026

Where ntfy stands on Freedom251

Push notification services#5 of 31
Push Notification Software#6 of 30