Notifications can go by email, push, SMS or WhatsApp. Email and push are on by default. SMS and WhatsApp are off until you turn them on, because they cost money per message.
Why the defaults are what they are
Email and push cost nothing extra, so they are safe to have on from the first day. Turning SMS on silently would mean a business discovering a bill they never agreed to, which is why it waits for a deliberate decision.
The default for everything. Cheap, detailed and easy to keep a copy of.
Push
Goes to the customer's phone through the app. Immediate and free, and it only reaches people who have the app.
SMS
Almost always read within minutes, which makes it the strongest reminder channel and the most expensive. Most businesses that use it use it for the day-before reminder only.
More room than a text and more conversational. It carries a per-message cost like SMS.
Turning a channel on
Enable it, then check your messaging setup so there is something behind it. A channel enabled with nothing configured produces messages that never arrive.
Common questions
Why are my customers not getting texts?
SMS is off by default. Enable it and check Settings, then Messaging.
Do customers choose their own channel?
Customers control their own notification preferences. What you enable sets what is possible.
Is push the same as an SMS?
No. Push goes through the app and is free. SMS goes to any phone and costs per message.
Topics
Related articles
Controlling what your customers receive
Settings then Notifications controls which notifications your customers receive and when they are sent.
Setting up messaging
Settings then Messaging is where your SMS and WhatsApp arrangement lives, including what messaging is costing you.
Push notifications on the app
Push notifications reach customers who have the app installed, arrive immediately and cost nothing to send.