Overview
What Firebase FCM is
Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) delivers push notifications to Android, iOS, and web at no cost, using Google's messaging infrastructure.
Courier sits in front of it, manages device tokens for you, and adds an in-app inbox and SMS, so you get a complete mobile messaging stack from one API.
You need a Courier account and your own Firebase project with a service account.
Why Courier
What you get with Firebase FCM + Courier
We manage device tokens
Courier stores and manages push tokens across iOS, Android, and web, so you stop tracking device registrations and expiry yourself.
Add an in-app inbox
Pair push with an in-product notification center (web and mobile SDKs), so a tapped push opens the full message history in your app.
Complete the mobile picture with SMS
Add SMS alongside push from the same notification, so you can still reach users who have push turned off.
Design push without code
Compose and localize push content in Courier's editor. Product teams change messaging without a deploy.
Automate multi-step flows
Onboarding, re-engagement, and lifecycle sequences across push, in-app, and SMS with delays and branching.
Localize a message in seconds
Pick a language and let Courier translate your push content with AI, then tweak any string.
Use cases
What teams build with it
Setup
Connect it in minutes
An admin adds Firebase FCM once on the Integrations page in Courier. Once connected, Courier manages tokens and your team can send push, add an in-app inbox, and layer in SMS.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) with Courier?
Yes. Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) is a push provider in Courier. You use it to deliver mobile push notifications through the Send API, with Courier adding content design and multichannel orchestration on top.
Do I still need my own FCM account?
Yes. Courier delivers through your own Firebase project rather than replacing it. You keep your Google service account and, for iOS, your Apple APNs setup, and Courier authenticates as your project to send.
What do I need to connect FCM to Courier?
You paste the contents of your Firebase service account private key JSON into the FCM Provider Configuration in Courier. That authenticates Courier to send push through your Firebase project.
How do I send push to iOS devices through FCM?
Create an APNs authentication key (a .p8 file) in your Apple Developer account and upload it to your Firebase project under Apple apps. Courier then routes iOS push through FCM, with iOS values set via providers.firebase-fcm.override.body.apns.
How does Courier handle FCM device tokens?
Courier Mobile SDKs automatically sync and store tokens, so you address recipients by user_id. Without the SDKs, you sync and manage FCM tokens yourself and send to the recipient's firebaseToken.
Which platforms can I send FCM push to with Courier?
Android, iOS, React Native, and Flutter. Each is covered by a Courier Mobile SDK, and Android handles token syncing automatically while iOS also needs the APNs key configured in Firebase.
Is Courier a replacement for FCM?
No. FCM still delivers the push notifications to devices. Courier sits in front, giving you one Send API, content design in Design Studio, Journeys, and other channels like email, SMS, and Courier Inbox.
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