How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Braze is the closest enterprise replacement for CleverTap, with cross-channel journeys and real-time data.
- MoEngage is the closest like-for-like swap for mobile-first brands that want analytics plus engagement in one tool.
- OneSignal is the budget pick, with a real free tier and self-serve setup for startups and small apps.
- Customer.io suits developer-led SaaS teams that trigger messages from product events rather than marketing lists.
- Airship, WebEngage, Pushwoosh, and Insider One cover enterprise mobile, budget CDP-led engagement, push-first messaging, and ecommerce personalization.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Braze | Enterprise cross-channel engagement | See website | Free trial |
 MoEngage | Mobile-first lifecycle marketing | See website | No |
 OneSignal | Budget push and lifecycle messaging | $19 per month | Yes |
 Iterable | Complex cross-channel campaigns | See website | No |
 Customer.io | Developer-led lifecycle messaging | See website | Free trial (14 days) |
 Airship | Enterprise mobile experiences | See website | No |
 WebEngage | CDP-led engagement on a budget | See website | No |
 Pushwoosh | Push-first omnichannel messaging | See website | Yes |
 Insider One | Ecommerce personalization at scale | See website | No |
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
The best CleverTap alternatives for mobile retention and engagement
#1Braze
Best for: Enterprise cross-channel engagement4.4/5 on
G2 (1,965 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit braze.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial
Braze is the default enterprise replacement for CleverTap. It unifies customer data, builds real-time profiles, and runs email, push, SMS, WhatsApp, and in-app messages from one journey builder. BrazeAI helps teams draft campaigns, pick send times, and optimize content, which shortens the work between an idea and a live campaign. The platform scales to very large consumer audiences without losing message-level personalization.
The cost is the main barrier. Braze pricing is custom, implementation is a project, and small teams may pay for depth they do not need. For consumer brands with serious mobile apps, large audiences, and complex lifecycle programs, Braze is the strongest CleverTap alternative and the one most likely to match CleverTap's breadth at enterprise scale.
What we like- Real-time data platform and cross-channel journeys
- Strong AI-assisted campaign tools
- Proven at large consumer scale
Watch out for- Quote-based pricing with no public entry price
- Needs a data and marketing team to use well
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
MoEngage is the closest like-for-like swap for CleverTap. Both tools combine product analytics, segmentation, and engagement, so teams can see why users churn and then message them from the same platform. MoEngage covers push, email, SMS, WhatsApp, in-app, and onsite messages, with AI tools that suggest segments, content, and send times. Its strength in Asia, the Middle East, and other mobile-first markets makes it a natural fit for apps with global audiences.
Pricing is quote-based and based on monthly active users, so costs rise with audience size. Teams in North America should confirm local support and integrations during a trial. For mobile-first consumer brands that want CleverTap's analytics-plus-engagement model without switching categories, MoEngage is the most direct alternative.
What we like- Analytics and engagement in one platform
- Strong WhatsApp and SMS coverage
- AI-assisted journey tools
Watch out for- Pricing is quote-based
- Global support and integrations vary by region
#3OneSignal
Best for: Budget push and lifecycle messaging4.7/5 on
G2 (1,221 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit onesignal.com
Starting price$19 per month
Free planYes
OneSignal is the practical pick for startups and small apps that need messaging live this week. A free plan covers up to 1,000 monthly active users, and the Growth plan starts at $19 per month plus usage charges. SDKs for Android, iOS, Flutter, React Native, Expo, and Unity make integration straightforward, and journeys cover onboarding, habit building, and churn recovery without an enterprise contract.
OneSignal is not a full analytics replacement for CleverTap. Its funnel, cohort, and retention analysis is useful but lighter, and large audiences will need to model usage charges carefully. For teams that mainly need reliable push and lifecycle messaging at low cost, OneSignal is the best value in this list.
What we like- Free tier for small apps
- Fast self-serve setup
- Push, email, SMS, and in-app in one account
Watch out for- Paid plans add usage charges per mobile push user
- Analytics depth is thinner than CleverTap
#4Iterable
Best for: Complex cross-channel campaigns4.4/5 on
G2 (839 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit iterable.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Iterable suits growth and enterprise teams running sophisticated cross-channel programs. Its data model handles behavioral, product, and engagement data, and its journey builder coordinates email, SMS, push, WhatsApp, and in-app messages around one customer view. Real-time decisioning adapts each message to behavior and context, rather than following a fixed sequence. That flexibility matters when campaigns depend on purchase history, subscription status, or product usage.
Iterable pricing is custom and implementation takes time, so it fits teams with dedicated lifecycle staff and a data foundation. Small apps should start with OneSignal or Pushwoosh instead. For mid-market and enterprise brands that outgrow simple push tools, Iterable is a strong CleverTap replacement.
What we like- Flexible data model and journey builder
- Real-time decisioning
- Strong for email plus mobile
Watch out for- Enterprise pricing and longer implementation
- Overbuilt for simple push needs
Starting priceSee website
Free planFree trial (14 days)
Customer.io is built for teams that think in events, not lists. Product events, such as signups, feature use, or payment failures, trigger journeys across email, push, SMS, WhatsApp, and in-app messages. That model suits SaaS companies where onboarding, activation, and retention depend on what users actually did in the product. Developers get a clean API, webhooks, and data pipelines, while marketers build journeys without waiting on engineering for every change.
Customer.io offers a 14-day free trial but no permanent free plan, and its mobile messaging depth is thinner than Braze or MoEngage. For SaaS and product-led teams that want CleverTap-style retention without a mobile-first suite, Customer.io is a practical and well-documented choice.
What we like- Event-triggered journeys from your own data
- Strong for SaaS onboarding and retention
- Flexible API and webhooks
Watch out for- No permanent free plan
- In-app messaging is simpler than mobile-first suites
#6Airship
Best for: Enterprise mobile experiences4.0/5 on
G2 (83 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit airship.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Airship, formerly Urban Airship, is a mobile veteran with deep push, in-app, wallet, and web messaging tools. Its platform builds native in-app experiences without code, orchestrates cross-channel journeys, and uses AI agents to draft experiences, recommend actions, and explain results. Mobile wallet passes and Live Activities support brands in travel, retail, sports, and media where the app itself is the customer relationship.
Airship pricing is custom and its positioning is enterprise, so startups will find OneSignal or Pushwoosh more practical. For large brands with mobile audiences where delivery reliability and rich in-app experiences matter more than low cost, Airship is a credible CleverTap alternative with a longer mobile track record than most competitors.
What we like- Long mobile expertise and reliable push delivery
- Wallet passes and Live Activities
- Outcome-focused AI tools
Watch out for- Enterprise pricing
- Heavier than needed for small apps
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
WebEngage combines a customer data platform with marketing automation, so teams unify customer records and run journeys across push, email, SMS, WhatsApp, and onsite messages from one record. That CDP-led approach suits companies that need event pipelines and segmentation without buying a separate CDP. AI agents inside the platform help build campaigns and report revenue, which reduces manual work for smaller marketing teams.
WebEngage pricing is quote-based, with startup packages that make it more accessible than enterprise suites. Teams should confirm integrations and support coverage for their region during evaluation. For budget-conscious teams that want CleverTap-style data plus engagement, WebEngage offers a strong balance of breadth and cost.
What we like- Customer data platform plus journeys in one tool
- Broad channel coverage
- Startup-friendly packaging
Watch out for- Pricing is quote-based
- Brand recognition is lower in North America
#8Pushwoosh
Best for: Push-first omnichannel messaging4.4/5 on
G2 (51 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit pushwoosh.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
Pushwoosh is a push-first engagement platform with email, in-app, and web push alongside mobile push. Its free tier covers up to 1,000 monthly active users, and all features are available on all plans, which avoids the tier-gating common in larger suites. Segmentation, journeys, A/B testing, and delivery analytics cover the core retention use cases for apps, games, media, and ecommerce.
Pushwoosh does not match CleverTap's funnel and cohort analytics depth, and teams that need advanced product analytics should pair it with a dedicated analytics tool. For apps that mainly need reliable, affordable push and omnichannel messaging, Pushwoosh is a strong budget alternative to CleverTap.
What we like- Free tier up to 1,000 monthly active users
- All features on all plans
- Strong push and in-app tooling
Watch out for- Analytics depth is thinner than CleverTap
- Enterprise features need a custom plan
#9Insider One
Best for: Ecommerce personalization at scale4.7/5 on
G2 (1,430 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit useinsider.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Insider One, formerly Insider, combines a customer data platform, personalization, and journey orchestration across email, SMS, push, WhatsApp, web, and onsite experiences. Retail and ecommerce brands use it to personalize product discovery, recommendations, and campaigns from one customer view. Its AI system plans, creates, and optimizes engagement, which helps large catalog brands that cannot hand-build every campaign.
Insider One pricing is custom and implementation is enterprise-scale, so it fits mid-market and large brands rather than startups. App-only teams may find Braze or MoEngage more focused. For ecommerce brands that want CleverTap-style engagement plus web personalization in one vendor, Insider One is a strong alternative.
What we like- Very broad channel and personalization coverage
- CDP plus journey orchestration
- Strong for retail and ecommerce
Watch out for- Enterprise pricing and implementation
- Broader than needed for app-only teams
How we chose
We compared vendor pricing pages, documentation, and public reviews on G2, Capterra, and Reddit, and we checked each vendor homepage to confirm the product still exists and accepts new customers. We favored tools that replace CleverTap's core jobs, meaning mobile push, in-app messaging, segmentation, journeys, and retention analytics, over narrow push-only tools. We also weighed channel breadth, pricing models, free plans, and fit for startups versus enterprise teams.
Choosing the right CleverTap alternative
Match the tool to your main channel
If push and in-app messages drive retention, start with MoEngage, Airship, OneSignal, or Pushwoosh. If email and SMS matter as much as push, Iterable, Customer.io, or Braze may fit better. If web personalization is part of the job, Insider One adds onsite experiences that mobile-first tools do not.
Price on monthly active users, not seats
Most engagement platforms charge by monthly active users or profiles, not by seats. Model your current and projected audience, then compare total cost at that volume, including SMS and WhatsApp message charges. A low entry price can rise quickly at scale, and a quote-based enterprise plan may include delivery credits that change the comparison.
Pilot one retention journey end to end
Pick one real journey, such as onboarding or win-back, and run it in the new tool from event to message to measurement. That pilot tests SDK integration, segmentation, delivery, and reporting together. If the pilot needs heavy engineering help for a simple journey, the tool is probably too complex for your team.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best overall CleverTap alternative?
MoEngage is the closest like-for-like replacement for mobile-first brands, while Braze is the best enterprise replacement overall. OneSignal is the best budget pick, and Customer.io is best for developer-led SaaS teams. The right choice depends on audience size, channels, and team skills.
Is there a free CleverTap alternative?
Yes, with limits. OneSignal and Pushwoosh both offer free tiers up to 1,000 monthly active users. Braze and Customer.io offer free trials but no permanent free plans. Free tiers suit small apps and pilots, while production audiences at scale need paid plans.
How hard is it to migrate from CleverTap?
Migration effort depends on SDKs, segments, and journeys. Replacing SDKs and validating events takes days to weeks, while rebuilding segments and journeys takes longer. Run both tools in parallel for at least one campaign cycle, export your segments and journey logic first, and validate push delivery on both platforms before switching fully.
Do I need analytics plus engagement in one tool?
Not always. CleverTap and MoEngage bundle both, which simplifies reporting and targeting. Teams that already use a product analytics tool can choose a messaging-first platform such as OneSignal, Pushwoosh, or Customer.io and keep analytics separate. Bundling helps when the same team owns retention and reporting.
Which alternative is best for WhatsApp messaging?
MoEngage, Braze, WebEngage, and Insider One all support WhatsApp alongside push, email, and SMS. MoEngage is a strong pick for WhatsApp-heavy markets, thanks to its mobile-first design and regional coverage. Confirm WhatsApp pricing and template rules for your region, since message costs vary by market.
What should I check before signing an enterprise contract?
Check pricing units, message overages, data retention, and support coverage for your regions. Confirm whether analytics, AI features, and all channels are included or gated by tier. Ask for a pilot with your real audience volume, and compare total cost at projected scale rather than entry price alone.
Sources we checked (9)
- https://www.braze.com/pricing
- https://www.moengage.com/pricing
- https://onesignal.com/pricing
- https://iterable.com/pricing
- https://customer.io/pricing
- https://www.airship.com/pricing
- https://webengage.com/pricing
- https://www.pushwoosh.com/pricing
- https://useinsider.com/pricing
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.