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Email fallback (opt-in)
If the push can't be delivered, the message arrives by email — opt-in per channel.
What is an email fallback?
An email fallback is a backup delivery route: if a push notification doesn't reach
the recipient, the same message is sent as an email instead. Push is convenient but never
guaranteed — the browser was uninstalled, the token expired, the notification permission was
revoked. That's exactly when the fallback kicks in, and the message still goes out without you
wiring up a second service.
The difference from simply always emailing too: the email is sent only when push failed.
No duplicate notification, no extra inbox noise.
Opt-in per channel
Each subscriber decides for themselves, per channel, whether they want the email fallback —
toggled via the email icon in the channel. A verified email address is required,
so control stays with the recipient.
When does the fallback kick in?
If a message can't be delivered by push — for example because no valid push subscription exists
(any more) — PushPig sends it as an email instead, to those subscribers who enabled the fallback.
The typical triggers:
- The recipient has no device registered for this channel at all
- Notification permission was revoked in the browser or in the system settings
- The push service reports the subscription as gone (
404/410) —
PushPig cleans it up automatically afterwards
- Browser profile deleted, app uninstalled, or the FCM token became invalid
The fallback is a per-recipient decision, not a per-message one: within the same
send, part of the group can get the push on their phone while another part receives the very same
message as an email — nobody gets both.
Push and email compared
| Push | Email fallback |
|---|
| Delivery | within seconds | seconds to minutes |
| Requires | registered device + permission | verified address + opt-in |
| Action buttons | yes, up to two | no, link in the body |
| Quiet hours | respected | respected |
| Stats field | push_sent | email_sent |
Email delivery is counted separately in the delivery stats (email_sent), so for each
event you can see how many recipients were reached by push and how many by email.
Why not just send email?
A push service is not a newsletter tool, and an email service is not an alerting channel. Push
lands on the lock screen, email in an inbox that is often opened hours later. The fallback
combines both in the right order: the fast route first, and only if that fails, the reliable one.
For you it stays one API call — you neither evaluate delivery errors nor wire up
a second provider.
Privacy
Email addresses are used solely for the delivery the user enabled themselves. Disabling the
fallback or deleting the account ends any further use. Delivery runs via servers in the EU.
Frequently asked questions
What is an email fallback?
An email fallback is a backup delivery route for notifications: if a push message doesn't reach
the recipient, the same message is delivered as an email instead. It only goes out on failure —
never in addition to the push.
Do recipients get the message twice?
No. Exactly one route is used per recipient: if the push arrives, there is no email. The
fallback only kicks in once push delivery has failed.
Who enables the email fallback?
The recipients themselves, individually per channel, via the email icon in the channel. A
verified email address is required. As a sender you cannot turn the fallback on for someone
else.
Do I have to change anything in my code?
No. You send a single request to the send API as usual. PushPig decides per recipient whether
push or email is used and reports both separately in the delivery stats.
Does a fallback email count against my push quota?
No. What counts is the send, not the delivery route: one call to the send API costs one unit of
your monthly quota regardless of how many recipients are reached by push and how many by email.
The email fallback is available on every plan, including the free one.
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