Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)¶

Quick answers to common questions about Notifer.

Can't find your question?

Check our Troubleshooting Guide or contact support at support@notifer.io.

General¶

What is Notifer?¶

Notifer is a simple HTTP-based notification service. Send push notifications to your devices via HTTP requests - no SDKs required. Perfect for: - Server monitoring alerts - CI/CD pipeline notifications - IoT device notifications - Personal reminders and automation

How is Notifer different from similar solutions?¶

Compared to other push notification services, Notifer offers: - ✅ User accounts and authentication - ✅ Private topics with access control - ✅ Native mobile apps (iOS & Android) - ✅ Topic access tokens for secure integrations - ✅ User API keys for multi-topic automation - ✅ In-app notification center - ✅ Subscription tiers with different limits

Is Notifer free?¶

Yes! Notifer offers a generous free tier: - 1,000 messages per month - 5 topics maximum - 7-day message retention - Basic notification support

Paid plans (ESSENTIALS, TEAM) offer higher limits and additional features. See Pricing.

Is Notifer open source?¶

Not currently. Notifer is a commercial hosted service. We may consider open-sourcing components in the future.

Can I self-host Notifer?¶

No, Notifer is designed as a hosted service only. We don't support self-hosting to ensure consistent user experience, security, and feature updates.

Accounts¶

Do I need an account to use Notifer?¶

Yes, authentication is required to publish messages and create topics. This ensures: - Accountability and spam prevention - Topic ownership and management - Message history tracking - Better security and compliance

You can subscribe to public topics without an account, but publishing requires authentication.

How do I create an account?¶

Visit app.notifer.io/register
Enter email and password, or sign up with Google
Verify your email
Start using Notifer

See Account Setup Guide for details.

Can I change my email address?¶

No, the email address cannot be changed as it serves as your account identifier. If you need to change your email, please contact support@notifer.io.

How do I delete my account?¶

Go to Settings → Account
Scroll to "Danger Zone"
Click "Delete Account"
Confirm by entering password and typing "DELETE"

Permanent Action

Account deletion is permanent. All your topics, messages, and settings will be lost.

What happens to my topics if I delete my account?¶

Topics you own: Permanently deleted
Topics you're subscribed to: Your subscription is removed, topics remain active

Topics¶

What's the difference between public and private topics?¶

Feature	Public Topics	Private Topics
Authentication to publish	Not required ⚠️	Required (JWT/API key/token)
Who can publish	Anyone who knows the topic name	Owner + token holders only
Who can subscribe	Anyone	Owner + token holders only
Access control	❌ None (IP rate limiting only)	✅ Full control via tokens
Discoverable	Yes (optional, in Browse Topics)	No (hidden)
Best for	Open communities, non-sensitive data	Production systems, sensitive data
Security	⚠️ Use unpredictable names	🔒 Full access control

PUBLIC Topic Security Warning

Anyone who knows a PUBLIC topic name can publish to it - no authentication required. This means:

No way to block specific users or IPs
Only basic IP rate limiting (100 req/min per IP)
Anyone can spam if they discover the name

For production or sensitive systems, always use PRIVATE topics (requires ESSENTIALS plan).

See Creating Topics Guide for detailed security recommendations.

How do I create a topic?¶

Via web dashboard: 1. Go to app.notifer.io (no account needed for public topics) 2. Click "+ New Topic" or "Create Topic" 3. Enter topic name and choose visibility (Public/Private) 4. Click "Create"

Via API (requires authentication):

curl -X POST https://app.notifer.io/api/topics \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_JWT_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "my-topic-name",
    "access_level": "public",
    "is_discoverable": true
  }'

Important: Topics must be created explicitly before publishing messages. Publishing to non-existent topics will fail with a 404 error.

Are topic names unique globally?¶

Yes, topic names are globally unique across all users. If a name is taken, try: - Adding a prefix: myapp-alerts - Adding your username: john-reminders - Using more specific names: server-prod-alerts

Can I rename a topic?¶

No, topic names cannot be changed after creation. You can: - Change the display name (shown in UI) - Delete and recreate with new name (lose message history)

How long are messages stored?¶

Message retention depends on your subscription plan. See Core Concepts for details. Messages are automatically deleted after the retention period.

Can I export my messages?¶

This functionality is not currently available. If you need message export, please contact us at support@notifer.io.

Publishing¶

How do I send a notification?¶

Simple publish (requires authentication):

curl -d "Hello from Notifer" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_JWT_TOKEN" \
  https://app.notifer.io/my-topic

With title and priority:

curl -d "Server is down!" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_JWT_TOKEN" \
  -H "X-Title: Critical Alert" \
  -H "X-Priority: 5" \
  https://app.notifer.io/alerts

See HTTP Publishing Guide for more examples.

What are the message size limits?¶

Plan	Max Message Size
FREE	4 KB
ESSENTIALS	16 KB
TEAM	64 KB

What are the message limits?¶

Plan	Per Minute	Per Hour	Per Day
FREE	10	100	1,000
ESSENTIALS	30	300	15,000
TEAM	100	1,000	50,000

How do I publish to a private topic?¶

Publishing requires authentication. For private topics, you also need appropriate access:

Option 1: JWT Token (if you're the owner)

curl -d "Private message" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_JWT_TOKEN" \
  https://app.notifer.io/private-topic

Option 2: Topic Access Token (recommended for integrations)

curl -d "Private message" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_JWT_TOKEN" \
  -H "X-Topic-Token: tk_your_token_here" \
  https://app.notifer.io/private-topic

Option 3: User API Key (for multi-topic automation)

curl -d "Private message" \
  -H "X-API-Key: noti_your_key_here" \
  https://app.notifer.io/private-topic

See Topic Access Tokens Guide.

Can I schedule messages for later?¶

Not currently. Scheduled messages are planned for v1.2. You can: - Use cron jobs to publish at specific times - Use CI/CD scheduled pipelines - Use external scheduling services

Authentication¶

What's the difference between API keys and topic access tokens?¶

Feature	User API Key (`noti_...`)	Topic Access Token (`tk_...`)
Scope	All your topics	Single topic only
Header	`X-API-Key`	`X-Topic-Token`
Best for	Multi-topic automation	Topic-specific integrations
Sharing	❌ Risky (full access)	✅ Safe (limited scope)

Rule of thumb: - Use topic access tokens for external integrations (CI/CD, monitoring) - Use API keys for your own scripts that need multi-topic access

See API Keys Guide and Topic Access Tokens Guide.

How do I create an API key?¶

Go to Settings → API Keys
Click "Create API Key"
Enter name and select scopes
Copy the key (shown only once!)

How do I create a topic access token?¶

Open topic settings (gear icon)
Go to Access Tokens tab
Click "Create Token"
Enter name and permissions
Copy the token (shown only once!)

What if I lose my API key or token?¶

API keys and tokens are shown only once during creation. If lost: 1. Revoke the lost key/token 2. Create a new one 3. Update your integrations with new key/token

There is no way to retrieve lost keys.

Notifications¶

How do I enable desktop notifications?¶

Subscribe to a topic
Browser prompts for notification permission
Click "Allow"
You'll receive notifications when new messages arrive

See Notifications Guide for details.

Why am I not receiving mobile push notifications?¶

Common causes: 1. Permission not granted - Check app settings 2. Battery optimization (Android) - Disable for Notifer 3. Priority threshold - Lower to 1 to receive all messages 4. Tag filters - Remove filters temporarily to test

See Mobile App Troubleshooting.

Can I customize notification sounds?¶

Web: Limited - Uses browser/system default sound

Mobile: Yes - Configure per topic: 1. Open topic in app 2. Tap notification settings 3. Select custom sound

How do I stop notifications without unsubscribing?¶

Temporary disable: 1. Settings → Notifications 2. Toggle off "Enable notifications" 3. Or set priority threshold to 5 (only critical)

Quiet hours: 1. Settings → Notifications → Quiet Hours 2. Set time range (e.g., 22:00 - 08:00) 3. No notifications during this time

Mobile App¶

Is there a mobile app?¶

Yes! Native apps for iOS and Android: - iOS: App Store (search "Notifer") - Coming soon - Android: Google Play (search "Notifer") - Coming soon

Currently in beta testing. See Mobile App Guide.

Do I need the mobile app?¶

Not required, but recommended for: - Native push notifications (more reliable than web) - Offline message access - Better battery efficiency - Deep linking (tap notification → open topic)

You can use Notifer fully from web browser without the app.

Can I use the same account on web and mobile?¶

Yes! Sign in with the same account on all devices. Subscriptions and settings sync automatically.

Pricing & Billing¶

What's included in the FREE plan?¶

See the Pricing page for details about plan features and limits.

When should I upgrade to ESSENTIALS?¶

Upgrade when you need: - More messages per day (15,000 for ESSENTIALS, 50,000 for TEAM) - More private topics (10 for ESSENTIALS, 50 for TEAM) - Longer message retention (30 or 60 days) - Team collaboration features (TEAM only)

See Pricing for comparison.

Can I upgrade/downgrade anytime?¶

Yes: - Upgrade: Immediate effect, charged pro-rated - Downgrade: Takes effect at end of billing period

What payment methods do you accept?¶

Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex)
Debit cards
Apple Pay and Google Pay
Payments processed securely via Paddle

Can I get a refund?¶

You have the right to cancel your subscription and receive a full refund within 14 days from your first purchase, without providing a reason. This applies only to initial subscriptions, not automatic renewals. After 14 days, you can cancel anytime but won't receive a refund for the current billing period. See Terms of Service for details.

Security & Privacy¶

Is my data secure?¶

Yes: - All connections over HTTPS (TLS 1.3) - Passwords hashed with bcrypt - API keys and tokens encrypted at rest - Regular security audits - GDPR compliant

Who can see my messages?¶

Public topics: Anyone can subscribe and see messages
Private topics: Only you (topic owner)
Notifer staff: Only for debugging with your explicit permission

Do you sell my data?¶

No. We never sell user data. See Privacy Policy.

Where are servers located?¶

Primary: Europe (France - OVH)
Backups: Europe (GDPR-compliant locations)
Data stays in EU for GDPR compliance

How do I report a security issue?¶

Email support@notifer.io with: - Description of vulnerability - Steps to reproduce - Your contact information

We take security seriously and will respond within 24 hours.

Integrations¶

Can I integrate Notifer with my CI/CD pipeline?¶

Yes! Notifer works great with: - GitHub Actions - Notify on builds, deployments - GitLab CI - Pipeline status notifications - Jenkins - Build notifications - Circle CI - Test results

Is there an API?¶

Yes! Notifer is API-first. Publishing is via simple HTTP (requires authentication):

curl -d "Message" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_JWT_TOKEN" \
  https://app.notifer.io/topic

Full REST API for topic management, message history, etc. See API Documentation.

Getting Help¶

How do I get support?¶

Contact us at support@notifer.io.

Where can I request features or report a bug?¶

Send your feedback to support@notifer.io. We actively review and consider all suggestions.

Is there a status page?¶

Not yet, but we're working on it.

Next Steps¶

Account Setup - Create your account
Creating Topics - Start organizing notifications
Publishing Messages - Send your first notification
Troubleshooting - Solve common issues