Marketing automation platforms for mobile apps: What you really need to know
Will Pearson
December 9, 2025
Choosing the right marketing automation platform or email service provider (ESP) is one of the most important decisions a mobile-first brand can make. Your platform affects how you communicate with users, how you handle real-time event data, how you prevent churn, and how much revenue you drive through push notifications and in-app messaging. The problem is that the ecosystem is crowded and every tool markets itself as the answer for everyone.
This guide walks through the most common engagement platforms for mobile apps using real user feedback from G2, what we see across hundreds of lifecycle programs, and the patterns that show up again and again. The goal is not to crown a winner. The goal is to help you understand which platform fits your business model, your team, and your growth stage.
You will be able to figure out quickly which direction to go.
What mobile apps actually need from an engagement platform
Every mobile business is different, but there are a few things almost everyone cares about.
1. Real-time event triggering
Your platform should trigger a message the exact second a user performs an action (or fails to). Latency in mobile marketing means lost context.
2. Cross-channel orchestration
You need to coordinate push notifications, SMS, in-app messages, and email in a single flow. Sending a push notification and then automatically following up with an email if the push is ignored is a standard requirement.
3. Reliable deep linking
Getting a user to click is only half the battle. The platform must handle deep links seamlessly to drop the user on the exact product or feature page inside the app.
4. High-volume scalability
Mobile user bases can grow explosively. The tool needs to handle millions of monthly active users (MAUs) and send bursts of notifications without crashing or lagging.
5. Developer-friendly SDKs
If the SDK is heavy or causes app crashes, your engineering team will remove it. The best tools have lightweight, well-documented SDKs that developers do not mind installing.
With that lens, here is how the main platforms stack up.
The best engagement platforms for mobile apps
Below is a look at the major players. All of them can support mobile marketing, but they serve very different needs. This summary is devised using real user reviews and Scalero’s experience.
Braze
Braze is built for brands that need true cross-channel orchestration at an enterprise scale. If you operate a complex ecosystem with a website and a mobile app and need email, SMS, push, in-app, and web messaging all connected, Braze is a great option.
What Braze is great at
True multi-channel messaging (Canvas)
Deep personalization using real-time API data (Connected Content)
Handling massive volume without latency
Advanced customer journey orchestration
What users like
Reliability at scale and the flexibility of the Canvas journey builder.
Additional user feedback
Steep learning curve and enterprise-style pricing. It often requires dedicated engineering resources to set up correctly.
Best fit
Enterprise brands or high-growth scale-ups that need sophisticated, real-time customer journeys across multiple devices.
Customer.io
Customer.io has aggressively expanded beyond email to become a top contender for mobile apps. It is ideal for teams that are data-led and want the power of Braze without the enterprise price tag. Their "Data Pipelines" feature allows you to sync mobile events seamlessly. Customer.io is ideal for teams that are data-led.
What Customer.io is great at
Flexibility with data and event triggers
Unified workflow for email, push, and in-app messages
Developer-friendly APIs and webhooks
Lower cost of entry than enterprise legacy tools
What users like
The ability to trigger a message based on any data point or event. The visual builder is also rated highly for being intuitive.
Additional user feedback
The SDK integration can sometimes require more technical attention than simpler tools. Reporting is powerful for individual campaigns but less aggregated than some competitors.
Best fit
Technical growth teams and startups that want sophisticated cross-channel automation (Web + App) but have outgrown basic tools.
OneSignal
OneSignal started as a pure-play push notification tool and is often the first choice for developers. It is simple, fast, and cost-effective for teams that want to get up and running immediately. OneSignal works well when you want to minimize friction.
What OneSignal is great at
Fast and easy setup (often minutes)
Generous free tier
Reliable push notification delivery
Simple, clean interface
What users like
Developer-friendly documentation and ease of implementation.
Additional user feedback
The journey builder is less sophisticated than other tools. Deep personalization options can feel limited compared to enterprise tools.
Best fit
Startups, developer-led teams, or apps that primarily need reliable push notifications without complex orchestration.
CleverTap
CleverTap is known for retention-focused apps, especially in the on-demand, media, and fintech sectors. It is known for its strong analytics and ability to improve deliverability on Android devices, which is a major advantage in global markets. CleverTap is a powerhouse for retention-focused apps.
What CleverTap is great at
Native funnel and cohort analytics
RenderMax technology to boost Android push delivery
Psychographic and intent-based segmentation
Granular retention reporting
What users like
The combination of deep analytics and engagement tools in one platform.
Additional user feedback
The user interface can feel cluttered to some users. Support quality varies depending on your region.
Best fit
High-frequency apps (like food delivery or ride-sharing) where retention metrics and Android deliverability are critical.
MoEngage
MoEngage sits in the middle ground, offering a balance of power and usability. It is positioned as an insights-led platform, using AI to help marketers determine the best time and channel to send messages. MoEngage offers strong capabilities for teams that want power without the complexity of Braze.
What MoEngage is great at
AI-driven optimization (Sherpa)
Intuitive visual workflow builder
Strong local customer support
Push and in-app message personalization
What users like
The "Sherpa" AI feature for optimizing send times and the helpful customer success teams.
Additional user feedback
Some technical users report occasional data latency compared to real-time competitors. The email editor is functional but not best-in-class.
Best fit
Mid-market growth teams that want sophisticated automation with a user-friendly interface.
Airship
Airship (formerly Urban Airship) is one of the original players in the mobile space. It powers some of the world's largest apps and is known for its stability. Airship is useful when you need a proven, enterprise-grade solution that focuses heavily on the mobile experience.
What Airship is great at
In-app messaging experiences (Scenes)
No-code app surveys and feature tours
Proven enterprise stability
Mobile wallet and pass integration
What users like
The "Scenes" feature allows marketers to create rich in-app experiences without app store updates.
Additional user feedback
The dashboard can feel slow or dated compared to newer tools. Reporting can sometimes be difficult to customize.
Best fit
Large enterprise brands that prioritize in-app engagement and stability over nimble experimentation.
Comparison table
Platform | Ease of use | Mobile depth | Cross channel | Data latency | Pricing fit | Best for |
Braze | Moderate | Very strong | Very strong | Low | Enterprise | Cross-channel scale |
Customer.io | High | Strong | Strong | Low | Mid-market | Data-led growth teams |
OneSignal | Very high | Strong (Push) | Moderate | Low | Startup friendly | Dev teams |
CleverTap | Moderate | Strong | Strong | Very low | Mid-market | Retention heavy apps |
MoEngage | High | Strong | Strong | Moderate | Mid-market | Growth teams |
Airship | Moderate | Strong | Moderate | Low | Enterprise | Legacy mobile brands |
How to choose the right platform
Here is a simple starting point.
Choose Braze if you need complex orchestration across web and mobile.
Choose Customer.io if you are a technical team that wants data flexibility and value.
Choose OneSignal if you are a developer or need a free tier to start.
Choose CleverTap if you have a heavy Android user base and need deep retention analytics.
Choose MoEngage if you want a balance of AI features and ease of use.
Choose Airship if your strategy relies heavily on rich in-app experiences.
There is no single best choice. There is only the tool that matches your stage and your goals, depending on your technical resources, your budget, and whether your strategy is mobile-only or mobile-first. You can learn more inside Scalero’s full library of lifecycle insights.
