# Novu vs Knock: The best Knock alternative for end-to-end notifications > Compare Novu and Knock notification infrastructure platforms. See how Novu's open-source approach, deployment flexibility, and pricing compare to Knock. Canonical: https://novu.co/comparison/knock/ Markdown: https://novu.co/comparison/knock.md All your notification infrastructure needs, workflows, routing, preferences, and in one platform, open source and built for builders and teams. Primary action: [Start for Free]() Secondary action: [Jump to Comparison](<#comparison>) Free up to 10k events / month. No credit card required ## Open Notification Infrastructure An open, opinionated platform that orchestrates the full notification lifecycle and unifies it into a programmable experience you can ship fast and fully customize, giving builders complete control. We handle notification infrastructure so you can focus on building your product. Why teams switch to Novu: - Open-source with self-host options - Code-first workflow ownership - Tenant-aware from day one Call to action: [Get Started]() ## The frustrations that bring teams to Novu If you're evaluating alternatives, you've probably lived at least one of these. ### No fallback path A hosted-only model can become a problem when security, compliance, or procurement requirements change and you need more control over where your infrastructure runs. ### Awkward pricing jump Moving from a free plan to a $250/month paid tier is a harder step for teams that are growing but not ready for enterprise-style pricing yet. ### Global features gated to enterprise Translation support and per-customer branding and preferences are locked behind the enterprise plan, unavailable to growing teams that need them earlier. ### No deployment control A fully managed platform means you can’t choose where your notification infrastructure runs. Novu offers cloud, self-hosted, and hybrid options. ### Hosted dashboard, not code-first Teams that prefer engineering-owned workflows want workflows defined in code β€” not just API access layered on top of a dashboard-centric model. Call to action: [Switch to Novu]() ## The Novu difference Ship tenant-aware experiences cleanly. Contexts, topics, and Inbox scoping help map notification behavior to real B2B product structure. ### Everything you need in one An in-app notification inbox wrapped in a single . Use the drop-in component or go headless and build your own UI. ### Every step in one place Build your workflow visually in the Novu dashboard or define it in code with Novu Framework. Content, routing, delays. ### Self-host or use our cloud Run Novu on your own infrastructure with Docker Compose. Move between cloud and self-host anytime with the same codebase. ### Data residency from day one Novu Cloud offers US and EU data residency on the free tier, with additional global regions and self hosted option on Enterprise. ### Ship tenant-aware experiences cleanly Contexts, topics, and Inbox scoping help map notification behavior to real B2B product structure. ### What users see in minutes Real-time delivery, unread counts, snooze controls, and preferences. Styled out of the box and customizable with the appearance prop. Call to action: [Explore Novu]() ## Add notifications with just a few lines of code Trigger workflows, add an in-app inbox, and manage user notification preferences β€” all using simple components and minimal setup. ### Trigger notifications from your backend Send notifications across email, SMS, push, and in-app channels with a single API call. ### Add an in-app notification inbox Drop in a pre-built component or go headless and build your own notification center UI. ### Let users control their notifications Give subscribers full control over their notification preferences with a built-in preferences component. ## Novu vs Knock comparison Compare ownership, deployment flexibility, pricing, and feature access. ### Open-source availability - Novu: Open-source platform - Alternative: Proprietary managed platform - What this means: More control over your stack and a clearer fallback path if your infrastructure, compliance, or vendor requirements change ### Deployment model - Novu: Cloud and On Prem Self-Hosted - Alternative: Hosted platform - What this means: Choose the deployment model that fits your requirements instead of adapting to a hosted-only setup ### Pricing metric - Novu: Workflow runs - Alternative: Messages sent - What this means: You get a pricing model that is easier to predict when one notification flow sends across multiple channels ### Code-first workflow ownership - Novu: Framework lets you create workflows entirely in code and keep them alongside app code - Alternative: Dashboard workflows plus CLI and Management API support - What this means: With Novu, you can keep notification logic closer to your application code and source control when your team wants engineering-owned workflows ### Tenant-specific branding and preferences - Novu: Tenant-aware scoping and filtering through context-aware Inbox patterns - Alternative: Per-customer branding and preferences are Enterprise-only - What this means: You can support tenant-specific notification experiences earlier, without waiting for an enterprise upgrade ### Workflow translations - Novu: Available on Team and Enterprise - Alternative: Translation support is Enterprise-only - What this means: You can localize notification experiences for end users much earlier ### In-app evaluation path - Novu: Inbox keyless mode for instant testing - Alternative: Pre-built feed and inbox components - What this means: You can validate the in-app experience faster ### Preferences experience - Novu: Inbox includes notifications and preferences in the default UI - Alternative: Preferences are exposed through APIs and components - What this means: With Novu, you can ship a user-facing preferences experience faster ### Public roadmap - Novu: Community-driven with full visibility - Alternative: No public roadmap - What this means: Know what's coming and request features in the open ## Migrate from Knock to Novu Bring your workflows, templates, and notification logic to Novu with a more flexible, open infrastructure. Reduce vendor lock-in and gain full control with self-hosting and developer-first workflows. Call to action: [Migration Guide]() ## Don't just take our word for it... ### Guillermo Rauch (@rauchg) > So excited about the rise of the notifications infrastructure space (+ open source πŸ”₯) Source: https://x.com/novuhq/status/1563693241098244097 ### Pontus Abrahamsson (@aeswibon) > That's awesome! Real-time notifications can really boost user engagement. Love that @novuhq supports multiple frameworks & customization options. Definitely giving the repo a star to show support! 🌟#OpenSource #SoftwareDevelopment Source: https://x.com/aeswibon/status/1696467646429147200 ### Fabian B. (@madebyfabian) > Haha yeah I'm so happy my notification logic isn't inside the database anymore. Love Novu!πŸš€ Source: https://x.com/madebyfabian/status/1603010122451746816 ### Nikki Siapno (@NikkiSiapno) > Novu make notification management much easier. They're doing a great job with the service they offer. Source: https://x.com/NikkiSiapno/status/1696509202993426884 ### Lukas Boehler (@lukasboehler) > Todos for today: #ship a @GleapSDK update that utilizes @novuhq for amazing notifications πŸŽ‰ Source: https://x.com/lukasboehler/status/1696793039841144916 ### Csaba Kissi (@csaba_kissi) > The best solution for notifications. Source: https://x.com/csaba_kissi/status/1696056864373416109 ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Novu really free to use? Novu has a free plan that includes 10,000 workflow runs per month, support for email, in-app, SMS, chat, and push, plus US and EU data residency. ### How does Novu pricing compare when one workflow sends on multiple channels? Novu's cloud pricing is based on workflow runs, while Knock bills on messages sent. Knock defines a billable message as one message delivered to one user on one channel, so if one workflow sends both an in-app message and an email, that counts as two messages on Knock. ### Do I need to self-host Novu to get value from it? No. You can use Novu as a cloud product on the Free, Pro, or Team plans, and move to self-hosted only if you later need more control. ### How long does it take to migrate from Knock to Novu? It depends on how many workflows, providers, and in-app experiences you need to move. Most teams can migrate in phases instead of replacing everything at once, starting with core workflows or in-app notifications first, then moving templates, providers, and preferences over time. Both platforms support API-driven workflows and integrations, which makes a phased migration practical. And our team is available to help, just send a message. ### Does Novu support tenant-specific notification experiences for B2B SaaS? Yes. Novu supports multi-tenancy out of the box. You can separate tenants by subscriber identity, scope Inbox feeds by tenant, and use contexts and topics to organize tenant-aware notification logic and targeting. ### Do I have to use Framework, or can I stay in the dashboard? You can stay in the dashboard. Novu's workflows can be created in the dashboard, via API, or in code with Framework, so Framework is optional. It is there for teams that want workflows closer to source control and application code. ### Knock has an in-app component. What is actually different about Novu's Inbox? Novu's Inbox is a prebuilt in-app notification center, supports keyless mode for instant testing, comes with a preference feature and every part is fully customizable. ## Switch to Novu Adding notification infrastructure into your application shouldn't be complicated. Free for 10K workflow runs/month - [Start Free]() - [Talk To Sales]()