Firebase FCM
performance benchmarks
Browse Firebase FCM's observed push API response time, error rates, and incident history over the last 90 days.
Live performance metrics
Real-world performance data from notifications sent through Knock
| Message volume | Growth | Status page updates (30d) | Status page updates (90d) |
|---|---|---|---|
25M–100M | 1st of 5 ↑ | 0 | 1 |
From July 26th to October 24th, Knock routed 25M–100M messages through Firebase FCM. For adoption, Firebase FCM ranks 1st of 5 providers based on new channel connections, with adoption accelerating over the period. Firebase FCM reported 1 status page update over the last 90 days, 0 of which were in the last 30 days.
Response time
Response time measures how long Firebase FCM takes to accept a push API request from Knock, including connection overhead and any automatic retries. Lower values mean faster notification hand-off.
| Median (p50) | p90 | p95 | p99 |
|---|---|---|---|
112ms | 178ms | 207ms | 349ms |
From July 26th to October 24th, Firebase FCM averaged a daily median response time (p50) of 112ms across all days in the range, meaning half of all push API requests on a typical day complete in under 112ms. The 99th percentile averaged 349ms, with a peak daily p99 of 695ms. This is slightly higher than some providers, which may reflect additional processing Firebase FCM performs on notification acceptance.
Error rate
Error rate tracks the ratio of 5xx responses and timeouts to total push API requests. Knock automatically retries failed requests, so transient provider errors rarely affect end-user delivery.
| Avg. daily error rate | Highest daily rate | Peak error date | Zero-error days | Days above 0.01% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0.02% | 0.21% | Sep 1 | 28 | 30 |
From July 26th to October 24th, Firebase FCM averaged a 0.02% daily error rate for 5xx responses and timeouts, with the highest single-day error rate reaching 0.21%. This is one of the lowest error rates among providers on Knock, indicating strong reliability and consistent uptime. Knock automatically retries failed requests, so transient provider errors rarely affect end-user delivery.
About these metrics: Data represents notifications sent through Knock to Firebase FCM during the specified period. Response time measures time from Knock to provider acceptance. Error rate includes only provider 5xx responses and timeouts.
Recent Firebase FCM incidents
Recent status page incidents for Firebase FCM
Started Sep 1, 2026 — Resolved Sep 1, 2026
RESOLVED: Firebase Cloud Messaging - low availability in North America
About Firebase FCM
Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) is Google's free, cross-platform push notification service supporting Android, iOS, and web with topic messaging and analytics integration.
Pros
- Free with no per-notification cost at any volume
- Cross-platform support for Android, iOS, and web from a single API
- Deep integration with the Firebase ecosystem including analytics and remote config
- Topic and device group messaging simplifies broadcasting to subscriber segments
Cons
- iOS delivery still routes through APNS, adding a layer of indirection
- Payload size limited to 4KB, which can be restrictive for rich content
- Firebase console UI can be complex for teams not already using Firebase
Frequently asked questions
Firebase FCM is a push notification provider commonly used for android app notifications, cross-platform messaging (android + ios + web), real-time chat and social notifications. Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) is Google's free, cross-platform push notification service supporting Android, iOS, and web with topic messaging and analytics integration.
Firebase Cloud Messaging is free to use with no per-notification cost. Google does not charge for message delivery regardless of volume. FCM is included in all Firebase plans, including the free Spark plan. Firebase FCM does not offer a permanent free tier.
Based on real-world data from notifications sent through Knock, Firebase FCM accepts push API requests with a median response time of 112ms (p50) and 349ms at the 99th percentile.
From July 26th to October 24th, Firebase FCM showed an error rate of 0.02% for 5xx responses and timeouts across 25M–100M messages sent through Knock. Knock automatically retries failed requests, so transient provider errors rarely affect end-user delivery.
Key strengths include free with no per-notification cost at any volume and cross-platform support for android, ios, and web from a single api. On the other hand, ios delivery still routes through apns, adding a layer of indirection and payload size limited to 4kb, which can be restrictive for rich content.
Yes. Knock has a native Firebase FCM integration that enables you to send push notifications through Firebase FCM as part of a cross-channel workflow. You can combine Firebase FCM with other channels like in-app feeds, SMS, email, and Slack from a single API call.
Use Firebase FCM with Knock
Knock enables you to integrate Firebase FCM alongside other notification channels, manage templates, and orchestrate cross-channel workflows from a single platform.