FCM Google Pricing Explanation

Question

I have an app and I need to send massive push notifications per day. About Firebase services, I'll just use the Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) part (through my server-side PHP, of course I can't send massive notifications per day by console) and maybe Analytics (both are free of charges, right?).

The Pricing Page doesn't make a good explanation about what is each line below. So I need to know if:

• If "Storage Upload operations" is when the app sends to Firebase some data?
• If "Storage Download operations" is when the console (or my Server Side) sends to a device/group/all some push notification?

If I'll only use the Cloud Messaging part, is it better buy the BLAZE plan? If yes, what exactly do I have to add at this plan?

Answer 1

First, I think you are confusing the Notification service with the Cloud Messaging service (hence my edit).

Notifications is the part where you get to send Push Notifications through the Firebase Console. Cloud Messaging, is FCM itself, where you can call the APIs and send push notifications from your own App Server.

Firebase Storage is a separate service from both Cloud Messaging, Notifications, and Analytics. The thing is that Firebase Storage is paid and the other three are included free of use, regardless of what plan you are using. As seen in the Pricings Page:

Included Free

Analytics, App Indexing, Authentication, Cloud Messaging, Crash Reporting, Dynamic Links, Invites, Notifications & Remote Config

It does not contribute/add to the count value of usage for the other services.

Answer 2

There are only four paid Firebase products at present:

• Firebase Realtime Database
• Firebase Storage
• Firebase Hosting
• Firebase Test Lab

All other products including Firebase Cloud Messaging are free to use. Firebase Storage is a totally separate product from Firebase Cloud Messaging, so this question isn't really relevant.