Best Alternative

The Best Pusher Beams Alternative for Engagement & Rewards

Pusher Beams delivers push notifications via API to your app users. VISU engages users from first touch - QR scans, visits, signups, and purchases - with instant rewards, geofenced activations, and multi-layer referrals, no app install required.

Why switch from Pusher Beams?

Pusher Beams is a developer-focused push notification API for transactional and triggered messages. VISU drives engagement from first touch - rewarding scans and visits before users install your app, and tracking the full journey to conversion.

Requires app install and opt-in before any reach

No QR-triggered rewards or physical activations

No multi-layer referrals (L1/L2) tied to scans and conversions

No geofenced promos with frequency control by venue

VISU vs Pusher Beams: Full Comparison

See how VISU extends engagement from app users to the entire customer journey

Features
VISU
Pusher Beams
Activation Model
Engage users without app install
QR-native
App required
Physical touchpoint activation (QR, NFC)
No-code campaign setup
Developer API
Push Notification Capabilities
Push notifications (iOS, Android)
Via integrations
Core focus
Web push notifications
Via integrations
Triggered/transactional push
Core focus
Publishable push (broadcast)
Targeting & Segmentation
Geofenced activations with frequency caps
A/B routing from QR (time, device, geo)
Device interest targeting
Interests API
Scheduled reward/message windows by location
Rewards & Incentives
Instant micro-rewards at scan/visit ($VISU tokens)
QR-triggered coupons and freebies
Loyalty points and tiers
Referral Programs
Basic referral tracking
Multi-layer referrals (L1/L2)
Referral rewards for scans and visits
QR & Physical Activation
Dynamic QR codes
QR Ads marketplace
Per-venue/spot activation tracking
Analytics & Attribution
Campaign analytics and reporting
Delivery stats
Scan to action funnel tracking
Per-venue/spot cohort analysis
UTM and campaign tracking
Limited
Developer Experience
REST API
Native SDKs (iOS, Android, Web)
Server SDKs (Node, Python, Go, etc.)
No-code dashboard
Full featured
Debug console
Operations & Scale
Multi-brand workspaces
Instances
Custom domain support
Pricing
Free plan available
Robust
Limited
Paid plans from
$9/mo
$29/mo (Pro)
Self-serve signup

What you get with VISU Engagement & Rewards

Engage users from first touch - no app install or developer work required

Instant Gratification

Drop $VISU tokens, coupons, or freebies on scan or visit to boost conversions - before users ever install your app.

Contextual Activation

Trigger rewards by venue, time window, and visit history with frequency caps - reaching users at physical touchpoints.

Multi-Layer Referrals

Reward L1 and L2 referrers for scans, signups, and purchases to compound word-of-mouth growth organically.

End-to-End Visibility

Track scan to click to action with UTMs, cohorts, and per-spot performance - full funnel attribution Beams doesn't provide.

Trusted by businesses & marketers

1k+
Active accounts
50k+
Monthly engagements
4.8★
Average rating

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I run VISU alongside Pusher Beams?

Yes. Keep transactional push in Beams for your app users and use VISU for physical activations, QR rewards, and referrals to engage users before they install your app. They serve different stages of the journey.

What is the difference between Pusher Beams and VISU?

Pusher Beams is a developer API for sending push notifications to app and web subscribers. VISU is a no-code engagement platform for physical touchpoints - QR scans, visits, rewards - that works without app install, with full-funnel tracking and referrals built in.

Do $VISU rewards work in-store and online?

Yes. QR placements work in physical locations with geofencing. Online campaigns use UTM routing, device detection, and scheduled reward windows - all in the same workspace.

How does pricing compare?

Pusher Beams Pro starts at $29/mo with notification-based pricing. VISU offers a robust free plan and paid plans starting at $9/mo with no per-notification fees - better value for engagement-focused use cases.

Do I need a developer to use VISU?

No. VISU has a full no-code dashboard for creating QR campaigns, rewards, and referral programs. Pusher Beams is API-first and requires developer integration. VISU is built for marketers and business users.

Which businesses benefit most from VISU over Pusher Beams?

Businesses that need to engage users before app install - retail stores, events, restaurants, pop-ups. If you need physical activation, rewards, and referrals without developer work, VISU is the better fit. If you need transactional push to existing app users, Beams is purpose-built for that.

Ready to engage users before they install your app?

Reward attention at every physical touchpoint - scans, visits, signups, and purchases - with instant, trackable outcomes.

About the Pusher Beams alternative

VISU is the best Pusher Beams alternative for businesses that need engagement at physical touchpoints without developer work. While Pusher Beams excels at API-driven push notifications for transactional and triggered messages to app subscribers, VISU engages users from first scan - before they install your app - with QR-triggered rewards, geofenced activations, multi-layer referrals, and full-funnel analytics through a no-code dashboard.

The platforms serve different needs. Use Pusher Beams for developer-controlled transactional push to your app users; use VISU to drive engagement at physical touchpoints and build your audience before they become app subscribers. For marketers and business users who need immediate results without coding, VISU offers faster time-to-value.


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