Push Monkey earned a loyal following in the early days of web push notifications for WordPress. It was one of the first plugins to make browser push accessible to non-technical site owners. But the push notification landscape has evolved dramatically, and Push Monkey hasn't kept pace.
If you're still using Push Monkey — or searching for something to replace it — you're likely running into limitations that didn't exist when push notifications were new. Fewer updates, an aging interface, limited features compared to modern alternatives, and subscriber data stored on external servers all add up to a plugin that's overdue for replacement.
In this article, we'll cover what's changed, where Push Monkey falls short today, and why EasyPusher is the modern WordPress-native alternative that picks up where Push Monkey left off.
The Rise and Stall of Push Monkey
Push Monkey launched at a time when web push notifications were just becoming viable for mainstream websites. Browser support was limited, the technology was new, and WordPress site owners needed a simple way to send notifications without writing code.
Push Monkey filled that gap. It offered a WordPress plugin that connected to their cloud service, let you send notifications from your dashboard, and handled the browser-level complexity behind the scenes. For many WordPress site owners, it was the first push notification tool they ever used.
But as the web push ecosystem matured, newer platforms arrived with better features, more frequent updates, and more competitive pricing. Push Monkey's development pace slowed. The interface began to feel dated. Features that users now expect as standard — like advanced segmentation, automated campaigns, real-time analytics, and A/B testing — either never arrived or remained limited.
Where Push Monkey Falls Short in 2026
Aging Interface and User Experience
Push Monkey's dashboard and WordPress integration haven't seen the kind of design refresh that modern users expect. The UI feels like it belongs to a different era of WordPress plugins — functional, but clunky compared to today's standards. For teams managing frequent campaigns, this creates daily friction.
Limited Feature Set
Modern push notification platforms offer granular segmentation, behavioral targeting, scheduled campaigns, drip sequences, and detailed analytics dashboards. Push Monkey's feature set is comparatively thin. If you need to segment subscribers by behavior, schedule campaigns for specific time zones, or analyze click-through rates in detail, you'll find yourself hitting walls.
Uncertain Development Roadmap
One of the biggest concerns with Push Monkey is the uncertainty around its future development. Infrequent updates, sparse changelogs, and limited communication about upcoming features can leave users wondering whether the platform will continue to evolve or eventually be deprecated.
For any tool that sits between you and your audience, this kind of uncertainty is a risk. If the platform stops being maintained, you could lose access to your subscribers with little notice.
Data Stored on External Servers
Like many early push notification services, Push Monkey stores your subscriber data on their servers. You don't have direct database access to your own audience. This creates a dependency: if Push Monkey goes offline, changes its terms, or shuts down, your subscriber list goes with it.
In an era where data ownership and GDPR compliance are non-negotiable for many businesses, storing your audience on a third party's infrastructure is a growing liability.
Lack of Modern Automation
Push notifications in 2026 aren't just about blasting messages to everyone. Effective campaigns use automation: welcome sequences for new subscribers, re-engagement notifications for inactive users, post-publish triggers that go out when you hit "Publish" in WordPress. Push Monkey doesn't offer the level of automation that modern WordPress sites need to compete.
Why EasyPusher Is the Modern Replacement
EasyPusher is everything Push Monkey should have become. It's a WordPress-native push notification plugin built for how sites operate today: self-hosted data, full-featured on every plan, and actively maintained with a clear development roadmap.
Actively Developed and Maintained
EasyPusher receives regular updates with new features, security patches, and WordPress compatibility improvements. There's no guessing about whether the plugin will be around next year. Active development means you get access to the latest push notification capabilities as they emerge, without waiting indefinitely.
Complete Feature Set From Day One
Every EasyPusher plan — including the free tier — includes the full suite of features:
- Unlimited campaigns — no caps on how many notifications you send
- Advanced segmentation — target subscribers by behavior, interests, pages visited, or custom criteria
- Scheduled campaigns — set notifications to send at the optimal time, across time zones
- Real-time analytics — track sends, deliveries, clicks, and conversion rates as they happen
- Customizable opt-in prompts — control the timing, appearance, and messaging of your subscription prompts
There's no feature gating between plans. Free users get the same tools as paying customers — the only difference is subscriber capacity.
100% Self-Hosted Data
This is the biggest differentiator. With EasyPusher, every subscriber token, campaign record, and analytics data point is stored in your WordPress database. Not on a third-party server. Not in someone else's cloud.
You own your data completely. Back it up with your regular WordPress backups. Query it directly if you need to. Export it anytime. And if you ever decide to stop using EasyPusher, your data stays right where it is — in your database.
WordPress-Native Experience
EasyPusher doesn't ask you to log in to an external dashboard. Everything happens inside WordPress:
- Create and send campaigns from your WordPress admin
- Manage subscribers and segments without leaving your site
- View analytics alongside your other WordPress tools
- Configure settings in a familiar WordPress interface
Installation is one click from the WordPress plugin directory. No API keys, no external accounts, no JavaScript snippets to paste.
Generous Free Tier
EasyPusher's free plan supports up to 20,000 subscribers with all features unlocked. For context, many WordPress sites never reach 20,000 push subscribers. That means EasyPusher can be completely free for the majority of WordPress sites — not a 14-day trial, not a crippled version, but the full product.
When you do outgrow the free tier, paid plans are straightforward:
- Pro: $4.99/mo — up to 50,000 subscribers
- Business: $9.99/mo — up to 100,000 subscribers
- Agency: $19.99/mo — unlimited subscribers
Zero Performance Impact
EasyPusher loads its front-end script asynchronously with a minimal footprint. Your Core Web Vitals, page load times, and Lighthouse scores won't be affected. This is critical for SEO-conscious site owners who can't afford to add bloat to their pages.
EasyPusher vs Push Monkey: Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | EasyPusher | Push Monkey |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 20,000 subscribers | Limited free plan |
| Active development | Yes (regular updates) | Infrequent updates |
| Self-hosted data | Yes (your database) | No (external servers) |
| WordPress-native | Yes | Partially (external dashboard) |
| Segmentation | Advanced (all plans) | Basic |
| Scheduling | Yes (all plans) | Limited |
| Analytics | Real-time (all plans) | Basic |
| Unlimited campaigns | All plans | Varies |
| GDPR compliance | Built-in (self-hosted) | Dependent on vendor |
| Pricing model | Flat monthly | Subscriber-based |
| 50K subscribers cost | $4.99/mo | Custom / higher |
| Modern UI | Yes | Dated |
Who Should Switch from Push Monkey to EasyPusher?
If you're currently using Push Monkey, the honest answer is: almost everyone should consider switching. Here's who benefits most:
- Sites concerned about continuity. If Push Monkey's uncertain roadmap worries you, migrating now — while things are stable — is smarter than waiting until something breaks.
- Growing sites that need segmentation. Once your subscriber base hits a few thousand, you need to segment. Sending the same notification to everyone becomes less effective. EasyPusher's segmentation is built in from day one.
- Privacy-conscious site owners. If you care about GDPR compliance or simply want to own your audience data, self-hosting with EasyPusher eliminates the third-party dependency entirely.
- Budget-conscious teams. With 20,000 free subscribers and flat paid plans starting at $4.99/mo, EasyPusher is likely cheaper than whatever you're paying Push Monkey — especially at scale.
- Anyone who wants a modern UX. Sometimes the interface matters. Managing campaigns in a clean, modern WordPress-native UI is a better daily experience than working with a dated dashboard.
Making the Switch
Migrating from Push Monkey to EasyPusher is straightforward. Push notification subscriptions are tied to the service worker, so you'll be rebuilding your subscriber list — but the process is painless:
- Install and activate EasyPusher from the WordPress plugin directory.
- Configure your opt-in prompt to match your site's design and messaging.
- Deactivate Push Monkey and remove its scripts from your site.
- Let returning visitors re-subscribe. With consistent traffic and good content, most sites recover their subscriber count within weeks.
The sooner you switch, the sooner your new subscribers are stored safely in your own database — and the sooner you stop depending on a platform with an uncertain future.
The Bottom Line
Push Monkey served WordPress site owners well in the early days of web push. But the landscape has changed, and sticking with an aging, infrequently updated platform with external data storage isn't a sound long-term strategy.
EasyPusher is what a modern WordPress push notification plugin should be: actively developed, self-hosted, full-featured on every plan, and priced to stay affordable as you grow. It takes what Push Monkey started and brings it into 2026.
Ready to upgrade? Start with EasyPusher's free plan — 20,000 subscribers, all features included, no credit card required.