specification: FinOps Framework
specificationVersion: '1.0'
schema: https://www.finops.org/framework/
provider: NotificationAPI
providerId: notificationapi
created: '2026-07-01'
modified: '2026-07-01'
reconciled: false
tags:
- Notifications
- Messaging
- Email
- SMS
- Push
- In-App Inbox
- FinOps
- Cost Management
- FOCUS
description: >-
  FinOps view of NotificationAPI spend. NotificationAPI bills a tiered monthly
  subscription anchored on monthly active users (MAU) and notification volume,
  plus per-message metering for paid channels such as SMS and voice. Cost is
  driven by how many distinct users are notified, how many notifications are
  sent, and the channel mix. Optimization levers include respecting user
  preferences and opt-outs, consolidating digests, and routing to lower-cost
  channels (in-app / email) before SMS or voice.
notes: >-
  Per-tier prices, MAU caps, and per-message rates change; verify against the
  NotificationAPI pricing page during reconciliation.
sources:
- https://www.notificationapi.com/pricing
- https://docs.notificationapi.com
- https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
alignedWith:
  framework: FinOps Foundation Framework
  frameworkUrl: https://www.finops.org/framework/
  dataSpec: FOCUS
  dataSpecVersion: '1.3'
  dataSpecUrl: https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
publisherName: NotificationAPI
serviceCategory: Developer Tools and Messaging
billingModel:
  pricingCategory: Subscription plus Usage
  billingFrequency: Monthly
  billingCurrency: USD
  chargeCategories:
  - Usage
  - Purchase
  - Adjustment
focusColumns:
  ServiceName: NotificationAPI
  ServiceCategory: Developer Tools and Messaging
  ProviderName: NotificationAPI
  PublisherName: NotificationAPI
  InvoiceIssuerName: NotificationAPI
  BillingCurrency: USD
  ChargeCategory: Usage
  PricingCategory: Subscription plus Usage
meters:
- name: monthly_active_users
  description: Distinct users notified in the billing month, the primary plan metric.
  unit: users
  aggregation: distinct_count
  dimensions:
  - account
- name: notifications_sent
  description: Total notifications sent across all channels, counted against the plan volume allowance.
  unit: notifications
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - account
  - notification
  - channel
- name: sms_messages
  description: SMS messages sent, metered per message on top of the plan.
  unit: messages
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - account
  - region
- name: voice_calls
  description: Automated voice calls placed, metered per call on top of the plan.
  unit: calls
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - account
  - region
- name: subscription_fee
  description: Recurring monthly plan fee for the selected tier (Startup, Business, Enterprise).
  unit: subscription
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - account
  - plan
principles:
- name: Visibility
  description: Use the Logs API (POST /logs/query) and dashboard analytics to attribute spend by notification, channel, and user.
- name: Allocation
  description: Tag notifications by product area / team and map channel usage to internal cost centers.
- name: Optimization
  description: Honor user preferences and opt-outs, batch into digests, and prefer in-app and email over per-message SMS and voice to reduce metered spend.
- name: Accountability
  description: Assign owners per notification type and review MAU, volume, and channel spend monthly against budget.
maintainers:
- FN: Kin Lane
  email: kin@apievangelist.com