Customer Data
In-app messages: reach users who decline your push notifications
5 min - 16 October 2026
Your app sends push notifications, but how many of your users actually see them? On iPhone, and on Android since version 13, an app must get the user’s permission before it can display notifications (Android Developers). Users who decline, or who switch notifications off after one alert too many, drop out of reach of your push campaigns.
That is where the in-app message takes over. It appears inside your app while the user is using it, with no notification permission required. Here is how to use it to engage users at the right moment, alongside your push notifications.
What is an in-app message?
An in-app message is a message displayed inside a mobile app, or on a website, while the user is browsing it. It can take the form of a card, a banner or a full screen, with text, an image and a call-to-action button.
A push notification, by contrast, lands on the phone’s screen whether the app is open or closed. An in-app message reaches users who are already active. The two channels therefore meet different needs:
Criterion | In-app message | Push notification |
| Where it appears | In the app or on the website, during the visit | On the phone’s screen, app open or closed |
| Permission | No notification permission required | User permission required (iOS, Android 13 and later) |
| Audience reached | Users who are in the app at that moment | Users who have accepted notifications |
| Best use | Guide, inform or prompt an action during use | Bring the user back to the app |
| Main risk | Disrupting navigation if it is too intrusive | Notifications switched off, or even the app uninstalled |
Rules applicable in the UK.
The ICO counts in-app messages as “electronic mail” under PECR (ICO). Promotional in-app messages sent to individuals therefore need consent or the soft opt-in, just like marketing emails and texts. Messages sent purely for service purposes fall outside these rules.
To dig deeper into push, explore the different types of push notifications and how they help engage your audience.
Card, banner or full screen: which format should you choose?
The more visible a format, the more rarely and relevantly it should be used. The right choice depends on how important the message is and when it appears.
Format | What it looks like | When to use it |
| Banner | A discreet strip at the top or bottom of the screen that leaves navigation free | Reminders, secondary information, light offers |
| Card | A block displayed over the content, with a visual and a button | New feature announcements, targeted offers, feedback requests |
| Full screen | A message that fills the whole screen until it is closed | Onboarding, major launches, important information |
Whatever the format, the content works best when it is tailored to each user: their history, their preferences, the screen they are viewing. The principles of personalised marketing apply here just as they do in an email.
5 in-app message use cases
In-app messages work best when they respond to what the user is doing at that moment. Here are five situations where they make the biggest impact.
Welcome new users
At first launch, a full-screen message or a series of cards introduces the app’s key features. Users discover the essentials in a few seconds, when their attention is at its peak.
Announce a new feature in the right place
A new feature is best introduced where it is used. A card displayed on the relevant screen explains its benefits and invites users to try it straight away.
Revive a purchase in progress
A user returns to the app with items in their basket. A banner reminds them, along with a complementary product recommendation. The reminder arrives during the visit, with no extra notification.
Collect preferences
A card can ask users about their interests, preferred channels or how often they want to hear from you. To make it more engaging, a gamified format such as a quiz works well. Their answers then help you avoid irrelevant messages.
Measure satisfaction
After an order or a delivery, a short survey appears in the app. A single question, such as the one behind the Net Promoter Score, is often enough to collect actionable feedback.
Avoid notification fatigue by combining push and in-app
Push and in-app work best together, each in its own role. Push brings users back to the app; the in-app message supports them once they are there.
A few simple rules help you avoid overwhelming your users:
- Keep push for messages that justify an interruption: alerts, urgent offers, information the user is expecting.
- When the user is already in the app, use an in-app message.
- Avoid sending the same message on both channels on the same day.
- Set a maximum marketing pressure per user across all channels, as part of omnichannel orchestration.
With Actito, in-app messages appear as cards, banners or full-screen messages, in the app or on the website. They only show up when the person is already there, at the right moment in their journey. Every open and every click feeds into their unified profile and Engagement Score, for a 360° view of your contacts.
Measure the impact of your in-app messages
An in-app message is judged by the action it prompts. Track at least these four indicators.
Indicator | What it measures | Signal to watch |
| Display rate | Share of targeted users who saw the message | A targeting rule or trigger that is too restrictive |
| Click-through rate | Share of displays followed by a click on the button | Genuine interest in the message |
| Dismissal rate | Share of displays closed without action | A format that is too intrusive or a message that misses the mark |
| Conversion rate | Share of users who completed the intended action | The message’s business impact |
Then compare these results with your other channels, using the marketing KPIs that really matter.
In-app message FAQs
The most common questions before launching your first in-app messages.
What is the difference between an in-app message and a push notification?
A push notification appears on the phone’s screen, even when the app is closed, and requires the user’s permission. An in-app message appears inside the app while it is in use, with no notification permission.
Do I need permission to display an in-app message?
No notification permission is needed, since the message appears inside the open app. In the UK, however, promotional in-app messages count as electronic mail under PECR and need consent or the soft opt-in. UK GDPR also applies to the data you use to target and personalise the message.
Can an in-app message appear on a website?
Yes, depending on the tool. With Actito, in-app messages appear in the mobile app or on the website, as a card, a banner or a full screen.
How many in-app messages should I show per visit?
There is no universal number. Show one message at a time, linked to what the user is doing, and keep an eye on the dismissal rate: if it climbs, reduce the frequency or switch to a more discreet format.
Which in-app message format should I choose?
Banners suit reminders and secondary information; cards suit announcements and targeted offers. Keep full-screen messages for key moments, such as onboarding or a major launch.
Conclusion: the in-app message, a channel in its own right
In-app messages reach your users when they are most available: while they are using your app. Well targeted and well paced, they complement push without adding pressure, and enrich your customer knowledge with every interaction. They fit naturally into a mobile marketing strategy orchestrated from an omnichannel platform.
To go further, the eBook “Your customers are on mobile. Is your marketing?” explains how to build a consistent mobile-first experience, from push to Wallet.