Alphorn vs Courier
Lightweight routing without the complexity
Courier is a notification orchestration platform with a visual designer. Alphorn takes a simpler approach — webhook in, notification out — with self-hosting and open-source transparency.
Why teams choose Alphorn
Simple by design
No visual workflow designer, no template engine, no subscriber management. Alphorn focuses on reliable delivery from webhook to channel with filtering and retries.
Self-host with a single database
Courier is cloud-only. Alphorn self-hosts with just PostgreSQL. One database, full control.
Pay for messages, not complexity
Courier's pricing scales with notifications and channels. Alphorn charges per message with clear limits and a generous free tier.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Alphorn | Courier |
|---|---|---|
| Self-hosted option | Yes (self-hosted) | No (cloud only) |
| Open source | AGPL-3.0-or-later | Closed source |
| Integration method | HTTP webhook (no SDK) | SDK + API |
| Notification channels | 20+ channels | 15+ channels |
| Filtering / routing | Rule-based (priority, tags, paths) | Visual workflow designer |
| Template engine | Not needed (plain messages) | Built-in designer |
| Retry logic | Built in (exponential backoff) | Built in |
| Multi-tenant | Organizations with RBAC | Tenants |
| Setup complexity | Single command | Cloud signup + SDK install |
| Data ownership | Your infrastructure | Courier's cloud |
Frequently asked questions
When should I choose Courier over Alphorn?
Courier is better if you need a visual template designer, subscriber preference management, or complex multi-step notification workflows with branching logic.
Can I migrate from Courier to Alphorn?
Yes. Replace Courier SDK calls with HTTP POST requests to Alphorn. If you use Courier templates, you'll need to move formatting into your application code or webhook payloads.
Does Alphorn support notification templates?
Alphorn delivers the message content you send in the webhook payload. Formatting is handled by each channel (e.g., Markdown in Slack, HTML in email). This keeps the system simple and your content portable.
Ready to try Alphorn?
Free plan includes 3,000 messages/month. Self-host for free, forever.