Alphorn vs Knock
Self-host your notification routing
Knock is a cloud-only notification infrastructure. Alphorn gives you the same multi-channel routing with the option to self-host on your own infrastructure — no vendor lock-in.
Why teams choose Alphorn
Self-host on your infrastructure
Knock is cloud-only — your notification data lives on their servers. Alphorn lets you self-host, keeping all data under your control.
No SDK required
Knock requires their SDK for integration. Alphorn works with any HTTP client — curl, fetch, requests. Send a POST and you're done.
Open source and auditable
Alphorn's source code is public (AGPL-3.0-or-later). Audit the security, contribute features, or fork it. Knock is closed-source.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Alphorn | Knock |
|---|---|---|
| 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 required |
| Notification channels | 20+ channels | 7+ channels |
| Filtering rules | Priority, tags, JSON paths | Workflow conditions |
| Retry logic | Built in (exponential backoff) | Built in |
| Real-time streaming | SSE built in | WebSocket feeds |
| Multi-tenant | Organizations with RBAC | Tenants |
| Data residency | You choose (self-hosted) | US (cloud) |
| Free tier | 3K messages + unlimited self-hosted | 10K messages |
Frequently asked questions
When should I choose Knock over Alphorn?
Knock is a good choice if you want a fully managed cloud service with in-app notification feeds and preference management, and don't need self-hosting or open-source access.
Can I switch from Knock to Alphorn?
Yes. Replace Knock SDK calls with HTTP POST requests to your Alphorn webhook endpoint. No SDK dependency means simpler integration code.
Does Alphorn have an in-app notification inbox like Knock?
Alphorn provides real-time SSE streaming which you can use to build custom notification UIs. It doesn't include a pre-built inbox component — it focuses on channel delivery.
Ready to try Alphorn?
Free plan includes 3,000 messages/month. Self-host for free, forever.