Message delivery settings

Configure Global frequency capping

To prevent overwhelming your users with multiple messages from overlapping campaigns, use Global frequency capping. This feature limits the number of marketing messages a user receives within a specific timeframe. Once the message limit is reached for a channel, no further messages will be sent until the period resets.

Update your API requests

Set message type in API requests so frequency capping applies the way you intend.

• Push: message_type in createMessage requests
• Email: email_type in createEmailMessage requests

Transactional sends are not subject to frequency capping. If you omit the type, capping applies.

For the Control Panel, see Marketing vs. transactional messages.

To control the number of messages sent to a user within a specific timeframe:

1. Go to Settings > Message delivery settings > Frequency capping.

2. Toggle the switch on to enable frequency capping for the desired channels (push notifications, emails, in-apps, SMS, WhatsApp).

3. Set the maximum number of messages per user for each channel and the corresponding time period.

For example, you can allow up to 4 push notifications, 2 emails, and 2 WhatsApp messages in a 5-day period.

The maximum frequency capping period is 30 days.

4. Choose a Counting mode for the channel:

• Rolling window (default): counts messages sent within the last N×24 hours, measured back from each send. The window moves with every new message, so it always covers the most recent N×24 hours. For example, with a cap of 3 pushes per 2 days, each push counts for exactly 48 hours from when it was sent. A push sent Monday at 9 AM ages out of the count at Wednesday 9 AM; a second push sent Monday at 3 PM ages out separately, at Wednesday 3 PM.
• Calendar day: counts messages across N calendar days instead of N×24 hours. The window covers today plus the previous N-1 days, starting at local midnight, and advances by a full day at each new midnight instead of sliding continuously. Select the Capping timezone (an IANA timezone, e.g. America/New_York) that defines when midnight falls for this channel. For example, with the same 3-pushes-per-2-days cap, on Wednesday the window is Tuesday and Wednesday: every push sent since Tuesday midnight counts, no matter the time, and right after midnight the window shifts to Wednesday and Thursday.

Tip

Calendar day suits teams that plan or report messaging by fixed daily periods rather than a rolling 24-hour window.

Counting mode is also available wherever you can set a custom frequency cap: one-time campaigns, instant in-apps, and customer journey message elements.

Exclude users from global frequency capping

You can exclude specific users from global frequency capping limits. Messages to excluded users bypass channel limits regardless of the configured period.

To exclude users from capping:

1. Go to Settings > Message delivery settings > Frequency capping.
2. In Users excluded from frequency capping, enter one User ID or one email at a time.
3. Click Add to list.
4. Repeat steps 2-3 for each additional user.
5. Click Apply changes.

Users remain excluded until you remove them from the list in message delivery settings.

To clear the exclusions list, click Clear exceptions list.

Global frequency capping for Journey messages

Important

Please note that to change the capping settings for active journeys, you will first need to pause the journey.

When creating message elements in customer journeys, Global frequency capping settings are applied by default.

Note

If no limit is set in Message delivery settings, the message will use unlimited global frequency capping. If needed, click the Set up link in the delivery settings to configure the limits.

However, you have the option to customize how certain messages are handled by overriding the Global frequency capping settings. You can do the following:

Ignore Global frequency capping

Select Send messages without global frequency capping to bypass global frequency capping rules. The user will receive this message regardless, even if they have exceeded the set message limits for the channel. Use with caution to avoid sending too many messages.

Use custom frequency capping

This option allows you to set a custom limit on the number of messages sent within a specified period. Here, define the number of messages (e.g., 5) and the time frame (e.g., 10 days) in which these messages can be sent. Choose a counting mode for this custom limit: Rolling window or Calendar day, same as for the global setting.

Important

Custom frequency capping does not isolate the message from global capping limits. All messages sent on the same channel (e.g., in-app) across different journeys and campaigns are still counted. If a user receives a message in one campaign, it may prevent the delivery of messages from another journey, even if custom capping is set.

Tip

If you want to limit how often users can receive messages specifically from a journey (e.g., only once every 10 days), use Campaign entry limits, not frequency capping. Entry Limits restrict how often users can enter a journey and receive its messages.

Example scenario

Imagine you’re managing multiple marketing campaigns across push notifications, emails, and SMS. To prevent overwhelming your customers with too many messages, you decide to set up Frequency capping and limit the number of messages each user can receive to 3 push notifications, 2 emails, and 1 SMS per user within 7 days.

Here are the steps to set it up:

Enable Global frequency capping

1. Go to Settings > Message delivery settings > Frequency capping.
2. Toggle the switch on for push notifications, emails, and SMS.
3. Specify the maximum number of messages a user can receive: 3 push notifications, 2 emails, and 1 SMS.
4. Specify the time period for 7 days.

Configure critical messages

If you want to make sure that important messages, such as payment confirmations, are always delivered immediately, regardless of any message limits, select Send messages without global frequency capping in the delivery settings of the specific journey steps where this is needed.

Examples of other critical messages can include security alerts, password reset requests, critical app updates, and more.

Customize capping for specific messages

Let’s say you want to send a special offer push notification every time a user completes a specific in-app action. However, to avoid repeating the same message too often, you want to ensure this message is shown no more than once every 3 days, even though your Frequency capping allows 3 push notifications per week.

Here’s how to configure that:

1. Set up a customer journey triggered by the user completing the target action.
2. Within the customer journey builder, go to the settings for the message element and select Use custom frequency capping.
3. Set the custom cap to 1 message every 3 days.

Important

Custom frequency capping does not isolate the message from Frequency capping. All messages sent on the same channel, including those from other journeys or campaigns, are still counted toward the global cap. If the user has already received 3 push messages this week from other sources, this message may still be blocked, even if the custom capping would allow it.

Global frequency capping FAQ

How does Global frequency capping calculate time?

It depends on the counting mode:

• Rolling window (default): a “day” is exactly 24 hours from the time a message is sent. For example, if a message is sent on January 12, 2024, at 01:00 AM, the capping period applies until January 13, 2024, at 01:00 AM.
• Calendar day: the window covers N calendar days, starting at midnight in the selected capping timezone, N-1 days before today, and running through the current moment. For a 1-day cap, this is simply “since midnight today”. For a 3-day cap, it’s the current calendar day plus the two calendar days before it, not the last 72 hours.

Which messages are affected by Global frequency capping?

Global capping limits marketing messages. Transactional messages are not subject to frequency capping. The rule applies across channels and sources, including:

• API-based messages
• Customer Journey messages
• One-time push notifications and emails
• In-app campaigns
• SMS and WhatsApp messages

Can I exclude specific users from Global frequency capping?

Yes. In Settings > Message delivery settings > Frequency capping, add a User ID or email to Users excluded from frequency capping. These users bypass global capping limits.

What happens if I change Global frequency capping settings while a Customer Journey is running?

The updated settings apply immediately. Pushwoosh checks the capping rules every time it attempts to send a message. Switching between counting modes doesn’t reset any counter: Pushwoosh always looks at messages already sent and simply computes the window differently, so the change applies to the next message it checks.

What happens if I disable Global frequency capping?

Future messages will no longer be limited by capping rules. However, messages that were previously blocked due to capping will not be sent retroactively.

How does enabling Global frequency capping affect ongoing campaigns?

All active campaigns, whether launched via API or through the Pushwoosh interface, will immediately follow the new capping rules.

What if I enable Global frequency capping but still use the old capping settings in the Send Push form (legacy)?

The system will continue using the old capping settings for messages sent via the legacy Send Push form.

How does Frequency capping affect API-based messaging?

Marketing API messages are subject to global capping. Set message_type to transactional in /createMessage or email_type to transactional in /createEmailMessage so those sends are not capped. If you omit the type in the API request, frequency capping applies.

View frequency capping statistics

You can see how frequency capping affects your messages in several places. Each view reports two metrics: Suppressions (messages not sent because the recipient had already reached their frequency capping limit) and Affected users (unique users who had at least one message suppressed).

• Project dashboard: the Project overview shows a Frequency capping block for the last 30 days.
• Individual message statistics: the Performance tab of push notification and email message statistics includes a Frequency capping row.
• Aggregated messages: the Performance tab of aggregated message statistics includes a Frequency capping row.
• Customer Journey: the Communications statistics window reports frequency capping on the Push, Email, SMS, and WhatsApp tabs.

Set send rate limits

Set individual send rate limits for each messaging channel: push notifications, emails, and SMS.

To set up send rate limits:

1. Go to Settings > Message delivery settings > Send rate.
2. Enable or disable rate limiting for each channel as needed.
3. Specify the maximum number of messages to be sent per second to manage delivery speed and prevent backend overload during high-volume sends.

Important

Enabling the Global Send Rate feature will affect all your current campaigns for the selected channel, including those sent via API. Please take a moment to review them.

4. Click Apply changes, then confirm to save your settings.

Controlling send rate limits for individual messages

In addition to setting a global send rate for each channel, you can also control the send rate for individual messages in customer journey. This is done in the settings of the specific message or journey element.

You can choose to:

• Use global send rate settings
• Send messages without send rate
• Use custom send rate

For detailed instructions on configuring send rate per message, see the channel-specific element guides.