# OneSignal vs Apple Search Ads: which do AI models recommend for mobile apps, October 2026

GTM AI Recommendation Index, October 2026 Edition, Mobile apps. Zero of fourteen models named OneSignal first on the direct prompt; zero named Apple Search Ads. Page: https://gtm-ai-index.com/marketing/mobile-apps/onesignal-vs-apple-search-ads/

| | First-choice share | Rank | Negative rate | Labels | Models naming it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OneSignal | 7% | #4 of 18 | 0% | 31 | 12 of 14 |
| Apple Search Ads | 5% | #6 of 18 | 0% | 12 | 9 of 14 |

## The direct prompt, model by model

- GPT-5.4 mini: neither first, one named (first choices: Customer.io) (alternatives: Airship, Braze, OneSignal)
- Gemini 3.5 Flash: neither first, one named (first choices: Customer.io) (alternatives: Branch, OneSignal)
- Mistral Small: neither first, one named (first choices: CleverTap, Customer.io) (alternatives: Amplitude, AppsFlyer, Iterable, OneSignal, Pendo)
- DeepSeek V4 Flash: neither first, one named (first choices: Customer.io) (alternatives: MoEngage, OneSignal)
- Qwen 3.7 Flash: neither first, one named (first choices: Adobe Marketo Engage) (alternatives: ActiveCampaign, HubSpot Marketing Hub, OneSignal)
- Kimi K2: neither first, one named (first choices: Customer.io, HubSpot Marketing Hub) (alternatives: Intercom, OneSignal)
- MiniMax M2.5: neither first, one named (first choices: Customer.io) (alternatives: Braze, OneSignal)
- GPT-6 Luna: neither first, one named (first choices: Customer.io) (alternatives: AppsFlyer, Branch, Braze, OneSignal)
- Claude Haiku 4.5: neither named (first choices: Braze, CleverTap) (alternatives: Customer.io, Intercom)
- Perplexity Sonar: neither named (first choices: Affise MMP) (alternatives: ActiveCampaign, AppsFlyer, MoEngage)
- Grok 4.1 Fast: neither named (first choices: Adjust) (alternatives: Branch)
- Llama 4 Maverick: neither named (alternatives: Acoustic, AppsFlyer, Braze, CleverTap, Customer.io)
- GLM 4.7 FlashX: neither named (first choices: Braze, CleverTap, Iterable) (alternatives: Affise, AppsFlyer, Branch, MoEngage)
- Muse Glimmer 30B: neither named (first choices: CleverTap, Customer.io) (alternatives: Dreamdata, MoEngage)

## What the models said about OneSignal

- "It's the most accessible entry point for engagement with strong push notification infrastructure, simple integration, and a generous free tier, making it the right starting point" (Claude Haiku 4.5, budget prompt, first choice)
- "OneSignal — Best Value All-Around ... For the majority of small-budget companies, OneSignal (free tier) ... gives the best overall value." (DeepSeek V4 Flash, budget prompt, first choice)

## What the models said about Apple Search Ads

- "If you can spend a few hundred dollars, start with Apple Search Ads – you'll get high-intent users at the lowest average CPI." (MiniMax M2.5, budget prompt, first choice)
- "Overall Best for Limited Budget: Apple Search Ads if iOS-focused (highest quality, lowest barrier)." (Grok 4.1 Fast, budget prompt, first choice)
- "This is widely considered the best place to start for iOS apps. It requires very low minimum daily budgets" (Qwen 3.7 Flash, budget prompt, first choice)

Share is the count of first choices across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts over all fourteen models, for a mid-market B2B company; rank is within the category. Comparisons are drawn for the top eight products in each category. Published under CC BY 4.0; the output is the models' output, and nothing here is a recommendation by the index.