# At Which Onboarding Step Do Apps Ask for Notifications?

Source: Lazyweb Research
Published: 2026-07-07
Sample size: n=26
Tags: notifications, onboarding, mobile, ux-patterns
HTML: https://www.lazyweb.com/research/onboarding-step-apps-ask-for-notifications
Markdown: https://www.lazyweb.com/research/onboarding-step-apps-ask-for-notifications.md

**Answer.** Across 26 tracked flows containing a notification-permission screen, the ask lands at an average step of 2.9 (median 2) in flows that average 5.6 steps — roughly 64% of the way through [1]. But the timing is bimodal: 13 of 26 flows (50%) put the first ask at step 1, while the rest defer it past step 3 [2]. There is no single 'correct' step; apps split into ask-immediately and earn-it-first camps.

> Half of apps that ask for notifications (13 of 26 flows) put the request at step 1, while the median across all flows is step 2 — Lazyweb Research, July 2026.

## The finding

Across 39 step occurrences in 26 flows, the notification-permission screen sits at an average step of 2.9 and a median of 2, in flows averaging 5.6 steps — an average relative position of 0.643, about 64% of the way through [1]. The mean is pulled up by a minority of apps that defer the ask deep into onboarding.

## The distribution is bimodal

| First-ask step | Flows | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | 13 | 50% |
| Step 2 | 2 | 8% |
| Step 3 | 3 | 12% |
| Steps 4-5 | 4 | 15% |
| Step 6+ | 4 | 15% |

Half of flows open on the ask; the other half spread across later steps [2]. This is the headline: there is no dominant single step, so benchmarking to 'the average' hides a real strategic fork.

## How to apply it

If your onboarding delivers a clear value moment early (a completed setup, first content), deferring the ask to step 3+ puts you with the ~40% of flows that ask after establishing value. If your app's core loop depends on notifications from the first session (messaging, alerts), the step-1 camp is well-populated. Pick a camp deliberately rather than landing on step 2 by default.

## Caveats

This rests on 26 flows — a small sample; lead with the counts, not the decimals [1]. Flow step positions come from ROW_NUMBER over tracked flows, which reflect captured screens, not necessarily every screen a user sees. Most permission screens also live in flows not named 'onboarding' (22 of 26 notification flows), so 'onboarding step' is a position observation, not a journey guarantee [3].

## The numbers

| Stat | Computed from |
| --- | --- |
| avg step 2.9, median 2, relative position 0.643; 39 occurrences across 26 flows; flows average 5.6 steps | notification_position_in_flows: ROW_NUMBER-ranked flow_steps joined to notification screens |
| First ask at step 1 in 13 flows, step 2 in 2, step 3 in 3, steps 4-5 in 4, step 6+ in 4 (n=26) | notification_first_ask_step_distribution: per-flow MIN(rn), bucketed |
| 22 non-onboarding vs 4 onboarding-named notification flows | onboarding_flow_membership: GROUP BY flow_name ~ 'onboard' |

## Methodology

Universe: 26 tracked flows (of 2,468) containing a notification-permission screen, July 2026. Step positions via ROW_NUMBER partitioned by flow; small sample, so absolute counts lead and percentages are flow-level only.

## Sources & citations

- [1] Lazyweb Research analysis of 26 flows (mobile-app corpus, 2,468 tracked flows), July 2026. Notification-permission screens positioned via ROW_NUMBER within tracked flows; small flow sample.
- [2] Lazyweb Research analysis of 26 flows (first-ask distribution), July 2026. Per-flow MIN step of the first notification-permission screen, bucketed.
- [3] Lazyweb Research analysis of 26 flows (flow-name membership), July 2026. flow_name is free text; 'onboarding-named' is a labeling artifact.

## Related questions

- [What Percentage of Apps Show a Priming Screen Before the iOS Notification Prompt?](https://www.lazyweb.com/research/percent-apps-priming-screen-before-ios-notification-prompt)
- [When Do Apps Ask for Location — Before or After Showing Value?](https://www.lazyweb.com/research/when-apps-ask-for-location-before-or-after-value)
- [When Do Apps Fire the ATT Prompt in Onboarding?](https://www.lazyweb.com/research/when-apps-fire-att-prompt-in-onboarding)