| Authentication | Each machine has its own bearer key. Zona keeps only the SHA-256 hash, and the source is taken from that hash. | Public topics by default; protected topics and access tokens are available. | An application token plus a user or group key. |
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| Revoking one machine | Revoking one machine leaves the other sources working. | Dedicated access tokens can be revoked separately. A public topic name alone is not a credential. | Separate application tokens can isolate senders. Replacing a shared token requires updating its senders. |
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| Native on phone | Native on phone | Phone apps with push notifications and a topic inbox. | Phone apps with push notifications and message history. |
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| Action buttons | Action buttons use an action key scoped to that device and its sign-in. | Notification actions can open URLs or make HTTP requests with configured headers. | Supplementary links and emergency acknowledgement. |
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| Check-ins | A job checks in on a schedule. If it misses, Zona raises an alert. | External heartbeat-monitor integrations. | Your monitoring service detects missed runs and sends the alert. |
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| Resolving an alert | When the job reports again, Zona marks that alert resolved. | Send an update, clear or delete event; client support varies. | Emergency retries can be cancelled through the API. |
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| MCP server | A native MCP server, so an agent can reach your phone without a hand-written request. | Third-party MCP servers are listed in its integrations. | Its documented integration interface is an HTTP API. |
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| Agent status alerts | An alert when an agent is waiting. The phone does not approve the tool or the pull request. | Your agent or integration sends a message when it needs you. | Your agent or integration sends a message when it needs you. |
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| Inbox sync | The inbox is stored, and it stays in step across the owner’s devices. | Server cache, 12 hours by default; retention is configurable. | Device-local message history with notification dismissal sync. |
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| Ring until seen | On Zona Plus, opt in per source to repeat high or critical alerts until opened, pinned, deleted or resolved. Your chosen repeat limit applies, with a maximum of 30 minutes. | Repeats are managed by the sender or an integration. | Emergency priority repeats until acknowledged or expired, included with app licensing. |
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| Critical alerts | Built, and waiting on the platform permission. Switched off until then, so a critical alert does not bypass Do Not Disturb or the mute switch today. | iOS critical-alert support is listed as unreleased in its current release notes. | Available on iOS with user permission. |
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| Replay protection | Each ingest is tied to an Idempotency-Key. Send one and a repeat returns the stored alert; if you leave it out, Zona derives one. | Sequence IDs support notification updates, rather than deduplicating request retries. | The documented send API has no idempotency-key parameter. |
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