[cageface]

You can't get push notifications in a sideloaded app right?

[kelnos]

Is that really the case? Why wouldn't you be able to? The FCM APIs aren't gated by install method; I've successfully used them while sideloading my own self-written, unpublished apps.

[SSLy]

of course you can. you just need logged off google play services and services framework middleware