SMS and messaging APIs · Comparison
AWS End User Messaging SMS vs Sinch SMS API
2 products compared side by side: what you pay for with each one first, then the five access facts, entry prices, recorded plan limits and the bottom line of each review. The evidence note under the table says how each product was checked.
Side by side
| Metric | AWS End User Messaging SMS | Sinch SMS API |
|---|---|---|
| What you're paying for | Compliance includedUS texting from your own AWS account, inside AWS’s SOC 2, ISO 27001 and HIPAA scope, with opt-outs, events and 10DLC registration as AWS APIs. | Built-in reachPrepaid SMS priced for 241 countries from one account, with US 10DLC registration in the same dashboard or API and a SOC 2 Type II that names the SMS API. |
| Overall score | 6.9 | 7.6Best |
| Free option | Paid only | Free trial |
| Card to start | –Not measured | No card needed |
| Getting access | Approval wait | Self-serve |
| Starter priceCheapest paid plan | $0.00774/US SMS + carrier fee | $0.0078/message |
| Pricing model | Usage-based | Usage-based |
| Pricing page | Public prices | Public prices |
| US SMS rate (10DLC) | $0.00774 per message part, outbound; inbound $0.0075 | $0.0078 per message, outbound or inbound |
| US carrier fees | One all-network fee: $0.00421 (10DLC, long code, toll-free) | Per carrier: AT&T $0.0035, T-Mobile $0.0045, Verizon $0.0050 (outbound; carrier fee article of Oct 1, 2026) |
| Local number | $1/mo (10DLC) | $1.00/mo plus $1.00 setup |
| 10DLC registration fees | Brand $4.50, optional brand vetting $41.50, campaign $2/mo low-volume or $10/mo; no campaign vetting fee listed | Brand $4, campaign review $15 per submission, $10/mo standard or $1.50/mo low-volume mixed (under 10k SMS/mo); optional vetting $41.50 |
| Reference scenario (10,000 US texts/mo) | $122.88, computed | $134.00, computed |
| Free option | None for SMS; sandbox sends billed texts to up to 10 verified numbers | Trial credit, no card ($2 for US accounts per archived help); texting sandbox |
| Volume discounts | None listed for SMS | Not published; contact sales |
| SOC 2 / ISO 27001 | Listed in AWS SOC 1/2/3 and ISO 27001 scope | SOC 2 Type II naming the SMS API; group ISO 27001 certificate |
| HIPAA BAA | HIPAA eligible under the AWS BAA (voice and WhatsApp excluded) | Product-level BAAs offered; SMS API not named |
| Non-US data region | The AWS Region you pick, EU Regions included | EU (Ireland, Sweden), Australia, Brazil, Canada through the account manager |
| Opt-out handling | Automatic STOP/HELP by default; self-managed optional | Automatic STOP blocking once consent management is switched on (Conversation API) |
| SSO | SAML 2.0 through IAM Identity Center, no extra charge | SAML in Sinch Build; no plan condition stated |
| Bottom line | From its public pages, AWS End User Messaging SMS pairs a published US price with AWS’s compliance scope, and SSO and an audit log at no extra charge. There is no trial, production needs approval per Region, and technical support is a paid plan. | From its public pages, Sinch offers a prepaid SMS API with per-country prices, SAML SSO, non-US servers and a SOC 2 Type II for SMS. Its US carrier and 10DLC fees sit in help articles that call them "only indications". |
Evidence: AWS End User Messaging SMS: facts checked 2026-10-15 from its public sign-up and pricing pages, no completed hands-on run; Sinch SMS API: facts checked 2026-10-15 from its public sign-up and pricing pages, no completed hands-on run. Prices in USD as listed, excluding tax. "–" means not recorded.
When to pick each
In the words of each review, with the date its facts were checked.
From our AWS End User Messaging SMS review
Checked Oct 15, 2026- Pick AWS End User Messaging SMS when
- You need a HIPAA path for SMS, want the US carrier and 10DLC fees on the pricing page and price list, and a lower scenario figure ($122.88 against $134.00).
- Pick Sinch SMS API when
- You want trial credit without a card and a sandbox for test messages that does not bill.
From our Sinch SMS API review
Checked Oct 15, 2026- Pick Sinch SMS API when
- You want a trial credit without a card, a sandbox that does not bill, and carrier fees listed per carrier.
- Pick AWS End User Messaging SMS when
- You already run on AWS and need a HIPAA BAA for SMS, CloudTrail audit logs and SSO through IAM Identity Center.
Entry price
Baseline: each product's cheapest paid plan, per month. Included usage differs, so read the line under each price.
- AWS End User Messaging SMS10DLC phone number$1/moPer number; charged while the registration is pending
- Brand registration $4.50 one-time; brand vetting $41.50 optional
- Campaign $2/mo low-volume or $10/mo regular
- $12.50 extra for public for-profit brands
- $50 T-Mobile campaign activation fee postponed until further notice
- Sinch SMS APILocal number (10DLC)$1.00/moPlus $1.00 one-time setup
- 10DLC fees (fee article, updated Sep 17, 2026): brand $4, campaign review $15 per submission, low-volume mixed campaign $1.50/mo (under 10k SMS a month), most other campaigns $10/mo
- Campaign fees billed 3 months up front
Prices as listed on each pricing page, in USD per month, excluding tax. Observed: AWS End User Messaging SMS 2026-10-15, Sinch SMS API 2026-10-15.
Which one fits
- If you need to start today without a sales call
- Sinch SMS APISelf-serve sign-up, no card needed; the only one here you can use right after signing up.
- If you want to try it without entering a card
- Sinch SMS APIFree trial, no card needed; scored 7.6/10.
- Lowest starter price
- AWS End User Messaging SMS and Sinch SMS API$0.00774/US SMS + carrier fee for the Pay as you go plan each.
- Highest overall score
- Sinch SMS API7.6/10 (Good). The review shows the score breakdown and the run behind it.
Picked by fixed rules from the table above, not by hand. How we score
Full reviews
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