SMS and messaging APIs · Comparison
Plivo SMS API vs Telnyx Messaging 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 | Plivo SMS API | Telnyx Messaging API |
|---|---|---|
| What you're paying for | Worth the priceFor brands spending $1,000 a month or more, low published US rates and a full fee sheet, with opt-outs and 10DLC registration handled by the platform. | Worth the priceUS texting at $0.004 a part, the lowest published rate in this group, with carrier and 10DLC fees passed through at cost and every messaging rate public. |
| Overall score | 4.6 | 8.2Best |
| Free option | Paid only | Free trial |
| Card to start | –Not measured | No card needed |
| Getting access | Sales call required | Self-serve |
| Starter priceCheapest paid plan | $1,000/mo minimum | $0.004/SMS part |
| Pricing model | Seat + usage | Usage-based |
| Pricing page | Public prices | Public prices |
| US SMS rate (10DLC) | $0.0077 per segment, outbound or inbound (list rate) | $0.004 per part, outbound or inbound |
| US carrier fees | Per carrier: AT&T $0.0035, T-Mobile $0.0045, Verizon $0.005 (outbound) | Per carrier, no markup: AT&T $0.0035, T-Mobile $0.0045, Verizon $0.0045 (outbound) |
| Local number | $0.50/mo | $1.00/mo plus $0.10/mo for SMS and MMS |
| 10DLC registration fees | Brand $4.50, campaign vetting $15, $1.50/mo low-volume campaign (billed quarterly) | Passed through: brand $4.50, campaign review $15, $1.50/mo low-volume mixed |
| Reference scenario (10,000 US texts/mo) | $1,046.46 with the $1,000 minimum, computed ($123.96 at list rates alone) | $85.89, computed |
| Free option | None for SMS; the $10 trial covers voice products | $5 testing credit after a fraud review, no card; texts only to your own verified number |
| Volume discounts | Enterprise plan only, by sales | Published tiers, from 100M parts/mo on local numbers |
| SOC 2 / ISO 27001 | SOC 2 Type II (FAQ); ISO 27001 not stated | SOC 2 Type 1 and Type 2; ISO 27001:2013 (scope not stated) |
| HIPAA BAA | Offered; listed on the Enterprise plan | Yes, US messaging traffic only; rate sheet lists $2,500/mo |
| Non-US data region | No (the India region has no SMS) | EU (Germany), Australia, UAE or Canada, chosen once |
| Opt-out handling | Automatic STOP/HELP on US and Canadian long code and toll-free | Automatic STOP and similar keywords; AI detection $0.002 per message |
| SSO | Enterprise plan, by sales | SAML through Organizations; no plan gate stated |
| Bottom line | From its public pages, Plivo lists low US rates and every US fee, with opt-outs and 10DLC registration built in. SMS now needs an Enterprise contract with a $1,000 monthly minimum, and some pages still describe pay-as-you-go. | From its public pages, Telnyx has the lowest published US rate and scenario figure in this group, with every fee itemized and passed through at cost. US 10DLC needs the Verified tier with KYC, the trial is narrow, and several pages disagree on fees and plans. |
Evidence: Plivo SMS API: facts checked 2026-10-15 from its public sign-up and pricing pages, no completed hands-on run; Telnyx Messaging 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 Plivo SMS API review
Checked Oct 15, 2026- Pick Plivo SMS API when
- You will spend $1,000 a month or more on Plivo anyway and want Verify with no per-verification fee.
- Pick Telnyx Messaging API when
- You want self-serve pay-as-you-go at $0.004 per part ($85.89 a month for our scenario), a $5 trial credit, ISO 27001 and an EU data region.
Entry price
Baseline: each product's cheapest paid plan, per month. Included usage differs, so read the line under each price.
- Plivo SMS APILowest priceLong code number$0.50/moPer number; billed for the full month when removed mid-month
- Toll-free number $1.00/mo
- 10DLC: brand $4.50, campaign vetting $15, $1.50/mo low-volume or $10/mo standard campaign
- Telnyx Messaging APILocal number (10DLC)$1.10/mo$1/mo per local number plus $0.10/mo to add SMS and MMS; no setup fee listed
- 10DLC fees passed through at cost: brand $4.50, campaign review $15
- Low-volume mixed campaign $1.50/mo; standard campaign $10/mo
Prices as listed on each pricing page, in USD per month, excluding tax. Observed: Plivo SMS API 2026-10-15, Telnyx Messaging API 2026-10-15.
Which one fits
- If you need to start today without a sales call
- Telnyx Messaging 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
- Telnyx Messaging APIFree trial, no card needed; scored 8.2/10.
- Lowest starter price
- Plivo SMS API$1,000/mo minimum for the Enterprise (USD 1,000/month minimum commitment) plan.
- Highest overall score
- Telnyx Messaging API8.2/10 (Excellent). 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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