10 Best Twilio Alternative for your Business

Introduction to Twilio Alternatives

Are you looking for a Twilio Alternative? We are sure you must be either an existing Twilio user or someone hunting for companies similar to Twilio. In either case, you have come to the right place. In this guide, let us understand different aspects of Twilio, how it can be beneficial for your business to go for a solution similar to what Twilio offers and also alternative solutions that come at a cheaper and more efficient cost. 

But before we begin saying anything, let us understand what Twilio is.

What is Twilio? 

Twilio is a Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) platform. A CPaaS platform such as Twilio allows developers to integrate real-time communication features like SMS, voice calls, and video chat into their applications via APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). Basically, with the use of API, it helps you simplify communication with your customers or clients. 

People who use Twilio like the platform because it integrates into their apps and supports software development kits (SDKs) in various programming languages. Having said that, you need to have strong coding skills and software knowledge to utilize Twilio to its best abilities. This is the reason why Twilio may not be fit for business owners who are looking for something simpler. Keep on reading as we reveal to you the best Twilio alternatives.

What is CPaaS? 

Since Twilio is a CPaaS platform, it is important for you to know what CPaaS exactly means. CPaaS stands for communications platform as a service and is a cloud-based solution that allows businesses to integrate real-time communication features like SMS, voice calls, and video chat into their applications via APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). Twilio, Plivo, Infobip, Telnyx, etc. are all big CPaaS providers. Using a CPaaS platform, you can get the features you need developed with high customization. However, this requires coding and technical professionals is a complex process and may be more suitable for enterprise-level businesses. 

What is SaaS?

SaaS stands for software as a service, and it is a cloud-based service that allows businesses to access various software features over the internet. SaaS platforms offer their services to customers via the app or web browser. SaaS software is off-the-shelf, which means unlike a CPaaS platform, you do not need to hire a technical team or get features built. All you need to do is, sign up for a SaaS communication software and start using the features they offer. This kind of option is best for small businesses or businesses that do not want a lot of complexity. 

Twilio Features

• SMS API: Reach out to your customers worldwide, send notifications, alerts, verifications, and marketing SMS.
• MMS: Send rich marketing messages, including files, images, etc., with multimedia capabilities using MMS.
• Conversational chat: Engage customers by offering an in-app chat experience.
• Template builder: Create and manage templates across MMS, MMS, WhatsApp, and more.
• Voice API: Build custom calling features such as call tracking, IVR, embedded calling, alerts and notifications, etc., with Twilo’s voice API.
• Email API: Run email campaigns by building email templates, email features, and more. 
• Phone numbers: Get access to phone numbers in 100+ countries with Twilio’s global inventory, APIs, and software.

Twilio Pros and Cons

Twilio Pros

• Reliable customer support: Many reviews suggest that Twilio has quick, responsive, and reliable customer service. 
• Easy to use interface: Twilio’s interface is easy to use, and the APIs are well documented. 
• Pay-as-you-go subscription model: Since Twilio offers a pay-as-you subscription model, users know what they are paying for and appreciate this kind of pricing model. 

Twilio Cons

Cost, difficult implementation of APIs, lack of texting features, and other functionalities are some reasons why users look for Twilio alternatives. The cons of Twilio are discussed in detail in the below section.

Twilio Pricing

Twilio offers a pay-as-you-go pricing option. Here’s what the starting price looks like:

• SMS: Starts at $0.0079
• Voice APIs: Starts at $0.0085/min to receive and $0.014/min to make a call
• WhatsApp Business API: Starts at $0.005
• Video API: Starts at $0.004/min

Twilio Integrations

Twilio offers API and also integrates with tools like:

• Ads
• VWO
• Optimizely
• Upollo
• Stormly
• Rabble
• And more!

Twilio Customer Support Channels

• Tickets
• Live chat
• Help center
• Phone
• Web

Twilio Reviews & Ratings

Twilio has an overall rating of 4.4/5 on Capterra and 4.2/5 on g2. Here’s what customers are saying about Twilio:

“Very steep learning curve. There are so many options and so many ways to use this service including third party apps that you could get confused quite easily. Also their 2FA process is tedious which if you’re not careful could result in you losing your number.”

“One Thing i do not like about twilio that you can not customize your sender name for some countries like USA.”

Source: Capterra 

Reasons to Look for a Twilio Alternative

Here are the most common reasons why businesses look for alternatives to Twilio SMS:

• Cost: Twilio’s pricing differs depending on the API you choose. However, Twilio costs can quickly add up, making Twilio unfit for startups or smaller businesses especially. Additionally, access to Twilio’s customer support comes at a starting price of $250 a month. 
• Difficult to implement: Twilio is a complex software and you will need a dedicated tech team to implement it. This can be quite expensive for a small business who may not have a tech team or the capacity to hire one and hence should look for companies similar to Twilio.
• Does not have a flexible API: Having a flexible API is important to smoothly integrate the service with your business system, however, Twilio’s API is not flexible and may or may not integrate with your current business system. 
• Lacks texting features: Twilio lacks features like automated text messaging, drip campaigns, group texting, etc., which are very important for businesses who want to reach out to their customers. 
• Limited services & functions: Certain businesses might look for advanced features such as automated texting, seamless integration with their CRM/EHR/PMS software, etc. Unfortunately, Twilio offers very limited functionality.

Features to look for in Twilio SMS Competitors

Before choosing a better Twilio alternative SMS, analyze what your business requirements are and think of the areas in which your business needs improvement. Some must-have key features to look for in Twilio competitors are:

• Omnichannel support: Depending on your business use case, the best Twilio alternative should offer multiple communication media channels such as voice, SMS, email, social media, etc.
• Seamless integration: Integration with your existing tools and software is a must. So check what integrations are being offered by the platform and whether it is compatible with your current business model or not. 
• Customization options: The ideal alternative to Twilio should also be able to offer you solutions that can fit your specific requirements and branding.
• Scalability: The ideal alternative should be able to accommodate your growing business needs and handle the increasing communication load effectively. 
• Regional deliverability: If your business operates in multiple regions, then look for the SMS delivery rates and call quality offered by the provider across different regions. 
• Ease of migration: Your Twilio alternative SMS and voice provider should ensure a painless migration process and should allow you to add communications services to your existing setup with ease.

Who Should Look for a Twilio Alternative? 

Any business that, straight away, wants to start using SMS, calling and other functionality to communicate with their customers without the fuss of hiring a tech team, coders, etc., should look for a SaaS Twilio alternative, like Emitrr for example. Twilio may not be a fit for: 

• Small businesses: Small business owners with tight budgets may not be able to hire a tech team and may not need extreme customization to communicate with their customers. Such small businesses should simply purchase SaaS communication software. 
• Healthcare professionals: Small healthcare professionals who run clinics and do not want any complexity when it comes to purchasing software for patient communication should look for a Twilio alternative. 
• Spa & wellness centers: Spa and wellness centers that generally need communication software for either booking appointments, sending updates, marketing, etc., may benefit largely from a simple SaaS software, unlike Twilio. 
• Real estate professionals: Real estate professionals, looking for a simple communication software that allows them to make calls, and send SMS and other updates in a cost-effective manner may benefit from a Twilio alternative. 
• Home service businesses: Home service businesses are usually run locally, so getting custom SMS or calling features, hiring a tech team, etc., might be just too much of an unnecessary task, and should look for a Twilio alternative. 

Twilio or a CPaas platform may be a better fit for: 

• Developers: Business owners who are developers, engineers, or someone who is building a product in the tech niche might benefit by implementing CPaaS software like Twilio, Plivo, etc. 
• Large e-commerce businesses: Large e-commerce companies might need more customized features and specialization and may have too many people working. As such, investing in software like Twilio or other CPaas options might be a better choice for them. This is because, with it, they can customize the features they need and only pay for those on a large scale. 
• Sales-focused businesses: Sales-focused businesses that run on a large scale or global level might also benefit better from an option like Twilio. 

Top 10 Twilio Alternative 

1. Emitrr
2. Sinch
3. Plivo
4. Vonage
5. Bandwidth
6. MessageBird
7. Infobip
8. Podium
9. Telnyx
10. Klaviyo

1. Emitrr

Emitrr Overview

Emitrr is our top pick for the best Twilio competitor. Emitrr is a customer communication and engagement platform that offers off-the-shelf communication capabilities like SMS, VoIP, etc. The best part is that Emitrr also offers developer API, using which you can build all the communication features like SMS, voice calls, emails, and more that fit your business needs. To access Emitrr’s API, you simply need to create an account with Emitrr. Additionally, Emitrr offers a comprehensive suite of features for texting, marketing, etc., and integrates seamlessly with more than 500 tools that too at the most affordable price. Have a look at these useful features that Emitrr offers:

Emitrr Features

• API: Emitrr offers an API and can act like a CPaaS.
• Two-Way Texting: Communicate efficiently with two-way texting.
• Secure Links: Send secure links via text messages.
• Group Texting: Improve teamwork with group texting.
• Text Alerts: Get instant alerts for urgent situations.
• Mass Texting: Easily send mass texts for outreach through mass texting. 
• Send Media: Send and receive images, GIFs, and videos.
• Automated Review Requests: Automatically request reviews from patients.
• CRM Integration: Easily integrate your existing CRM system.
• Unified Review Inbox: Read all review responses in one place.
• Automated Reminders: Send automated text reminders to customers.

Here’s a quick video explaining how Emitrr’s reminders feature works:

• Live Chat: Offer immediate customer support with live chat.
• No-Show Follow-Up: Follow up on no-shows via text and calls.
• Payment Follow-Up: Automate payment and cancellation follow-ups.
• Track Metrics: Monitor missed calls, open rates, total SMS sent, total SMS replied to, and more.
• Conversation tagging & folders: Tag different conversations on the basis of its response, category, nature, etc., for easy identification. 
• Editable SMS Templates: Personalize messages with customizable templates.
• Landline Texting and 10DLC: Text-enable your landline with 10DLC support.
• VoIP Functionality: Enhance communication with VoIP features such as call forwarding, call routing, call queue, IVR, etc. 
• Export chats: Safely export and transfer chat data from one platform to another.
• Bilingual messaging: Conversate with your customers in their preferred language.
• Reputation management: Build online reputation across major review platforms, such as Yelp, Google, Facebook, etc., with tools like link sharing, feedback tracking, survey automation, and more.

Pros of Emitrr 

• Feature-filled product: Be it SMS, VoIP, reputation or review management, scheduling, etc. Emitrr caters to all aspects of business communication and growth, and you can get access to all these features with this top Twilio alternative. 
• Customization at affordable price: Emitrr offers customized pricing options depending on your texting needs and volume so that you only pay for what you need & get the best value for money. 
• Excellent customer service: Emitrr offers 24×7 excellent customer service and is even rated 5/5 on Capterra by current users for the same.  
• No hidden charges: With Emitrr, you get complete transparency. During the demo call, you can discuss your business needs and the functionality that you want and get a price quote with no hidden charges.

Cons of Emitrr

There is no major issue with this software.

Emitrr Pricing

Emitrr’s text-based pricing model starts at $149 a month. For a customized price quote, you can book a demo with Emitrr. 

Emitrr Integrations

Emitrr offers API and also seamlessly integrates with more than 1000 tools across different industries such as healthcare, real estate, home service, dental, insurance, etc., including: 

• MailChimp
• AthenaHealth
• Denticon
• HubSpot
• HouseCall Pro
• Facebook
• Zapier
• And more!

Emitrr Reviews & Ratings

Emitrr has an overall rating of 4.8/5 on Capterra and 4.7/5 on g2. See what Emitrr’s customers are saying:

“I LOVE Emitrr. The support you get is wonderful, the app is easy to use and they have been incredibly responsive. As a small business, we needed a messaging platform that wouldn’t break the bank and this meets all our needs (and then some) without making us feel overwhelmed.”

“How easy it was to set up, every message has been going out (which was a problem we had with chiirp), everyone has been very helpful, and its super easy to use.”

Source: Capterra 

Emitrr Support Channels

• Phone: Call Emitrr at +1 (210) 941-4696
• Live chat: Chat with Emitrr’s live representatives
• Email: Send email to Emitrr’s support team at [email protected]
• SMS
• FAQs/forum
• Knowledge base

2. Sinch 

Sinch Overview

Sinch is another great Twilio competitor and is a cloud communications platform that offers messaging, email, and voice APIs to help developers build products that fit their business needs. The software offers everything you need to email, SMS, or call your customers at scale. Their API covers many things, right from omnichannel campaigns to user verification and more. However, limited native integrations, frequent glitches, and lack of advanced features are some of its biggest challenges. 

Sinch Features

• Messaging platform: Sinch is a multichannel campaign platform and you can use it to interact and engage with customers via RCS, SMS/MMS, or WhatsApp.
• Email marketing: Design, send and measure newsletters, email marketing campaigns, and automated communications.
• Contact center: Use Sinch Contact Pro, a CCaaS omnichannel communication. It integrates with major CRMs, ensures security, provides analytics and handles high volumes.
• Voice: Enjoy voice call capabilities with Sinch’s VoIP API, in-app voice and video calling. 
• Numbers: Get access to 10DLC, toll-free numbers, short code numbers, virtual long numbers with Sinch.
• Fax: Send and receive fax with Sinch’s SOC 2 Type 1, HIPAA, GDPR compliant fax API.

Pros of Sinch

• Easy to use: Sinch has an extremely intuitive interface, and users love how easy it is to use Sinch. 
• Integrates seamlessly with WhatsApp: Sinch integrates seamlessly with WhatsApp, so if you use WhatsApp for most of the customer communication, then you will love using Sinch. 
• Good for video communication: Unlike many other Twilio competitors, Sinch also offers a video communication feature, which is great for telehealth or remote service options. 

Cons of Sinch

• Glitchy software;, stops suddenly: Many Sinch customers have pointed out that they face frequent issues when using Sinch. The software either stops suddenly or does not function smoothly, affecting business tasks. 
• Support team takes too much time to respond: If you run into an issue when using Sinch, then don’t expect to get immediate assistance. Sinch’s support team takes too much time to respond. 
• Very few native integrations: Sinch offers very few native integrations. So, if you want to integrate this platform with your current CRM or other third-party tools, then you might have to get it built, which could be time-consuming and complex. 
• Lacks advanced features: Although Sinch offers omni-channel communication capabilities, it lacks in offering advanced features in each of those capabilities. 

Sinch Pricing

Sinch offers pay-as-you-go pricing for SMS & voice:

• SMS messaging: $0.0654 per outbound message & $0.03230 per incoming message. 
• Voice: $0.01 per minute to make calls & $0.004 per minute to receive calls.

Sinch Integrations 

Sinch integrates with third-party apps and tools like:

• Airtable
• Asana
• Autopilot
• Act!
• Amazon
• Braintree
• Close
• Bullhorn
• And more!

Sinch Reviews & Ratings

Sinch has an overall rating of 3.9/5 on g2 and here’s what users are saying:

“It is not possible to get pricing data through Sinch’s API, unlike many of their competitors. After committing to offer us a fixed price in a key market, they raised their prices by 6x and did not notify us in any way, even though they sent us other email price notifications during this same period. When we finally identified the price change, which led to significant losses for our business, they apologized but only offered us a refund of ~2% of the losses we incurred.”

“They have a good platform and is user friendly. thats it, the business aspect behind the product is not existent.”

Source: g2

Sinch Support Channels

• Phone
• Email
• Knowledge base

3. Plivo 

Plivo Overview

Plivo is an SMS and VoIP API platform that enables businesses to communicate with their customers globally. This cloud-based API platform offers voice APIs, SMS APIs, SIP Trunking services, etc. Additionally, Plivo also offers SDKs and RESTful API for building SMS, Video, voice, push notifications and other communications into mobile, web or other applications. For SMS Plivo offers features like message queuing, delivery reports, etc. And Plivo voice API offers features like custom caller IDs, voicemail transcription, etc. Here are some more details on Plivo:

Plivo Features

• SMS API: Get access to features like SMS marketing, appointment reminders, SMS surveys, autoresponders, etc., with Plivo’s SMS API. 
• Voice API: Get access to voicemail, voice survey, alerts, call forwarding, conference call, etc., with Plivo’s voice API.
• Verify API: Eliminate fake accounts and verify new users with this feature. 
• WhatsApp Business API: Automate customer engagement on WhatsApp. 
• Number masking: Safeguard personal phone numbers and anonymous communication with number masking.

Pros of Plivo

• Get message failure alerts with error codes for debugging: Plivo sends message failure alerts with debugging codes so that you can analyze the issue and sort it out. 
• Friendly customer support: Plivo’s customer support is friendly and helpful. 
• Availability of SDKs: Plivo offers SDKs, so if you require those, then it is a good option for you.

Cons of Plivo

• Random updates: Plivo updates the server side of their API without warning or documentation, which interrupts the workflow. 
• Confusing to navigate: Plivo does not have an intuitive interface, it can be quite confusing and complex to navigate. 
• API documentation is not detailed: Plivo’s API documentation is not very detailed and does not explain well how developers can use and integrate with their API. 
• Not fit for small businesses: Since Plivo offers complex APIs, it is not fit for small businesses. It is best to go for a simple communication software such as Emitrr if you want zero fuss and want to get started with SMS and other communication functions.

Plivo Pricing

Plivo offers pay-as-you-go pricing for SMS, voice calls, 10DLC, SIP trunking, etc. Here’s what the starting price at Plivo looks like:

• SMS API: Starts at $0.00550/sms to send and receive messages
• SIP Trunking: Starts at $0.00650/min to make a call and $0.00250/min to receive a call.
• Voice API: Starts at $0.01000/min to make a call and $0.00550/min to receive a call.

Plivo Integrations

Plivo allows you to add capabilities to existing applications, including Microsoft Flow, Zapier, and Integromat, among others. 

Plivo Reviews & Ratings

Plivo has an overall rating of 4.3/5 on Capterra and 4.5/5 on g2. Here’s what customers are saying about Plivo:

“We had problems debugging the software. The API call logs can be made better and more informative. At times we had speed issue. We are not sure as it is solely dependent on Plivo as delivery of text/call also depends on the carriers of our customers.”

“Great software for sending text messages via Developer APIs”

Source: Capterra 

Plivo Support Channels

• FAQs/Forum
• Email/Help Desk
• Knowledge Base
• 24/7 (Live rep)

4. Vonage

Vonage Overview

Vonage is a CPaaS platform that offers a wide range of APIs for SMS, Video, Voice, Email, SIP Trunking, etc. Additionally, it also has user authentication APIs for voice, SMS,  WhatsApp, etc. The major difference between Vonage and Twilio is pricing. Twilio charges by rounding up to the nearest minute, and Vonage charges by second. This means you pay for only what you use. Vonage is the best option for those who want to save money and time spent on managing message channels.

Vonage Features

• IVR setup: You can set up interactive voice response (IVR) in 120+ languages.
• Integrations: Connect with 40+ external tools.
• Video conferencing: Host in-app video conferencing and add up to 16,000 participants.
• Virtual assistant: Create no-code virtual assistants to answer queries across social media or SMS platforms. 
• Two-factor authentication: Verify user accounts and prevent fraud with mobile two-factor authentication.
• Private SMS: Send SMS privately to your patients for discussing sensitive matters. 
• Voice-based critical alerts: Set up and receive voice-based alerts for critical matters. 

Pros of Vonage

• It’s omnichannel: Vonage is an omnichannel communication platform that offers API for SMS, voice, MMS, RCS, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger. 
• Extensive features: Within the omnichannel functions, Vonage offers extensive features for each communication functionality. 
• Easy-to-use: The APIs offered by Vonage are pretty easy to use compared to other Twilio alternatives listed in this guide. 

Cons of Vonage

• Paid support: 24/7 priority support starts at $750/month. So if you need priority support with Vonage, then be ready to pay a high monthly price. 
• Charges extra for integrations: Vonage charges extra for integrations as well, which is not the best thing for small businesses. 
• Vonage is quite expensive overall: Since Vonage charges for everything, be it support, integrations, features, etc., it is generally an expensive communication software. 
• Canceling Vonage takes a lot of time: Many users have pointed out that canceling Vonage was a challenge; the process takes a lot of time. 

Vonage Pricing

Vongage’s pricing is based on pay for what you use: 

• SMS API: Charges $0.0076 per outbound message and $0.0061 per inbound message
• Video API: Charges starts at $0.00395 per minute per participant 
• Voice API: Charges starts at $0.0043 per minute for outbound or inbound calls
• Verify API: Charges starts at at $0.053 per successful verification

Vonage Integrations

You can integrate Vonage to your CRM and other business applications, including:

• Slack
• Microsoft teams
• Clio
• Bullhorn
• Authvia
• Hubspot
• And more!

Vonage Reviews & Ratings

Vonage has an overall rating of 4/5 on Capterra and 4.3/5 on g2. Here’s what users are saying about Vonage:

“Users complained of bad call quality and drops. vonage meetings can only hold up to 12. lacking in development and R&D. when service rep changes you don’t even know unless you call support. basically support does everything.”

“API documentation is not the best I’ve seen, it requires some guessing here and there. However, it’s not a deal breaker.”

Source: Capterra 

Vonage Support Channels

• Phone Support
• FAQs/Forum
• 24/7 (Live rep)
• Email/Help Desk

5. Bandwidth

Bandwidth Overview

Bandwidth is a communication software meant for enterprises. The platform provides communication services and APIs for businesses to integrate various communication functionalities into their applications. It offers voice, messaging, and emergency services through its platform, allowing businesses to add these features without building and maintaining the underlying infrastructure. This is also a good Twilio alternative for sending text messages.

Bandwidth Features

• API: Bandwidth offers API for SMS, voice, etc. 
• Activity Dashboard: Track and analyse user activity and campaign reports on activity dashboard. 
• Alerts/Notifications: Set up alerts and notifications to stay updated always. 
• HIPAA compliant: Bandwidth is HIPAA compliant and can be used by enterprise healthcare businesses. 
• SIP Trunking: Make phone calls over the internet with Bandwidth’s SIP trunking services. 
• SMS Messaging: Use Bandwidth’s SMS API to build various SMS communication features.
• Voice Calling: Use Bandwidth’s voice API to build various voice communication features.

Pros of Bandwidth

• Helpful customer support: Bandwidth’s customer support is highly responsive and helpful. 
• User-friendly: Some users find Bandwidth easy to use.  
• Good call quality: The call quality offered by Bandwidth is really good. 

Cons of Bandwidth

• Expensive compared to other options: Bandwidth’s pricing starts at $500 a month, which is quite expensive compared to other Twilio sms competitors listed. 
• Does not integrate with Zapier: Bandwidth does not integrate with Zapier, so if you are an existing Zapier user, then Bandwidth is not for you. 
• Some APIs are quite difficult to use: Some of Bandwidth’s API are difficult to use and require technical expertise. 
• Glitchy software: Users have pointed out facing frequent glitches and downtime when using Bandwidth. 

Bandwidth Pricing

You need to have a minimum contract of $500 per month and a website to start using Bandwidth. They have a long verification process before you start using their platform.

Bandwidth Integrations

Bandwidth integrates with tools like:

• Zoom
• Webex
• Send-to
• Five9
• Genesys
• Cognigy
• Dialogflow
• And more!

Bandwidth Reviews & Ratings

Bandwidth has an overall rating of 4.5/5 on g2 and 4.6/5 on Capterra. Here’s what Bandwidth customers are saying: 

“Bandwidth does offer SMS but you have use their API to implement it, so if you aren’t a programmer, good luck. Due to the lack of features available, I still subscribe to a couple of other carriers for services that Bandwidth.com does not provide which is unfortunate.”

“The best thing is how quickly the turn around time is for the number ordering and updating”

Source: Capterra 

Bandwidth Support Channels

• Phone
• Email
• Knowledge base

6. MessageBird

MessageBird Overview

One of the top Twilio alternatives, MessageBird is a global communications platform that allows businesses to connect with their customers via SMS, Voice, and Chat. It provides reliable and scalable solutions for enhancing customer engagement. By integrating various communication channels into one platform, MessageBird streamlines operations and improves customer interactions. However, paid support and slow APIs are its biggest issues. 

MessageBird Features

• 2-Way Messaging: Send and receive messages from your app, product and website. 
• API: Add WhatsApp business features with a single API.
• Smart routing: Prioritize urgent issues and route the customers automatically with representatives. 
• Team collaboration: Simplify team collaboration and keep your team on the same page with team collaboration tools.
• Unified conversations: Handle customer conversations across email, SMS, WhatsApp and more. 

Pros of MessageBird

• Easy-to-use: MessageBird has an intuitive interface and is very easy to use. 
• Competitive pricing: MessageBird offers competitive pricing options that can be easily afforded by businesses. 
• Offers useful functionalities: The platform offers many useful SMS functionality. 

Cons of MessageBird

• Paid support: MessageBird’s priority email support starts at $500 a month, which is very expensive compared to other Twilio alternatives listed in this guide. 
• Unreliable and slow APIs: Many users have pointed out that MessageBird’s APIs are slow and unreliable. 
• Does not support mass texting: MessageBird’s biggest disadvantage is that it does not support mass texting, so if you are required to send SMS to multiple contacts, then this software is not for you and something like Emitrr is a better fit. 

MessageBird Pricing

MessageBird offers contact-based pricing options starting at $45/month for 3,000 contacts.   

MessageBird Integrations

MessageBird offers API and integrations with:

• Asana
• Airtable
• Cognism
• Calendly
• Easyship
• Magento
• Klaviyo
• And more!

MessageBird Reviews & Ratings

MessageBird has an overall rating of 4.5/5 on Capterra and 4/5 on g2. Here’s what MessageBird users are saying:

“1. Way to expensive than other available messaging provider apps. 2. Customer support is one of the biggest problem as it provide the porest customer support to users. 3. Need approval form message team to upload links and more.”

“1. Its easy to use interface attracts users to use the software in daily use. 2.Great performance as well as least errors.”

Source: Capterra 

MessageBird Support Channels

• Knowledge base
• FAQs
• Live chat

7. Infobip

Infobip Overview

Infobip is an omni-channel communication platform, offering a platform for messaging, voice, email, and chat. With a unified API for multiple communication channels, Infobip helps businesses enhance customer engagement and streamline operations. This top Twilio alternative emphasis on reliability, security, and scalability empowers organizations to connect with their customers more effectively.

Infobip Features

• SMS API: Build SMS features like reminders, notifications, campaigns, two-way texting, etc., with SMS API.
• Email API: Create personalized email campaigns with different templates and a drag-and-drop editor. 
• MMS API: Include subject line, web links, etc., and send two-way MMS SMS with API. 
• Voice API: Call your customers and build your calling features with voice API. 
• RCS: Engage with customers through branded conversational messaging on RCS that can be supported on Android and iOS.
• Live chat: Connect with customers and deliver support via chatbot or live agent directly from your app or website. 
• Video: Use WebRTC to create personalized interactions across any channel and on any device. 

Pros of Infobip

• Easy-to-use interface: Users appreciate how easy to use Infobip’s interface is and does not require much expertise to get the hang of it. 
• Data analysis option is quite good: Infobip’s data analysis feature is quite good and it gives detailed insights on how your campaigns are performing. 
• Works with plenty of CRM tools: This software can be integrated with many CRM tools easily. 

Cons of Infobip

• Expensive: With pricing starting at $150 a month, Infobip is expensive compared to other communication software. 
• Inconsistent support: Response from customer service can take days, and users really dislike how they struggle with service when something goes wrong. 
• Not fit for smaller businesses: Because of the poor support and expensive pricing, Infobip might not be a good choice for small businesses. 

Infobip Pricing

The pricing plan for Infobip starts from $150 per month.

Infobip Integrations

Infobip integrates with a bunch of tools, including:

• Adobe
• Salesforce
• Oracle
• Shopify
• Hubspot
• Mircrosoft
• And more!

Infobip Reviews & Ratings

Infobip has an overall rating of 4.6/5 on Capterra and 4.3/5 on g2. Here’s what Infobip users are saying:

“Even with experience working with different platforms, I find the naming convention of the functions hard to memorize. Infobip uses PEOPLE, SEGMENTS, TAGS, MOMENTS, COMMUNICATION, BROADCAST, FLOW. I wish they’re just simply called Contacts, List, Tags, Campaigns. Even if I use the system multiple times a day, I still am not used to how the functions are called. I actually have a sticky note to identify PEOPLE = CONTACTS, SEGMENTS = LIST, TAGS = LIST etc. That’s how tough it is.”

“Infobip works like most CRMs out there but with a better visual. It is easy to use once you get a hang of it.”

Source: Capterra 

Infobip Support Channels

• Knowledge Base
• Email/Help Desk
• Phone Support
• FAQs/Forum

8. Podium

Podium Overview

Podium is a cloud-based platform meant for local businesses that are looking to build online reputation, boost customer retention, lead generation, etc. Podium is the best alternative to Twilio for large businesses that want to tackle all this and create marketing campaigns with useful messaging features. Podium also offers AI integration and audio APIs to help you scale your audio processing pipeline. However, Podium is a very expensive software, and does not offer the best value for money.

Podium Features

• SMS Communication: Utilize SMS to engage with your customers or to distribute marketing messages.
• VoIP Communication: Podium also includes a VoIP phone system that allows businesses to interact with customers and team members. 
• Custom Contact Forms: Design personalized contact forms for your website to gather information from visitors.
• Review Management: Podium provides a feature for managing reviews and sending review requests via SMS, enabling businesses to gather feedback from platforms like Google and Facebook to enhance their online reputation.
• Website Chat Option: Enable users to chat with you directly through your website.
• Unified Inbox: Oversee all conversations through a single, organized inbox. 
• Social Media Integration: Connect with your social media applications to respond to inquiries received through the Podium app.
• Payment Integration: Link with your payment processing tools to facilitate easy collection of dues and payments from your customers.

Pros of Podium

• Easy to communicate with customers: Users find the SMS features of Podium quite efficient and easy to use. 
• Review integration with facebook and google is great: Podium’s integration with Facebook and Google for review generation is quite good as well. The platform offers many review management capabilities which helps in improving business reputation. 
• Useful SMS features: Podium offers many useful texting features such as SMS automation, templates for personalization, inbox management features, among others. 

Cons of Podium

• Very expensive: With pricing options starting at $249 a month, Podium is a very expensive communication software. 
• Podium phone does not work well: Many users have pointed out that Podium’s phone does not work well and does not offer good call quality. 
• Inconsistent support: There are mixed reviews for Podium’s support, some users highlight quick responses, while others complain about unprofessionalism and poor response. 
• Limited API functions: Podium offers limited API functions. 

Podium Pricing

Podium is quite expensive, and not ideal for small businesses. Here’s how Podium’s pricing looks like: 

• Essential plan: $249/month 
• Standard plan: $409/month
• Professional plan: $599/month

Podium Integrations

Podium integrates with many tools, including:

• Salesforce
• Hubspot
• Opendental
• AdvancedMD
• Angi
• AMS Pro
• And more!

Podium Reviews & Ratings

Podium has an overall rating of 4.3/5 on Capterra and 4.4/5 on g2. Here’s what Podium users are saying:

“The lack of customer service is truly boggling. It is literally impossible to get someone on the phone. The poor integration should have been my first clue. We lost three days of business and nobody cared. Podium Customer service makes your local DMV look like Chick-fil-a or some other excellent customer service organization. I will be leaving the second my contract is up. The amount of money they charge is absurd compared to other similar products.”

“I was lied to during onboarding and never told about the 1 yr contract until I read it for myself during the signing.”

Source: Capterra 

Podium Support Channels

• Phone
• Chat
• Knowledge base

9. Telnyx

Telnyx Overview

Another one of the best Twilio alternatives is Telnyx. Telnyx is a well-known CPaaS platform that offers APIs for voice, SMS, user verification, and SIP trunking services. Telnyx is a better Twilio alternative in the sense that it offers free 24×7 customer support, and since Telnyx owns a private global IP network, it offers great call quality. The platform also offers messaging services with easy-to-use SMS features.

Telnyx Features

• Call quality: Good call quality and low latency
• Flexible carrier: Telnyx is a carrier in 30+ countries
• Multi-cloud network: Has a multi-cloud network with Google Cloud, AWS, and Microsoft Azure for high uptime
• Messaging registration: Offers messaging registration via API for Toll-Free AND 10DLC numbers
• SDKs: SDKs available in Ruby, Python, Java, Node, PHP, and .NET

Pros of Telnyx

• Competitive pricing: Telnyx offers flexible and competitive pricing, making it a decent option for businesses that work under a budget. 
• Good customer support: This Twilio competitor is known for its reliable and helpful customer support. 
• Offers a wide range of tools: This software offers a wide range of tools, helping solve business communication problems. 
• Voice API is quite good: The voice API of Telnyx is highly appreciated by users for its functionality, ease of use, and quality. 

Cons of Telnyx

• Requires advanced programming: In order to use some features, advanced programming is required. So if you want simple and standard communication features, then this is not the ideal software for you. 
• Billing process is complex: Many users have pointed out that Telnyx’s billing process is complex. 
• Outages are common: Many user reviews point out that outages are quite common when using this software. 
• Porting can be a struggle: Porting from Twilio to Telnyx can be a struggle, and may take up a lot of time. 

Telnyx Pricing

Telnyx offers both pay-as-you and volume-based pricing. Here’s what Telnyx’s pricing looks like:

• SMS API: Starts at $0.004 per message
• Voice API: Starts at $0.005 per minute
• Numbers: Starts at $1.00 per number

Telnyx Integrations

Telnyx offers integrations with many apps and tools, including:

• Zapier
• Microsoft teams
• Pipedrive
• Salesforce
• Zoho CRM
• Integrately
• Iterable
• Rasayel
• And more!

Telnyx Reviews & Ratings

Telnyx has an overall rating of 4./5 on Capterra and 4./5 on g2. Here’s what Telnyx users are saying:

“Support is nonexistent. Their buggy know-your-customer flow locked me out of my two-year-old account, which had no suspicious activity whatsoever. Their phone line told me to email them, then hung up on me. They didn’t respond to two emails after more than a week, and when I found a phone tree option that got me a person, they gave me wrong information.”

“Their service and API design is well thought out.”

Source: Capterra 

Telnyx Support Channels

• Support center
• Phone
• Email
• Knowledge base 

10. Klaviyo

Klaviyo Overview

Klaviyo is a marketing automation platform focused on email and SMS marketing. This Twilio alternative assists businesses in developing robust customer relationships, with features like advanced segmentation, personalized messaging, and comprehensive analytics. Also, by seamlessly integrating with e-commerce platforms, Klaviyo allows businesses to craft targeted campaigns that boost engagement, enhance sales, and promote customer loyalty.

Klaviyo Features

• Email Campaigns: Create and distribute focused email campaigns to connect with and cultivate your audience.  
• Advanced Segmentation: Develop specific customer segments based on their behavior, preferences, and demographics for tailored marketing.  
• Automation Workflows: Establish automated marketing workflows that initiate actions based on customer interactions and events.  
• SMS Marketing: Engage customers directly through SMS campaigns for prompt and effective communication.  
• Data Analytics: Acquire insights into the effectiveness of campaigns and customer behavior through comprehensive analytics and reporting tools.

Pros of Klaviyo 

• Outstanding customer support from Klaviyo: Klaviyo offers exceptional customer service that is easily accessible through chat. The support agents are highly knowledgeable about the product’s features and functionalities. 
• Impressive email marketing tools: Klaviyo provides some of the top features for email marketing. 
• Robust integration: Klaviyo integrates effortlessly with third-party platforms like Shopify, Mailchimp, and HubSpot, enhancing marketing automation capabilities.

Cons of Klaviyo

• Concerns regarding Klaviyo pricing: Klaviyo’s pricing is somewhat high for the basic SMS features it provides. 
• Challenging setup: The setup process for Klaviyo can be quite complicated, with users frequently reporting that it is slow and problematic.
• Software issues: The user interface for automation is not user-friendly, subscription forms often malfunction due to outdated coding, and various other glitches are present.
• Restricted SMS marketing features: Klaviyo does not prioritize SMS marketing in its software, their focus is primarily on email marketing automation instead.

Klaviyo Pricing

Klaviyo offers a free version with basic features and these pricing options: 

• Email + SMS: Starting at $60/month 
• Email: Starting at $45/month

Klaviyo Integrations

Klaviyo offers integration with 350+ built-in tools, including:

• Meta
• Mindbody
• Square
• Typeform
• Stripe
• Woo
• Shopify
• And more!

Klaviyo Reviews & Ratings

Klaviyo has an overall rating of 4.6/5 on g2. Here’s what Klaviyo users are saying:

“Faced lot of issues while integrating SDK mainly when we use flutter platform. They have 24/7 chat suport but if some issue which takes long time they should consider calling & help it almost tool 15 days for us to get call support.”

“Klaviyo does not have the best customer support. They do have a large fourm that is heavily populated but the platform does have a learning curve.”

Source: g2

Klaviyo Support Channels

• Knowledge Base
• Phone 
• FAQs
• Help Center
• Email

Twilio CPaaS Vs Emitrr SaaS

While a CPaaS platform such as Twilio may offer you APIs including:

• SMS API: Build custom SMS features with SMS API. The building of these tools requires a tech team, there might be a limitation of what features you can add.  
• VoIP API: Build custom voice or calling features such as IVR, call forwarding, etc. 
• Email API: Build custom email templates, newsletters, etc., with Email API. 
• SIP trunking: Use SPI trunking functionality to route calls over the internet. 
• Social media integrations: Integrate your existing CRM and other business tools with your social media channels.
• Live chat: Build live chat feature with this API. 
• AI and automation: Build and integrate AI and other automation tools that may automate and simplify your business processes. 
• Usage based pricing: Pay on the basis of the features you choose, comes with the uncertainty of how much you may have to spend each month.  
• Streaming: Implement video calling and streaming functionality for your business. 

A Saas platform such as Emitrr can offer API, off-the-shelf, easy-to-use features along with a more extensive set of capabilities including:

• SMS: Get access to comprehensive SMS features such as mass/group/bulk texting, two-way texting, secure texting, conversation and inbox management, team communication features, templates, and much more!
• VoIP: Get access to useful VoIP features such as call routing, call forwarding, conferencing, voicemail-to-text, IVR, auto attendant, missed-calls-to-text, and much more!
• Email: Use templates, customize emails, and run schedules or set up different email campaigns with this. 
• Integrations with CRM/PMS/EHR and social media channels: Integrate your CRM/PMS/EHR and social media tools seamlessly and quickly with Emitrr and start communicating with your customers right away. 
• AI and automation: Emitrr is currently building AI and automation features that will help in automating repetitive tasks. 
• Subscription-based pricing: Get monthly subscription-based pricing and get clarity on how much you spend on communication each month. 
• Smart schedule: Keep all your slots full with Emitrr’s smart scheduling system. Keep your schedule up to date with appointment type, working hours, and work calendar.
• Online appointment scheduling: Allow customers/patients to schedule appointments with you directly from your website or via SMS. Send appointment updates, option to cancel/reschedule appointments via SMS, and reduce staff workload. 
• Forms and surveys: Design online forms in just a few clicks, send survey forms, and monitor responses and results. 
• Review & reputation management: Manage business online reputation by collecting customer feedback via SMS and by accessing and managing reviews you get on different review platforms on Emitrr’s dashboard. 

Why Emitrr is the best Twilio Alternative?

Off-the-shelf

Emitrr is an off-the-shelf communications software, which means that you get plenty of features for SMS, VoIP, reputation and review management, appointment scheduling, and integrations to choose from. No need to waste time in figuring out what features you need and get that built by a tech team. Simply choose the features you want and get started with your customer communication. 

No development stress or costs

If you choose a CPaaS platform that offers API then you’d need to hire a tech team to help you build the features you need. This is not only time-consuming but also expensive, as hiring professionals to execute the same will add to your overall cost. But with Emitrr, you don’t have to worry about such a complex process. Simply choose your plan and features and get started right from day one. 

Scalable and flexible

Emitrr is easily scalable and flexible and is one of the best Twilio sms competitors. You can upgrade or downgrade your plan easily, depending on the number of users you have. You can start with SMS or calling functionality and access more functionalities such as appointment reminders, scheduling, reputation, and review management as your business grows and needs increase. 

Beyond Texting: A Flawless Blend of Capabilities

Emitrr is your ultimate solution for seamless customer communication. From online appointment scheduling to automated text campaigns, reminders, reviews, feedback collection, and surveys, Emitrr has you covered for an exceptional customer experience.

Unlike other options that stick to basic texting, Emitrr takes it up a notch. With easy automation features, we elevate your business to the next level.

Affordable

Emitrr offers very affordable and flexible pricing plans and is one of the most affordable Twilio alternatives that you can find in the market. Emitrr is also rated 4.9/5 for the best value for money by users on Capterra. 

Excellent customer service 

Emitrr takes great pride in offering unparalleled customer support. With us, you are sure to get professional and quick resolution 24×7. The solid 5/5 star customer service rating on Capterra is a testament to this. 

Easy to use

Unlike Twilio, Emitrr is extremely easy to use. Emitrr does not require you to have a tech team in order to implement the software, it’s more of a plug and play solution. With Emitrr, you can simply text-enable your business number and start sending SMS to your customers.

Which Industries are catered by Emitrr?

Healthcare

Emitrr serves healthcare professionals from various specialties, including veterinarians, ophthalmologists, dentists, med spa clinic owners, surgeons, and others. The software is compliant with HIPAA regulations and works with over 1,000 EHR/PMS systems, such as Denticon, AthenaHealth, and Dentrix, facilitating smooth patient engagement and communication. Additionally, Emitrr provides features like reputation management, SMS messaging, appointment scheduling, appointment reminders, and VoIP, making it one of the leading communication software solutions for healthcare.

Home Service

Emitrr’s VoIP phone and SMS capabilities, including file-sharing options, recurring messages, and two-way texting, make it a perfect solution for home service businesses. Furthermore, Emitrr integrates with home service software and various CRM tools, automating numerous tasks from bookings to collecting customer feedback, making it an excellent choice for companies in this sector.

Non Profits

Investing in an SMS service for a non-profit can be a fantastic move, particularly if you’re looking to cut costs while staying in touch with all your NGO members. By utilizing Emitrr’s VoIP and SMS features, you can efficiently communicate with your current members or share event updates all at once. This software allows you to expand your NGO community and easily send SMS messages, notifications, and updates to individuals.

Real Estate

If you operate a real estate business and are looking to enhance your internal communication and attract more leads, Emitrr is the solution for you. Emitrr provides VoIP services tailored for real estate, featuring useful options like call forwarding, recording, transcribing, conference calls, and IVR. In addition to VoIP, real estate business owners can take advantage of Emitrr’s SMS capabilities, including SMS automation, auto-replies, and missed-call-to-text, ensuring that they never miss a sales opportunity.

Education

Schools and institutions that need to share regular updates with students and their parents can use SMS as a communication tool. To facilitate this, they can leverage Emitrr’s SMS features, including bulk messaging, customization options, recurring reminders, two-way texting, and SMS templates designed for schools.

Religious Institutions

Emitrr also serves religious institutions like churches, providing church texting features that enhance communication with church members effortlessly.

Insurance

You can utilize Emitrr’s VoIP for insurance businesses if you need to efficiently manage high call volumes and oversee multiple locations. Additionally, insurance companies can take advantage of Emitrr’s other features, such as sending survey links to gather customer feedback or automating SMS messages to share updates, promotions, and more.

How To Switch From Twilio To Emitrr?

If you are interested in switching to Emitrr, then we have some fantastic news—it’s a straightforward and seamless process!

Moving your contacts from Twilio to Emitrr is hassle-free. Just contact Twilio to obtain an export of your contacts and conversations. Once you receive the file, send it our way, and we’ll take care of everything else. It’s that easy!

You can retain the same business phone number you had with Twilio, so there’s no need to worry. The only change will be that you’ll gain access to even more incredible features that will streamline your customer communication. Ready to begin? Schedule a demo today!

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Now that you’re in the know, it’s time to take action. If you’re searching for an exceptional Twilio alternative as a CPaaS or for SMS with enhanced features, competitive pricing, round-the-clock customer support, and a seamless onboarding experience, the solution is clear – make the switch to Emitrr. As you know, you can use Emitrr for your CPaaS needs or even for your simple texting and calling needs. 
Book a Demo now!