Top Twilio Alternatives for 2025 to Cut Costs & Simplify Use

Twilio is a leading provider of application programming interfaces (APIs) for developer-first businesses seeking to integrate voice, video, and SMS into their existing apps and websites. Despite being one of the most-known titles in the space, other Twilio alternatives are worth a look for their cheaper pay-per-use rates, in-depth documentation, responsive support, and richer set of features.

Top Twilio alternatives at a glance

Best Twilio Alternatives

Starting Price for Making Calls

Key Features

Expert Score

Twilio

Visit Twilio

$0.0140/min

• Multichannel authentication
• AI-powered IVR system
• Email deliverability insights

4.56

Telnyx

Visit Telnyx

$0.002/min

• AI voice bots
• Mobile app calling
• Multi-function phone numbers

4.91

Sinch

Visit Sinch

$0.01/min

• Smart AI chatbots
• Drag-and-drop email editor
• Number masking

4.61

Vonage

Visit Vonage

$0.00761/min

• Video stream customization
• Programmable numbers
• In-app voice and messaging

4.58

Bandwidth

Visit Bandwidth

$0.0100/min

• Call verification
• Emergency calling API
• Global text messaging

4.03

Bird

Visit Bird

$0.005204/min

• Unified inbox
• Web activity tracking
• Recipient validation

3.87

Telnyx: Best overall for programmable voice

Visit Website

Overall Score

4.91/5

Pricing

5/5

General features

4/5

Advanced features

5/5

Support

5/5

Ease of use

5/5

Expert score

4.5/5

Pros

• Offers free 24/7 in-house support
• Automatically applies discounts on volume usage
• Features a clean and modern interface
• Supports a wide range of communication solutions
• Utilizes AI across various channels

Cons

• Requires multiple steps for setting up a 10-digit long code
• Has an initial learning curve

Why I chose Telnyx over Twilio

Telnyx emerges as the top Twilio alternative with its feature-rich voice APIs backed by low-latency AI-powered solutions. Create intelligent call flows with speech recognition, agent coaching, and multi-level interactive voice response (IVR) through intuitive extensive markup language (XML) scripting or simple hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) commands. 

In this Twilio competition, Telnyx is the only provider with an Internet of Things (IoT) SIM card, offering flexible satellite coverage on over 650 networks, perfect for users who are torn between using VoIP vs cellular networks. Additionally, Telnyx manages calls in a global private network, which offers a layer of added security, higher call quality,  and carrier-grade uptime. 

It also features real-time call control, automating call features companies need for a smoother hands-off experience. However, setup may involve a steep learning curve, and you may want to consider a more straightforward alternative to Twilio, like Bandwidth. 

Key features

• Web real-time communications (WebRTC) voice software development kit (SDK): Facilitate voice calls on various endpoints such as mobile apps, desk phones, web browsers, and traditional numbers.
• Rich communication services (RCS): Send interactive messages with high-resolution images, audio, and videos in a carousel format. 
• Fax API: Send and receive faxes over a secure IP network or use your email address to forward inbound faxes.
• Verified sender: Displays your company name, logo, and brand colors to establish credibility and avoid being suspected as spam.
• Analytics and insights: Get in-depth insights on campaign performance by measuring read receipts, open rates, and engagement metrics.

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Telnyx Pricing

• Voice*
  • Outbound calls: $0.002/min
  • Inbound calls: $0.002/min (local or toll-free)
• SMS**
  • Outbound SMS: $0.004/message
  • Inbound SMS: $0.004/message (local or toll-free)
• SIP trunking: $0.005/min
• Local numbers: $1/month
• Toll-free numbers: $1/month

* SIP trunking fee included

** SIP trunking fee included

Read our full review

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Sinch: Best for conversational marketing

Visit Website

Overall Score

4.61/5

Pricing

4.5/5

General features

5/5

Advanced features

4.5/5

Support

3.5/5

Ease of use

5/5

Expert score

3.63/5

Pros

• Provides a highly intuitive user experience
• Features an omnichannel contact center
• Has various channels for user verification
• Offers over 160 million virtual phone numbers

Cons

• Limits programmable video in SDK
• Has higher per-minute charges than competitors

Why I chose Sinch over Twilio

Sinch is a Twilio competitor built for marketing professionals seeking to deliver personalized messaging campaigns through mobile channels. Create interactive conversations through rich media formats such as images, dynamic text, videos, coupons, and mobile wallet. Beyond SMS marketing, you can also engage customers on popular messaging channels such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger. 

Predictable monthly plans are available for those needing bundled access to SMS credits, automated workflows, and landing pages. In-app video chat is available but offered exclusively through SDK. If you’re looking for a fully programmable video solution, Vonage is one of the leading alternatives to Twilio, which specializes in video communications. 

Key features

• Multilingual chatbots: Integrates with Chatlayer to enable chatbots to understand and communicate with customers in over 100 languages across channels. 
• Mobile landing pages: Customize a web page with your company branding through graphics, logos, and text, and send it in bulk by adding a short trackable link.
• Drag-and-drop email editor: Personalize your email, forms, and landing pages by adding brand content, images, links, and videos.
• Email validations: Validates the email addresses on your list to ensure they are active and reliable.
• Spam trap monitoring: Safeguard your sender reputation by monitoring block lists and how frequently your messages are forwarded to spam traps. 

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Sinch Pricing

• Voice*
  • Outbound calls: $0.01/min
  • Inbound calls: $0.004/min
• SMS**
  • Outbound SMS: $0.0078/message
  • Inbound SMS: $0.0078/message
• SIP trunking: $0.0025/min
• Local numbers: $0.8/month

* SIP trunking fee included

** Carrier fee included

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Vonage: Best interactive video capabilities

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Overall Score

4.58/5

Pricing

4.5/5

General features

4.5/5

Advanced features

5/5

Support

3.75/5

Ease of use

4.13/5

Expert score

3.92/5

Pros

• Ensures ease of integration with third-party apps
• Provides a monthly plan option for a unified communications platform
• Offers extended capabilities for managing voice calls
• Supports up to 120 languages for automatic speech recognition

Cons

• Lacks sufficient documentation
• Requires advanced technical expertise

Why I chose Vonage over Twilio

Vonage is perhaps one of the closest competitors of Twilio in terms of video communications. Users can seamlessly integrate video into mobile apps, web browsers, and desktop applications with low and no-code options, ensuring flexibility, quick deployment, and smooth user experience. 

Beyond basic video composition, Vonage offers interactive elements such as screen sharing, whiteboards, in-meeting chat, translation, and branded user experience. Those with limited programming expertise can use Vonage Video Express, a straightforward alternative to rapidly build full-featured video apps that can support thousands of participants. 

Due to its feature-rich nature, many users have complained that setting up Vonage’s programmable features can be a challenge due to the lack of comprehensive documentation. If this is something you prioritize, I recommend Telnyx, which offers clear, step-by-step guides and examples for its developer platform. 

Key features

• Number insight: Provides up-to-date information about phone numbers (e.g., formatting, validity, and carrier) based on multiple sources, including numbering plans and portability databases.
• AI Studio: Works as a low-code visual builder that enables users to create automated flows across voice and messaging channels by simply dragging and dropping triggers. 
• Branded calling: When calling a customer, your logo and brand name will display as your caller ID to help boost brand recognition and pick-up rates.
• Automatic speech recognition: Enable customers to use their voice while navigating your IVR system to ensure faster submission times. 
• Split/multitrack recording: Extract separate records of up to 32 participants in a call for more accurate transcription and sentiment analysis.

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Vonage Pricing

• Voice*
  • Outbound calls: $0.00761/min
  • Inbound calls: $0.00434/min
• SMS**
  • Outbound SMS: $0.00771/message
  • Inbound SMS: $0.00619/message
• SIP trunking: $0.00441/min
• Local: $0.98/month
• Toll-free: $1.90/month

* SIP trunking fee included

** Carrier fee included

Read our full review

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Bandwidth: Best for large-scale cloud migration

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Overall Score

4.03/5

Pricing

2/5

General features

4/5

Advanced features

4/5

Support

3.75/5

Ease of use

5/5

Expert score

4.5/5

Pros

• Offers cheap local numbers
• Provides responsive and accurate support 
• Has a user-friendly interface
• Supports bring-your-own-carrier (BYOC) integrations

Cons

• Charges high fees for support packages
• Lacks programmable video

Why I chose Bandwidth over Twilio

Bandwidth offers an enterprise-grade voice solution for businesses transitioning from their on-premise private branch exchange (PBX) systems to the cloud. With its BYOC model, businesses can integrate Bandwidth’s SIP trunking services into their existing PBX systems without getting locked into a single provider. 

Companies can leverage Bandwidth’s direct-to-carrier network while maintaining control over their legacy infrastructure. This Twilio competitor also facilitates smooth transitions to cloud communication providers like Microsoft Teams, Google Voice, and Zoom Phone. 

While Bandwidth has received positive feedback about being responsive to customer concerns, users may have to pay a hefty monthly fee for real-time access to senior technical support. If this is an added expense for your business, consider Telnyx instead. Its technical support operates 24/7 via phone, email, and live chat at no extra cost.                

Key features

• AIBridge: Enhance call experiences with conversational AI voice bots using Bandwidth’s pre-built integrations with leading AI providers.
• Dynamic Location Routing (DLR): When dialing E911, this feature pairs the caller’s information with their current location through network elements and then routes the call to the correct public safety answering point.
• Pindrop: Integrates voice bioauthentication to your contact center and leverages voice and data intelligence across call flows.
• Number reputation management: Offers visibility into how recipients and carriers perceive your calls and provides actionable solutions to prevent call mislabeling.
• In-app calling: Embed click-to-call capabilities into your mobile app or browser to provide customers instant access to your agents.

Gallery

Bandwidth Pricing

• Voice*
  • Outbound calls: $0.0100/min
  • Inbound calls: $0.0055/min
• SMS**
  • Outbound SMS: $0.004/message
  • Inbound SMS: $0.015/message
• SIP trunking: Custom quote
• Local number: $0.30/month

* SIP trunking fee included

** Carrier fee included

Read our full review

Submit your review

Bird: Best unified messaging

Visit Website

Overall Score

3.87/5

Pricing

3/5

General features

5/5

Advanced features

4/5

Support

2.5/5

Ease of use

3.5/5

Expert score

3.08/5

Pros

• Offers free inbound SMS
• Works with OpenAI to deploy chatbots
• Accepts payments in over 160 currencies
• Features an expense tracking solution

Cons

• Lacks complete pricing transparency
• Doesn’t support video API

Why I chose Bird over Twilio

Bird, formerly Messagebird, is a cloud-based messaging platform that enables businesses to choose which communication channels and services will be integrated into a single inbox. With unified messaging, companies employ omnichannel communication experience to connect with their customers on as many channels as possible. You can also customize auto-replies and automate workflows with the Flow Builder.

Another standout feature of Bird is that it doesn’t charge for inbound SMS, making it a free Twilio alternative. You can also build templates or select from various pre-made templates to simplify certain actions like forwarding SMS messages to email. 

Bird comes up short in terms of providing clear pricing and feature transparency, which can be a struggle for small businesses to accurately estimate the cost and check the features needed for their scaling operations. I recommend Sinch, which offers a complete pricing list for its APIs, add-on features, and call rates to other countries. 

Key features

• Multichannel activation: Use the same number for voice calls, SMS/MMS, and WhatsApp messages and manage these services through a single API.
• Customer journey builder: Create automations based on various contact attributes and build dynamic user segments with demographic data. 
• SMS marketing: Customize text messages, schedule campaigns, and track SMS performance within a single user interface. 
• Segmentation: Generate accurate audience groups using existing data from your CRM, including customer behaviors and profiles. 
• Template builder: Create marketing templates with a no-code visual editor and use AI to generate content and personalized subject lines. 

Gallery

Bird Pricing

• Voice*
  • Outbound calls: $0.005204/min
  • Inbound calls: $0.0026/min
• SMS**
  • Outbound SMS: $0.00331/message
  • Inbound SMS: Free
• SIP trunking: Custom quote
• Local number: $0.5/month

* SIP trunking fee included

** Carrier fee included

Read our full review

Submit your review

Key features of Twilio 

Twilio offers a multitude of benefits that include SMS and MMS messaging, voice calling, video communication, and email. The platform offers omnichannel communication support and local toll-free phone numbers for both mobile and national communications. It has integrations with API integration platforms such as Zapier and Mulesoft, allowing businesses to connect Twilio with CRM, helpdesk, and marketing tools.

Beyond communication APIs, below I highlight some of Twilio’s notable features worth exploring. 

• Twilio SendGrid: Works as an email delivery service for sending large-scale transactional and marketing emails. Create an email design flow with a drag-and-drop visual tool or code editor. 
• Verify API: Provides an out-of-the-box API solution that enables multichannel authentication over various channels, such as email, SMS, and WhatsApp.
• Serverless: Build your own integrations between third-party systems and Twilio’s serverless environment through no-code or full-code options. 
• Twilio Segment: Functions as a customer data platform designed to help marketing teams group customers based on various demographic criteria. It consolidates the customer profile from different sources, making it easier to personalize interactions, target the right audience, and track user behavior. 

Pros & cons of Twilio

With all of its strengths and features, you may still be unsure whether Twilio is the right solution for your business. To help you decide, here are its key benefits and potential drawbacks.

Twilio pricing

Twilio employs a metered pricing model for its communication APIs, allowing businesses to pay based on their ongoing use. Teams with fixed usage can commit to a monthly subscription plan, while high volume users benefit from discounted rates. Monthly packages are dedicated to other Twilio services such as email campaigns, voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP)-powered contact center platform, and CRM integrations. 

Below is an overview of Twilio’s pricing across its product suite.

• Voice API: Starts at $0.0085/min to receive and $0.014/min to make a call.
• SMS/MMS: Starts at $0.0079 to send or receive a message.
• WhatsApp Business API: Starts at $0.005 to send or receive a WhatsApp message. 
• SendGrid Email API: Start for free with 100 emails/day. Paid plans start at $19.95/month.
• Number verification: Starts at $0.01 per inbound caller identification request. 
• Video API: Starts at $0.004/min to make or receive a video call.

How to choose the right alternative to Twilio for your business

Twilio is one of the more widely used CPaaS platforms available today. However, it isn’t without its faults, which, through steady usage of the software, become very apparent. Startup businesses attempting to bolster their performance by using voice and SMS APIs may find that Twilio comes at a higher cost, which may not fit within their budget constraints.

In navigating Twilio competitors, it’s important to take your business needs into account when searching for the right alternative. Here are some key aspects to consider:

1. Your budget and preferred pricing structure
2. Must-have features (e.g., communication channels and programming languages)
3. Carrier partnerships
4. Geographical reach
5. Security and compliance measures 
6. Availability of customer support 

In this guide, I listed the top five Twilio competitors to consider when Twilio doesn’t seem like the perfect platform. These user-friendly platforms are formidable alternatives that can match Twilio’s existing interface and metered pricing.

When it comes to providing feature-packed API capabilities, Telnyx lets you build intelligent call flows and create a truly interactive voice experience. Sinch, on the other hand, works for marketers seeking to transform customer conversations across messaging platforms. 

Vonage is a good bet for those looking for an immersive video experience, while Bandwidth has an advantage over Twilio for its enterprise-grade cloud migration capabilities. Bird also trumps Twilio for unified messaging, providing an omnichannel inbox for connecting with customers.

The Twilio competitors outlined in this article are just a few of the solutions that are currently available on the market. Make sure to consider the buying factors I provided above to help you find the right Twilio alternative for your business’ needs.

FAQs