Twilio SMS Alternative
Are you looking for the best Twilio SMS alternative? Choose Esendex! Cut your billio in half & save up to 30-40% on texting with 100% FREE 24/7 customer support.
Why Esendex Is the Best Twilio SMS Alternative
More often than not, the differences between SMS API providers aren’t glaring. For example, there isn’t one company that offers exclusive features no one else has. Instead, the differences between providers are only apparent when service details are closely examined. Despite this, these seemingly minor variances can significantly impact your business. Details regarding support, uptime, and pricing are the three primary reasons Esendex is considered the best Twilio SMS alternative.
Both companies offer various features and support options and have excellent reputations and online reviews. However, customers were more pleased overall with Esendex in the above categories. Keep reading to learn more about the three critical differences between Esendex and Twilio and why Esendex is considered the best alternative SMS provider to Twilio.
Differences Between Esendex and Twilio
Many clients are looking for companies like Twilio that offer the same service but for a lower cost or more service for the exact cost. Such clients often gravitate toward Esendex for these very reasons: support, uptime, and pricing are the three key differences separating Esendex and Twilio. Esendex offers more comprehensive support, more reliable uptime through SLAs instead of just marketing promises, and more competitive pricing options.
Quality Customer Support
Most companies offer SMS messaging support during business hours, and Twilio is among these. However, client emergencies and other support requests are not always limited to regular working hours. As a result, any unexpected issues can take hours to resolve, which means your company is hemorrhaging money and resources.
One of the significant differences between Esendex and Twilio, and why Esendex is ranked among the best Twilio alternatives SMS providers, is that Esendex offers 24/7 emergency support. Staff is available via chat, email, or phone for your convenience. Fast response times and fast troubleshooting mean that your issues are resolved whenever they pop up, regardless of whether that happens after hours, on the weekend, or during holidays.
99.99% Guaranteed Uptime
Twilio states that they offer 99.99% API uptime so that customers can expect reliable high-volume messaging. However, unlike Esendex, this uptime guarantee is not built into their service level agreements (SLAs) with customers. This is a critical distinction: if an uptime guarantee is not included in an SLA, it is not a valid guarantee and offers comparatively little protection.
Esendex can guarantee this uptime because they use a Tier 1 SMS network and government-level security measures. Their SMS API is 256 significant encrypted, SOC2 Type 2 certified, and HITRUST certified. Additionally, all hardware-based servers are domestically located and owned and operated by Esendex. Such extensive measures are typically reserved for the government and military, but Esendex employs these measures for all customers.
Highly Competitive & Low Pricing
Pricing is a significant factor for any company when comparing SMS messaging providers, so we’ve dedicated so much space to it here. And when searching for Twilio SMS alternatives, or any alternative to a current provider, pricing becomes even more critical.
Not only could you potentially upgrade your service and capture new features, but your company could also see significant cost savings. Compared to Twilio, Esendex is more competitive in the pricing categories listed below.
Volume Discounts and Payment Options
Twilio offers pay-as-you-go pricing, volume discounts, and committed-use discounts. Esendex also offers volume-based pricing and discounts but offers additional savings in the form of custom quotas and price-match guarantees for international pricing.
First-time can save up to 30-40% on SMS when switching to Esendex. All they need is their latest invoice from Twilio. Esendex also does not require a contract from its clients, which results in more competitive pricing since customers are not locked into service.
Transaction Fees and Carrier Rates
Savings are evident indirect comparisons between Twilio and Esendex’s pricing for messaging. For example, an inbound SMS message from a short code (not based on volume pricing) costs $0.005 per message with Esendex and $0.0075 with Twilio. Similarly, an outbound MMS message from a short code costs $0.0175 with Esendex and $0.0200 with Twilio. Additionally, carrier fees vary with Esendex:
- Verizon and Metro are $0.0025 per transaction.
- U.S. Cellular is $0.0035 per transaction.
- Sprint, Boost Mobile, and Virgin Mobile are $0.005 per transaction.
But with Twilio, SMS carrier fees are $0.0075 per transaction for all carriers.
International Fees
International pricing is also higher for select countries. For example, Esendex’s pricing for messages to Ireland is $0.06 per transaction but Twilio is $0.07. And while Esendex costs $0.045 per message to Spain, Twilio charges $0.0833 per message, which is nearly double.
Another notable difference is that Twilio’s pricing changes per international carrier, whereas Esendex’s pricing, is based on one flat rate per transaction regardless of carrier. For example, it costs $0.02 to send a message to India with Esendex. But with Twilio, the prices range from $0.0175 to $0.0399 per transaction— double Esendex’s rates.
Number Type Fees
Though the monthly pricing for random short codes, vanity short codes, and SMS long codes are the same for both companies, Twilio noticeably does not disclose its setup fees. Comparatively, Esendex is transparent about the one-time setup fees for each number type.
Setup fees are a significant factor for companies when considering which number types are the right fit for them, both in terms of messaging capabilities and pricing. While the setup fee is just a one-time payment and a potential short-term consideration, it can drastically impact affordability, especially for smaller businesses.
Esendex or Twilio: Which Is Right for You?
Ultimately, it’s up to each company to carefully research SMS messaging providers and determine which one is best equipped to meet their short-term and long-term needs. And suppose your company already has a provider but is looking for a more competitive option. In that case, such research is even more critical.
There are several differences between Esendex and Twilio, as we’ve discussed in the sections above. You must weigh each of these and determine which ones apply to you and how they could impact your business.
If you’re interested in a Twilio SMS alternative, contact us to learn more about Esendex and how we can help you improve your messaging and better connect with customers.
Let’s start sending, together.