Twilio Alternatives – What You Should Know

What's the one thing that any business can't operate without? If you ask this question to a hundred business owners, you'll likely hear at least several dozen different answers. But we'd like to present the argument that communication is an essential component of any company — specifically, the communication you foster with your customers.

As a business owner, you need a platform that'll let you optimize your company's communications. That's where Twilio steps in.

Twilio is a developer platform for all things related to communication. It allows developers to build customized experiences for customers. It is an innovative platform, but you might be wondering what other options are available.

Below, we'll explore some of the best Twilio alternatives. We'll break down these alternatives into two categories, SMS APIs and SMS marketing, for your ease of reading.

Twilio Alternatives for Developers

Let it be known — Twilio isn't meant for ordinary marketers of small operations. Large businesses and development teams will benefit from this program. Developers will need to program scripts to execute the program's functions. If you aren't knowledgeable in coding languages, you'll be scratching your head at how to use Twilio.

But if you're a seasoned developer who loves creating complex solutions, Twilio is right for your team. It provides top-tier SMS APIs for development purposes. This is great for programmable text message communications.

If you're searching for Twilio alternatives that maintain a similar sense of intensity, you check out these three API-based Twilio alternatives below:

1. Plivo

Plivo is an SMS API platform that allows users to send and receive text messages programmatically. Users can interact with their customers all over the world using SMS APIs.

Many large, innovative businesses use Plivo to improve their engagement. Some of these businesses include GoDaddy, Workday, Wix, Greyhound, and Deckers Outdoor Corporation.

You can use Plivo to connect with customers located in various parts of the world. Plivo provides global coverage across 190 countries, meaning you can send outbound messages to customers living in the six habitable continents. The platform all lets you customize your sender ID in more than 100 countries. It's important to note that you can only receive incoming messages in 14 countries, so your communication may be a bit limited in this sense.

As a developer, you'll appreciate the support that Plivo provides for any character set. It comes with built-in support for GSM and Unicode character sets, meaning you can communicate in any language. Send out your company's messages in Arabic, Chinese, English, or Japanese. And, your messages don't have to be bland — you can even get creative by incorporating symbols and emojis.

Despite the notoriety of SMS API programs' complexity, Plivo has some elements that allow you to deliver your final product as efficiently as possible. It comes with detailed debug logs that help you debug and pinpoint problems faster and discover the root causes. Plus, the sticky sender feature lets you interact with your customers using the same recognizable sender ID, providing you with a more seamless experience overall.

2. Vonage (Nexmo)

Vonage, previously known as Nexmo, is an SMS API platform that prioritizes secure and precise text communication to your customers. Developers can use Vonage to enable effective communication without sacrificing privacy. Users can confirm deliveries, book appointments, and engage in other interactions with your business.

But Vonage's abilities go beyond your company's message delivery. You can use the platform to build a safe space for your app's users to conversate and ensure that all transactions and conversations remain private. All the while, you can leverage your control of the conversation.

One of our favorite things about Vonage is how it lets you perform thorough analyses and produce valuable insights for your company.

With Vonage, you can deliver your messages without worrying about bombarding your end-users with unwanted communications. The platform's 10DLC messaging capabilities allow developers to deliver messages with long codes seamlessly. Plus, you can also produce dedicated shortcodes and expedite your messages' delivery speeds.

All the messages you need to send will make their way to your customers' devices using Vonage's trademarked Adaptive Routing. The platform actively re-routes messages around blockages to improve customers' experiences with your brand.

Developers for companies across many industries have used Vonage successfully. Some of these industries include:

• Financial
• Education
• Healthcare
• Travel and hospitality
• Retail and e-commerce
• Logistics and transportation

3. Voxbone

Voxbone lets you broaden your company's reach with SMS API services. The platform has been around for years, so it has had plenty of time to build its fully meshed worldwide network. The network is interconnected with carriers and regulators, allowing the platform to minimize failure points and comply with all the regulations present in different countries.

Voxbone allows customers to maintain close and convenient communications with their clients. It provides private, secure interconnectivity from more than 450 locations. You can choose from interconnecting options to suit your quality and security needs. And, the automated number porting makes transitioning over to Voxbone simple for a company of any size.

Many popular companies have built better communications experiences for their customers using Voxbone. Some of these companies include:

• Five9
• 8×8
• Dialpad
• com
• Skype
• FrontSpin
• Uber
• SignalWire

Twilio Alternatives for SMS Marketing

Some business owners don't have a team of developers on standby to interpret complicated coding language. If you're looking for an uncomplicated program for general SMS marketing, check out these three simpler Twilio alternatives:

1. TextMagic

TextMagic is our number one Twilio alternative for non-developers. It's a UK-based company with nearly 15 years of experience in helping companies engage in mobile marketing and better communication with their customers. You can use this business text messaging service to send reminders, alerts, SMS marketing messages, and notifications to your customers.

One of the most useful things you can do with TextMagic is sending bulk texts online using the program's mobile or desktop applications. You can even host two-way conversations with customers, which encourages a greater level of personalization that other SMS marketing programs don't offer. You can even set up the program to let you receive and send texts through your email — and you won't even need any intricate coding knowledge.

Interested in automating SMS strategies? TextMagic makes Zapier integrations and API gateways available to its users and pairs these features with a team-sharing function. You'll be able to stay on top of your messaging campaigns and make changes when necessary.

The reporting and analytics functions are particularly useful, as you can use them to track your overall outreach. The reporting options get quite specific, as you can note how many leads you acquired in a given period.

As far as payment goes, TextMagic operates on a pay-as-you-go basis. Many users love this setup, as you won't have to pay for anything you don't use. If you send out fewer messages during one month, the price you pay will reflect your inactivity.

2. Salesmsg

As far as looks go, Salesmsg has one of the simplest dashboards for SMS marketing programs available. It's ideal for small, local businesses that operate in Canada or the U.S. You can get started for as little as $35 per month, which is very reasonable if you plan to send out consistent messages (but not necessarily a high volume).

Despite the platform's simplicity, you can trust that its quality comes from its integrability with other apps. Salesmsg can create new numbers for companies to reach out to their customers using phone services and local landlines. As a result, businesses will receive an unlimited number of canned responses and contacts.

Do you want to be available to help your customers during non-business hours? Salesmsg lets you create auto-replies that go out whenever your team is off the clock. This way, you won't leave your customers in the dark or risk them leaving your site to find another company to meet their needs.

If you belong to a larger organization and plan to sign up for Salesmsg, you'll be in luck. This service offers custom plans that can accommodate companies with more customers to serve. You can speak with an agent to discuss customized texting plans, unlimited premium app integrations, and unlimited contacts.

You'll pay a flat fee every month as part of the subscription-based payment plan. Some users love this setup, as they can budget a specific amount of money every month. And, they can partake in more SMS messaging activities without subjecting themselves to extra fees.

3. SimpleTexting

SimpleTexting's name speaks for itself — it provides business owners with an easy way to conduct SMS marketing campaigns. It also lets them hold one-on-one conversations with customers to increase engagement,

Your business can start using SimpleTexting by assembling a list of contacts. A convenient feature this platform offers is the ability to add pictures and other promotional material to every contact. You can also track who clicked on each link to see which campaigns are working (and which ones you need to adjust).

SimpleTexting comes with many integrations, including with Mailchimp. You can also cross off tedious tasks on your to-do list by connecting SimpleTexting with Zapier. This strategic move will let you connect all your relevant applications and eliminate the need to send manual messages.

You can sign up for SimpleTexting by enrolling in the program's monthly subscription. You'll pay the same price for each payment period, giving you the freedom to send as many messages as you'd like (based on your plan) at a fixed cost.

Also Read: Twilio versus Clicksend

Conclusion — Should I Invest in Twilio Alternatives?

Twilio is an excellent SMS API platform for developers. It takes some getting used to, but a seasoned developer should have no problem making its features work for their company's goals.

If you're interested in Twilio alternatives with the SMS API basis, you can check out Plivo, Vonage, or Voxbone. But if you aren't a developer by trade, you may want to consider a sites like Twilio with an SMS marketing approach. Try a platform like TextMagic, Salesmsg, or SimpleTexting.

Whichever application you choose, you're sure to improve your business's communication with its customers and drive up your bottom line!