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Updated July 4, 2025 at 12:56 AM

Twilio 2026: Benefits, Features & Pricing

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Written by Bruno Peláez

Senior Content Analyst

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Edited by Lindsay Page

Editor

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On this page
  • Our Summary
  • Pricing and Plans
  • Features
  • Integrations
  • Key Sentiments
  • User Reviews
  • Frequently Asked Questions

Our Summary

Twilio
Twilio
4.4
(500)
FrontRunner 2026

Pros:

  • Integration
  • Mass messaging

Cons:

  • Pricing
  • Customer support response time

Pricing

Starting at $15.00 per month

What is Twilio:

Twilio is a cloud-based customer engagement platform that allows companies to send and receive messages, phone calls, and other communications using APIs. Twilio’s tools allow businesses to connect with customers via SMS, voice calls, video calls, email, and chat, all through custom-built workflows.

Why we like Twilio:

On Software Advice’s Best SMS Marketing Software of 2025, Twilio received the highest rating for best value for money. Reviewers recognize the platform for its SMS and email automation tools and consider it developer-friendly with easy integration to common platforms and programming languages.

Who should use Twilio:

Twilio is a good pick for companies seeking an engagement tool for marketing or customer service. The platform offers a wide range of functionality at a low price point, making it valuable for smaller budgets. Around 60% of reviewers on our site indicate they work for companies with between two to 50 employees.

Twilio Screenshots

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Twilio Overview

Twilio is a cloud communications platform that enables businesses to build, scale and operate their own customized communication solutions. The platform is designed to be customizable and easy to use, which means that businesses can tailor it to their specific needs.

Whether it's adding new communication channels, creating custom workflows or integrating with third-party tools, Twilio makes it easy for businesses to create a communication solution that works for them. Additionally, the platform offers a serverless environment and visual builder, making it easy for busines...

ses to build, deploy and run applications.

Twilio Pricing and Plans

Starting price: $0.01
Free Trial
Free Version

SMS

$0.01

usage based

Plan includes:

  • Long Codes
  • Toll-Free
  • Short Codes

Twilio SendGrid Marketing Campaigns

$15.00

usage based, per month

Plan includes:

  • SMTP and API
  • Interactive API Docs
  • Setup Guide
  • Comprehensive Client Libraries
  • Knowledge Center
  • Technical Support

WhatsApp Business API

$0.01

usage based

Plan includes:

  • Utility Conversion
  • Authentication Conversation
  • Marketing Conversation
  • Service Conversation

Voice APIs

$0.01

usage based

Plan includes:

  • Local Calls
  • Toll-Free Calls
  • Browser/App Calling
  • SIP Interface
  • Secure Media
  • Application Connect

Twilio SendGrid Email API

$19.95

usage based, per month

Plan includes:

  • 1 Teammate Permission
  • APIs SMTP Relay
  • 2 Event Webhooks
  • Delivery Optimization
  • Dynamic Template Editor
  • Insightful Analytics
  • Guaranteed Response Times on Ticket & Chat Support
  • Deliverability Insights

Lookup

$0.01

usage based

Plan includes:

  • Formatting and Validation
  • Inbound Caller Identifaction
  • Identity Match
  • Reassigned Number Risk
  • Phone Number Routing
  • Phone Number Risk Assessment
  • SMS Swap and Call Forwarding
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Our Analysis of Twilio's Pricing Plans

Here's a detailed pricing plan analysis for Twilio, based on the latest information from their official pricing page. Twilio offers a modular, pay-as-you-go pricing model across a wide range of communication APIs and services. This analysis breaks down the most prominent offerings to help you determine which services align best with your technical and business needs.

Programmable Messaging (SMS, MMS, WhatsApp)

Twilio’s messaging APIs a...

llow you to send and receive SMS, MMS, and WhatsApp messages globally. **Key pricing:** - __SMS:__ Starts at $0.0083 per message segment (sent or received) - __MMS:__ Pricing varies by country and media size - __WhatsApp:__ Starts at $0.005 per message; conversation-based pricing applies **Pros:** - **Global reach:** Supports messaging in over 180 countries. - **Omnichannel support:** Easily integrate SMS, MMS, and WhatsApp through a unified API. - **Scalable:** Volume discounts available as usage increases. - **Programmable messaging API:** Enables automation and personalization at scale. **Cons:** - **Carrier fees:** Additional passthrough fees may apply depending on the destination. - **Complex pricing structure:** Varies by region, message type, and use case. - **No bundled plans:** All usage is billed individually, which may be harder to predict for budgeting. **Programmable Voice** Twilio’s Voice API enables developers to make, receive, and control voice calls programmatically. **Key pricing:** - **Outbound calls:** From $0.014/minute - **Inbound calls:** From $0.0085/minute **Pros:** - __Call control:__ Full programmability for call routing, recording, and transcription. - __Global coverage:__ Make and receive calls in most countries. - __SIP trunking and WebRTC support:__ Flexible integration options for VoIP systems. __Cons:__ - __Per-minute billing:__ Costs can accumulate quickly with high call volumes. - __Advanced features (e.g., transcription):__ May incur additional charges. __Twilio SendGrid Email API__ A robust platform for transactional and marketing email delivery. __Key pricing:__ - __Free tier:__ 100 emails/day - __Essentials plan:__ Starts at $19.95/month for up to 50,000 emails/month - __Pro plan:__ Starts at $89.95/month with dedicated IP and subuser management __Pros:__ - __High deliverability:__ Trusted infrastructure for reliable email delivery. - __API and SMTP support:__ Easy integration with applications. - __Analytics and templates:__ Built-in tools for performance tracking and design. __Cons:__ - __Limited free tier:__ Only suitable for very low-volume use. - __Advanced features gated:__ Dedicated IPs and subuser management only in higher tiers. __Twilio Flex (Cloud Contact Center)__ A fully programmable contact center platform. __Key pricing:__ - $1 per active user hour, or - $150 per named user/month - 5,000 free hours to start __Pros:__ - __Highly customizable:__ Tailor workflows, UI, and integrations. - __Omnichannel support:__ Voice, chat, SMS, WhatsApp, and more. - __Real-time analytics:__ Built-in dashboards and reporting. __Cons:__ - __Developer-heavy setup:__ Requires technical expertise to customize. - __Pricing model:__ May be unpredictable with fluctuating usage. __Twilio Segment (customer data platform)__ A CDP for collecting, unifying, and activating customer data. __Key pricing:__ __Team plan:__ Starts at $120/month for up to 10,000 visitors/month __Pros:__ - __Unified customer profiles:__ Centralizes data from multiple sources. - __Real-time data pipelines:__ Enables fast, actionable insights. - __Integrations:__ Connects with hundreds of tools and platforms. __Cons:__ - __Entry-level pricing:__ May be high for small startups. - __Learning curve:__ Requires time to fully leverage its capabilities. __Conclusion__ Twilio’s pricing model is designed for flexibility and scalability, making it a strong choice for developers and businesses building communication solutions. For startups and developers: The free tiers and pay-as-you-go structure offer a low barrier to entry. __For growing businesses:__ Services such as SendGrid and Programmable Messaging scale well with usage, offering robust APIs and global reach. __For enterprises:__ Twilio Flex and Segment provide powerful, customizable platforms for customer engagement and data management, though they require more investment and technical resources. Choosing the right Twilio services depends on your communication needs, technical capacity, and growth trajectory.

Twilio Features

Drawn from insights across 500 verified reviews, we've outlined Twilio's best and worst rated features and how they stack up against the average rating.

Twilio's score
Category average

Twilio's Best Rated Features

Call Conferencing

4.83

4.83 category average

Call Logging

4.70

4.09 category average

Call Monitoring

4.64

3.98 category average

Twilio's Worst Rated Features

Third-Party Integrations

3.63

3.99 category average

VoIP Connection

4.0

4.15 category average

Contact Management

4.07

4.23 category average

  • Popular features found in SMS Marketing
    2-Way Messaging
    Campaign Planning
    Campaign Scheduling
    Communication Management
    Contact Management
    Engagement Tracking
    Message Personalization
    Mobile Coupons
    Reporting/Analytics
    Scheduled Messaging
    Shortcodes
  • More features of Twilio
    Access Controls/Permissions
    Alerts/Escalation
    Alerts/Notifications
    API
    Archiving & Retention
    Audio/Video Conferencing
    Automated Attendant
    Automated Responses
    Automated Routing
    Automatic Call Distribution
    Automatic Outbound Dialer
    Blended Call Center
    Call Center Management
    Call Conferencing
    Call Logging
    Call Monitoring
    Call Recording
    Call Routing
    Call Scripting
    Call Tagging
    Call Tracking Metrics
    Campaign Management
    Chat/Messaging
    Collaboration Tools
    Compliance Management
    Computer Telephony Integration
    CRM
    Data Management
    Event Triggered Actions
    Fax Management
    Inbound Call Center
    IVR
    Live Chat
    Manual Dialer
    Mass Texting
    Multi-Channel Communication
    Multiple Scripts
    On-Demand Recording
    Online Voice Transmission
    Outbound Call Center
    PBX
    Performance Management
    Phone Key Input
    Polls/Voting
    Purchasing & Receiving
    Queue Management
    Real-Time Chat
    Recording
    Reminders
    Reporting & Statistics
    ROI Tracking
    Scheduled Recording
    SIP Trunking
    SMS Messaging
    Status Tracking
    Text to Speech
    Text-to-Win
    Third-Party Integrations
    Unified Communications
    Video Conferencing
    Voice Customization
    Voice Mail
    Voicemail Transcription
    VoIP Connection
    Workflow Management

Twilio Integrations

Based on 500 verified reviews, we've identified products most frequently integrated with Twilio.

Freshdesk
Freshdesk
Integration rated 4.6 from 10 reviews
Salesforce Service Cloud
Salesforce Service Cloud
Integration rated 4.5 from 8 reviews
WhatsApp
WhatsApp
Integration rated 4.3 from 5 reviews
Make
Make
Integration rated 5.0 from 4 reviews
WordPress
WordPress
Integration rated 5.0 from 3 reviews
LiveAgent
LiveAgent
Integration rated 4.7 from 3 reviews

See all 72 integrations

Twilio Key Sentiments

We analyzed 500 verified reviews for Twilio to find out what actual users really think.

Most Positive Sentiments

APIs

69% Positive
20% Neutral
11% Negative

Users recognize Twilio's API functionality for its reliability and enterprise-grade features, which accelerate development timelines. They find the API integration smooth and easy, allowing for seamless incorporation into web or mobile applications. Additionally, users appreciate the user-friendly nature of Twilio's APIs, which simplifies the setup process and enhances overall usability.

Integration ease

67% Positive
22% Neutral
11% Negative

Users appreciate how seamlessly Twilio integrates with their systems, making it easy to incorporate into existing workflows. They find the setup process straightforward and benefit from the support provided by Twilio's team during integration. Additionally, users highlight the ease of integrating Twilio with other platforms, which enhances its utility and flexibility.

SMS messaging

51% Positive
33% Neutral
16% Negative

Users find Twilio to be a reliable platform for SMS messaging, making it an essential tool for many businesses. They appreciate its functionality for sending text message notifications, which enhances communication with customers and improves marketing efficiency. Additionally, users value Twilio's telephony functionality, which supports various uses such as community surveys and customer inquiries.

Least Positive Sentiments

Phone integration

45% Positive
25% Neutral
30% Negative

Users appreciate Twilio's ability to integrate with other web applications and quickly acquire phone numbers, which enhances their communication capabilities. They find the pricing for phone number acquisition reasonable and the setup process relatively easy for non-coders. However, some users face challenges with phone support and phone number assignment, as well as issues with phone number blocking by multiple phone companies.

Setup complexity

50% Positive
32% Neutral
18% Negative

Users find Twilio's setup process straightforward, with helpful documentation and tutorials available. They appreciate the ease of installation and configuration once they understand the platform's layout. However, some users find the initial setup complex and requiring technical knowledge, with tutorials not always being beginner-friendly.

Twilio User Reviews

Overall Rating

4.4

Ratings Breakdown

5

61%

4

27%

3

5%

2

2%

1

4%

Secondary Ratings

Ease of Use

4.1

Value for money

4.2

Customer support

4.0

Functionality

4.5

Matthew's profile

Matthew K.

Verified reviewer

Religious Institutions

51-200 employees

Used daily for more than 2 years

Review source

Reviewed September 2025

Works great for our needs!

5

Overall it has been a very good experience. We use this with our CHMS system to text the congregation. It works well, and is relatively inexpensive.

Ratings Breakdown

5
Ease of use
5
Value for money
5
Customer support
5
Functionality
icon
Pros:
It is very comprehensive. It can do lots of things. We don't use all the features, but love knowing it can do so much when and if we do need it.
Cons:
The interface can sometimes be a bit confusing. but they have a very good help file. Every time I've tried to find something and could not, checking the help file has given me step-by-step instructions. Only once did I ever need to contact support, and they resolved my issues quickly.

Reasons for choosing Twilio

Quick and easy to implement with built-in integration.

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WS

William S.

Verified reviewer

Marketing and Advertising

2-10 employees

Used daily for more than 2 years

Review source

Reviewed July 2025

Best low cost call tracking with unlimited customisation

5

Twilio operates on the backend of Dialhawk which is a call tracking software I use in my marketing agency. Without Twilio I wouldn't have the tech to run my business as effectively.

Ratings Breakdown

2
Ease of use
5
Value for money
5
Customer support
5
Functionality
icon
Pros:
Nothing on the market compares to twilio when it comes to cost at scale. Twilio provides API access so you have full control over all your call data
Cons:
not very easy to use for those who don't have programming experience. Although can be used if a non technical person follows a step by step tutorial for your specific use case

Reasons for choosing Twilio

twilio is far cheaper at scale compared to anything I could find

Reasons for switching to Twilio

twilio is far cheaper at scale than call rail

Read More

DF

Darryl F.

Verified reviewer

Computer Software

2-10 employees

Used daily for more than 2 years

Review source

Reviewed April 2019

Fantastic platform with easy SDKs

5

Ratings Breakdown

5
Ease of use
5
Value for money
5
Customer support
5
Functionality
icon
Pros:
The simple SDKs already built out for almost any language, and ability to build almost anything you want/need!
Cons:
It's a little intimidating at first. Lots of setup behind the scenes. However, once it's set up, it's a very solid product!

Read More

JB

Justin B.

Verified reviewer

Real Estate

2-10 employees

Used weekly for less than 6 months

Review source

Reviewed April 2025

Unnecessarily Complicated Verification Process for Simple Use Case

1

I attempted to set up a simple Twilio phone system for a family cabin gate entry solution. After successfully creating the flow and purchasing a number, I was met with an endless loop of verification requests from their support team. Despite providing complete information about my LLC, my role, and intended use case in my FIRST response, I received identical verification requests from THREE different support representatives [sensitive content hidden], each asking for the exact same information I had already provided multiple times. The phone number I purchased has been unusable (returning busy signals when called) while this verification process drags on. When I attempt to test my configured flow, it doesn't work, likely because the account verification is pending. For a company that promotes itself as developer-friendly with seamless integration, the customer support experience has been anything but smooth. Simple implementation has turned into days of frustration and repeated emails. If you need a quick communications solution, I strongly recommend looking elsewhere.

Ratings Breakdown

3
Ease of use
1
Value for money
1
Customer support
4
Functionality
icon
Pros:
There was apparent ease of use, but that assumed that their customer service had its act together. Their flows are easy to make, and they offer great-sounding products.
Cons:
Their customer verification process is unnecessarily burdensome and inefficient. Despite providing complete details about my LLC, business purpose, and intended use case in my initial response, I received identical verification requests from three different support representatives [sensitive content hidden], each asking for the exact same information. The lack of internal communication between support teams resulted in days of back-and-forth for what should have been a simple implementation. Meanwhile, my purchased toll-free number remained unusable, returning busy signals when called. For a company that markets itself as developer-friendly with seamless integration, their customer onboarding experience contradicts this promise entirely. The verification process became so tedious that I considered abandoning the service altogether for a competitor. This experience makes me question their operational efficiency and customer-centric approach.

Reasons for choosing Twilio

Name Recognition and use case scenarios.

Read More

MT

Mario T.

Verified reviewer

Capital Markets

2-10 employees

Used daily for less than 2 years

Review source

Reviewed October 2025

Bad experience.

1

Bad experience, after many years: I got hacked by them. They are charging me for services I never used and previously blocked, such as long-distance and regular calls. I even had a spending limit that was exceeded by $710, and they will not refund or waive the charges.

Ratings Breakdown

5
Ease of use
4
Value for money
1
Customer support
5
Functionality
icon
Pros:
SMS at first, and the price, but then comes all the bad stuff after that. Bad service, and they don't respect your choices; they'll blame you for them.
Cons:
Customer service is terrible; they don't understand that they have a responsibility for the options they give us.

Reasons for choosing Twilio

The only option I thought, but there are more now.

Read More

NR

Nallely R.

Verified reviewer

Food & Beverages

10000+ employees

Used daily for more than 2 years

Review source

Reviewed April 2025

Flexible and robust SMS solution

4

I have been working and using Twilio since 2021 and they are very competitive vendors with strong commitment and flexible solutions. My requirements were out of standard and we became one of the biggest and most important Customers. We were always supported with honesty and reliability.

Ratings Breakdown

5
Ease of use
3
Value for money
5
Customer support
5
Functionality
icon
Pros:
- Flexibility to manage marketing budget autonomously - Competitive pricing - Good customer support and highly committed staff - clear visibility of spend with possibilities to set up multiple accounts
Cons:
- You need to develop custom connectors - The RCS services is limited - Consent management is standard, most probably you need to create custom integration to manage the opt in and out between Twilio and your CRM or Consent management system

Reasons for choosing Twilio

Flexibility for invoicing and account management

Read More

VR

Verified
Reviewer

Computer Software

11-50 employees

Used weekly for more than 2 years

Review source

Reviewed June 2025

Great platform if you're have a talented technical team

5

Great tools, and clear docs but their business isn't for everyone. You need to be quite technical and know what you're doing. Otherwise you will be taken advantage of.

Ratings Breakdown

3
Ease of use
3
Value for money
3
Customer support
5
Functionality
icon
Pros:
I liked Twilio’s flexibility and scalability the most. It offers powerful APIs that let you easily build and customize omnichannel campaigns. They offer SMS, email, and voice to go with conversational AI functions. Our devs like their clear docs.
Cons:
I really dislike their business practices. Their sales and customer support team are not very clear when it comes to what your company needs to buy since they offer so many solutions. You often feel ripped off, and pay for things you don't need. You also need to have quite technical devs to set everything up correctly. They want you to do it yourself, which is how they keep prices down.

Reasons for switching to Twilio

Twilio has a stronger API and better custom options for building more sophisticated omnichannel campaigns.

Read More

VR

Verified
Reviewer

Information Technology and Services

11-50 employees

Used daily for less than 2 years

Review source

Reviewed December 2024

Twilio - Seamless Communication for Developers and Business

5

Very good choice for developers, start-ups and enterprises looking for robust cloud communication services.

Ratings Breakdown

4
Ease of use
5
Value for money
5
Customer support
5
Functionality
icon
Pros:
1- Set of APIs • Messaging • Voice • Video • Email 2- Twilio offers high availability with minimal downtime. That's why it has a reputation for reliability.
Cons:
Twilio provides Limited support on free-tier users.

Reasons for switching to Twilio

Wide range of communication channels that twilio provides.

Read More

DB

Diana B.

Verified reviewer

Computer Software

2-10 employees

Used weekly for more than 2 years

Review source

Reviewed January 2025

Best overall omnichannel messaging app

4

The application is hands down the best, but their sales team is a bit pushy. The customer service is fairly good.

Ratings Breakdown

2
Ease of use
4
Value for money
3
Customer support
5
Functionality
icon
Pros:
They have the best UI for omnichannel messaging for SMS, MMS, RCS, WhatsApp and conversational AI. Everything works together quite nicely, and their pricing is quite good for what you get.
Cons:
It can be very overwhelming to use if you're not an advanced A2P communications user. My clients do not enjoy using it, but they love the results they receive from it once they delegate it to someone else.

Reasons for switching to Twilio

Although Burst SMS and SMSGlobal was cheaper and easier to use, their platforms were very outdated. My client decided to move their business away from both platforms in favor of Twilio. Twilio has a much wider selection of omnichannel comms to choose from as well.

Read More

VR

Verified
Reviewer

Information Technology and Services

10000+ employees

Used monthly for less than 2 years

Review source

Reviewed January 2026

Great platform to build calling solutions

5

Anytime I have issues or questions with twilio development, I can easily reach out to the support and they will respond with solutions quickly.

Ratings Breakdown

5
Ease of use
3
Value for money
5
Customer support
5
Functionality
icon
Pros:
Twilio provides the layer of programmable voice api, it means you can use their sdk to build an messaging and calling application easily, it starts cheap and for small scale of application, it is very good. They also provide very responsive customer support.
Cons:
Twilio has been in the area for a long period now, with the iteration of the technology, sometimes the information are not quite aligned between different implementations also it does not have native integration with other system.

Read More

Showing 1 - 10 of 500 Reviews

Twilio FAQs

  • What exactly does Twilio do?

    Twilio is a cloud communications platform that provides developers and businesses with access to various communication channels through application programming interfaces (APIs). Twilio essentially sits between traditional telecommunication networks and software applications and allows a company to communicate with customers via text messages, phone calls, video calls, emails, and chat.

  • What is Twilio best for?

    Twilio is best for enabling fast, scalable communication between a business and its customers across channels such as SMS, voice, email, and chat without necessitating traditional telecom infrastructure. It excels at SMS and text messaging at scale, two-factor authentication, custom call routing, email, and WhatsApp integration. It is a versatile platform popular when a business wants to design custom communication workflows.

  • Is Twilio a chatbot?

    Twilio is not a chatbot, but it can power chatbots. Twilio is a communications platform that provides APIs, which can then be used to enable chatbots or integrate with existing tools. Twilio does not come with a chatbot feature “out of the box,” but it does provide developers with the infrastructure to build one.

  • How does Twilio work?

    Twilio works by acting as a middle layer between software and communication networks. A business will tell Twilio what to do via coding, such as sending an SMS or an email to a customer. Twilio takes this coded request and passes it to the correct network, such as a mobile carrier or an email server. The message is then passed on to the customer immediately.

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