Comparison
Overview
Company snapshot and where each provider is based.
| Field | 46elks | Apifon |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Swedish telecom API platform ("telecom infrastructure for the web") for sending and receiving SMS and MMS, making and receiving phone calls, and managing virtual phone numbers. | Greek business-messaging platform for SMS, Viber, WhatsApp, RCS, Messenger and email campaigns, with a web platform plus REST and SMPP APIs. |
| Founded | 2011 | 2014 |
| Ownership | private | private |
| Employees | 10-50 | 51-200 |
| HQ city | Uppsala | Thessaloniki |
| HQ country | Sweden (EU) | Greece (EU) |
What's the differenceApifon edges ahead on the overall messaging.dev Score (52 vs 33). 46elks is private and headquartered in Uppsala, Sweden (EU); Apifon is private and based in Thessaloniki, Greece (EU).
Channels
Which messaging channels each provider can send and receive on.
| Field | 46elks | Apifon |
|---|---|---|
| SMS | Yes | Yes |
| MMS | Yes | No |
| RCS | No | Yes |
| No | Yes | |
| Viber | No | Yes |
| Facebook Messenger | No | Yes |
| Telegram | No | No |
| Apple Messages for Business | No | No |
| Voice | Yes | No |
| No | Yes |
What's the differenceThey share 1 channels. 46elks additionally offers MMS, Voice, while Apifon additionally offers RCS, WhatsApp, Viber, Facebook Messenger, Email.
Developer Experience
How quickly a developer can sign up and send a first message.
| Field | 46elks | Apifon |
|---|---|---|
| Self-service onboarding | Yes | Yes |
| Free developer credit | No | Free trial bonus on verification |
| Docs quality | med | high |
| Documentation | Open ↗ | Open ↗ |
| SDKs | — | Java, PHP, C#, Python, Node.js |
| Sandbox / test env | Yes | No |
| API types | REST | REST, SMPP |
What's the differenceOn SDKs, Apifon adds Java, PHP, C#, Python, Node.js; 46elks offers Sandbox / test env, while Apifon does not; on API types, Apifon adds SMPP.
Data & Compliance
Data residency options and enterprise compliance certifications.
| Field | 46elks | Apifon |
|---|---|---|
| EU data residency | Yes | Yes |
| US data residency | No | No |
| Choose region | No | No |
| GDPR | Yes | Yes |
| ISO 27001 | No | Yes |
| SOC 2 | No | No |
| HIPAA | No | No |
What's the differenceApifon offers ISO 27001, while 46elks does not.
Data Retention
How long message content and metadata are stored, and whether that is configurable.
| Field | 46elks | Apifon |
|---|---|---|
| Retention policy | Not publicly documented in detail. 46elks' data protection policy states that personal data stays inside the EU on servers owned by 46elks and that system backups are stored for a maximum of 14 days; specific retention periods for message content and metadata are not published, and the service operates under EU ePrivacy directive 2002/58/EG and Swedish telecom law (LEK 2022:482, PTS rules). | Message logs (telephone numbers, message body, sender ID, timestamps) are retained for a default period of 24 months; other personal data is kept for as long as a contractual relationship exists. All personal data is stated to be hosted on servers located within the European Union. |
What's the difference46elks: Not publicly documented in detail. 46elks' data protection policy states that personal data stays inside the EU on servers owned by 46elks and that system backups are stored for a maximum of 14 days; specific retention periods for message content and metadata are not published, and the service operates under EU ePrivacy directive 2002/58/EG and Swedish telecom law (LEK 2022:482, PTS rules). Apifon: Message logs (telephone numbers, message body, sender ID, timestamps) are retained for a default period of 24 months; other personal data is kept for as long as a contractual relationship exists. All personal data is stated to be hosted on servers located within the European Union.
Pricing & Credits
Pricing model and the cost of a first message.
| Field | 46elks | Apifon |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Pay-as-you-go per message/minute from a prepaid account balance, with no startup fees and no minimum monthly costs. | Prepaid pay-as-you-go: customers top up a euro balance by card, PayPal, or bank transfer and messages are charged against it; per-message rates are quoted per account, not published. |
| SMS starting price | €0.047 per SMS part to Sweden (ex VAT); prices vary by destination country | Not published |
| Free developer credit | No | Free trial bonus on verification |
What's the difference46elks and Apifon are closely matched on pricing & credits — no material differences in the tracked fields.
Reach & Reliability
Global coverage and delivery dependability.
| Field | 46elks | Apifon |
|---|---|---|
| Countries covered | 215 | 200 |
| Direct operator connections | No | No |
| Published uptime SLA | No published uptime SLA (business-hours support SLA only; extended SLA available on request) | No published SLA |
What's the difference46elks leads on Countries covered (215 vs 200 for Apifon).
Company & Trust
Independent reviews and company profile.
| Field | 46elks | Apifon |
|---|---|---|
| G2 rating | 0.0 | 4.8 |
| G2 reviews | 0 | 3 |
| Ownership | private | private |
| Employees | 10-50 | 51-200 |
What's the differenceApifon leads on G2 rating (4.8 vs 0 for 46elks); Apifon leads on G2 reviews (3 vs 0 for 46elks).
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