Comparison
Overview
Company snapshot and where each provider is based.
| Field | 46elks | BulkSMS |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Business messaging platform for sending bulk SMS and RCS to mobile networks worldwide via web app, API, and SMPP. |
| Founded | 2011 | 2000 |
| Ownership | private | private |
| Employees | 10-50 | 11-50 |
| HQ city | Uppsala | Cape Town |
| HQ country | Sweden (EU) | South Africa |
What's the differenceBulkSMS edges ahead on the overall messaging.dev Score (43 vs 33). 46elks is private and headquartered in Uppsala, Sweden (EU); BulkSMS is private and based in Cape Town, South Africa.
Channels
Which messaging channels each provider can send and receive on.
| Field | 46elks | BulkSMS |
|---|---|---|
| SMS | Yes | Yes |
| MMS | Yes | No |
| RCS | No | Yes |
| No | No | |
| Viber | No | No |
| Facebook Messenger | No | No |
| Telegram | No | No |
| Apple Messages for Business | No | No |
| Voice | Yes | No |
| No | No |
What's the differenceThey share 1 channels. 46elks additionally offers MMS, Voice, while BulkSMS additionally offers RCS.
Developer Experience
How quickly a developer can sign up and send a first message.
| Field | 46elks | BulkSMS |
|---|---|---|
| Self-service onboarding | Yes | Yes |
| Free developer credit | No | 5 free test SMS on signup |
| Docs quality | med | med |
| Documentation | Open ↗ | Open ↗ |
| SDKs | — | — |
| Sandbox / test env | Yes | No |
| API types | REST | REST, HTTP, SMPP, SMTP |
What's the difference46elks offers Sandbox / test env, while BulkSMS does not; on API types, BulkSMS adds HTTP, SMPP, SMTP.
Data & Compliance
Data residency options and enterprise compliance certifications.
| Field | 46elks | BulkSMS |
|---|---|---|
| EU data residency | Yes | Yes |
| US data residency | No | No |
| Choose region | No | No |
| GDPR | Yes | Yes |
| ISO 27001 | No | No |
| SOC 2 | No | No |
| HIPAA | No | No |
What's the difference46elks and BulkSMS are closely matched on data & compliance — no material differences in the tracked fields.
Data Retention
How long message content and metadata are stored, and whether that is configurable.
| Field | 46elks | BulkSMS |
|---|---|---|
| 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 data (content and metadata) is retained for 2 years and then automatically deleted from the system. Account/client data is kept for the duration of service use plus about 7 years after termination. EU-related client data is stored in AWS datacentres in Ireland with encryption at rest. |
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). BulkSMS: Message data (content and metadata) is retained for 2 years and then automatically deleted from the system. Account/client data is kept for the duration of service use plus about 7 years after termination. EU-related client data is stored in AWS datacentres in Ireland with encryption at rest.
Pricing & Credits
Pricing model and the cost of a first message.
| Field | 46elks | BulkSMS |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Pay-as-you-go per message/minute from a prepaid account balance, with no startup fees and no minimum monthly costs. | Pay-as-you-go prepaid credits: you buy credits and pay per outbound SMS, with per-message rates varying by destination network and country; no monthly, setup, or contract fees. |
| SMS starting price | €0.047 per SMS part to Sweden (ex VAT); prices vary by destination country | Not published (rates shown per destination network via an interactive slider/quote, not a single headline price) |
| Free developer credit | No | 5 free test SMS on signup |
What's the difference46elks and BulkSMS are closely matched on pricing & credits — no material differences in the tracked fields.
Reach & Reliability
Global coverage and delivery dependability.
| Field | 46elks | BulkSMS |
|---|---|---|
| Countries covered | 215 | 213 |
| 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 213 for BulkSMS).
Company & Trust
Independent reviews and company profile.
| Field | 46elks | BulkSMS |
|---|---|---|
| G2 rating | 0.0 | 4.6 |
| G2 reviews | 0 | 266 |
| Ownership | private | private |
| Employees | 10-50 | 11-50 |
What's the differenceBulkSMS leads on G2 rating (4.6 vs 0 for 46elks); BulkSMS leads on G2 reviews (266 vs 0 for 46elks).
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