Comparison
Overview
Company snapshot and where each provider is based.
| Field | 46elks | Prelude |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Developer platform for phone and email verification (OTP), authentication, number intelligence, and anti-fraud onboarding delivered across SMS, RCS, WhatsApp, voice and other channels. |
| Founded | 2011 | 2022 |
| Ownership | private | private |
| Employees | 10-50 | 51-200 |
| HQ city | Uppsala | Paris |
| HQ country | Sweden (EU) | France (EU) |
What's the differencePrelude edges ahead on the overall messaging.dev Score (62 vs 33). 46elks is private and headquartered in Uppsala, Sweden (EU); Prelude is private and based in Paris, France (EU).
Channels
Which messaging channels each provider can send and receive on.
| Field | 46elks | Prelude |
|---|---|---|
| SMS | Yes | Yes |
| MMS | Yes | No |
| RCS | No | Yes |
| No | Yes | |
| Viber | No | Yes |
| Facebook Messenger | No | No |
| Telegram | No | Yes |
| Apple Messages for Business | No | No |
| Voice | Yes | Yes |
| No | Yes |
What's the differenceThey share 2 channels. 46elks additionally offers MMS, while Prelude additionally offers RCS, WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram, Email.
Developer Experience
How quickly a developer can sign up and send a first message.
| Field | 46elks | Prelude |
|---|---|---|
| Self-service onboarding | Yes | Yes |
| Free developer credit | No | No |
| Docs quality | med | high |
| Documentation | Open ↗ | Open ↗ |
| SDKs | — | Node.js, Python, Go, Java, Ruby, PHP, C# |
| Sandbox / test env | Yes | No |
| API types | REST | REST |
What's the differenceOn SDKs, Prelude adds Node.js, Python, Go, Java, Ruby, PHP, C#; 46elks offers Sandbox / test env, while Prelude does not.
Data & Compliance
Data residency options and enterprise compliance certifications.
| Field | 46elks | Prelude |
|---|---|---|
| EU data residency | Yes | Yes |
| US data residency | No | No |
| Choose region | No | No |
| GDPR | Yes | Yes |
| ISO 27001 | No | Yes |
| SOC 2 | No | Yes |
| HIPAA | No | No |
What's the differencePrelude offers ISO 27001, while 46elks does not; Prelude offers SOC 2, while 46elks does not.
Data Retention
How long message content and metadata are stored, and whether that is configurable.
| Field | 46elks | Prelude |
|---|---|---|
| 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). | Not publicly documented in detail. Prelude is a European (Paris-based) company that hosts and processes data in EU data centers under GDPR, with SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001:2022 controls including encryption of data in transit and at rest. It states that only essential data is stored for delivery tracking, but specific message-content and metadata retention periods are not published on the site or trust center. |
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). Prelude: Not publicly documented in detail. Prelude is a European (Paris-based) company that hosts and processes data in EU data centers under GDPR, with SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001:2022 controls including encryption of data in transit and at rest. It states that only essential data is stored for delivery tracking, but specific message-content and metadata retention periods are not published on the site or trust center.
Pricing & Credits
Pricing model and the cost of a first message.
| Field | 46elks | Prelude |
|---|---|---|
| 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 per-verification pricing plus at-cost (zero-markup) per-message charges, with optional Startup subscription and custom Enterprise tiers. |
| SMS starting price | €0.047 per SMS part to Sweden (ex VAT); prices vary by destination country | €0.0043 per SMS (US, at-cost); verification fee from €0.032 |
| Free developer credit | No | No |
What's the difference46elks and Prelude are closely matched on pricing & credits — no material differences in the tracked fields.
Reach & Reliability
Global coverage and delivery dependability.
| Field | 46elks | Prelude |
|---|---|---|
| Countries covered | 215 | 230 |
| Direct operator connections | No | Yes |
| Published uptime SLA | No published uptime SLA (business-hours support SLA only; extended SLA available on request) | No published SLA |
What's the differencePrelude leads on Countries covered (230 vs 215 for 46elks); Prelude offers Direct operator connections, while 46elks does not.
Company & Trust
Independent reviews and company profile.
| Field | 46elks | Prelude |
|---|---|---|
| G2 rating | 0.0 | 4.9 |
| G2 reviews | 0 | 13 |
| Ownership | private | private |
| Employees | 10-50 | 51-200 |
What's the differencePrelude leads on G2 rating (4.9 vs 0 for 46elks); Prelude leads on G2 reviews (13 vs 0 for 46elks).
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