Comparison
Overview
Company snapshot and where each provider is based.
| Field | 46elks | Vonage |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Communications APIs for SMS, voice, video, and messaging (part of Ericsson) |
| Founded | 2011 | 2001 |
| Ownership | private | public |
| Employees | 10-50 | 2,000-3,000 |
| HQ city | Uppsala | Holmdel |
| HQ country | Sweden (EU) | USA |
What's the differenceVonage edges ahead on the overall messaging.dev Score (89 vs 33). 46elks is private and headquartered in Uppsala, Sweden (EU); Vonage is public and based in Holmdel, USA.
Channels
Which messaging channels each provider can send and receive on.
| Field | 46elks | Vonage |
|---|---|---|
| SMS | Yes | Yes |
| MMS | Yes | Yes |
| RCS | No | Yes |
| No | Yes | |
| Viber | No | Yes |
| Facebook Messenger | No | Yes |
| Telegram | No | No |
| Apple Messages for Business | No | No |
| Voice | Yes | Yes |
| No | No |
What's the differenceThey share 3 channels. Vonage additionally offers RCS, WhatsApp, Viber, Facebook Messenger.
Developer Experience
How quickly a developer can sign up and send a first message.
| Field | 46elks | Vonage |
|---|---|---|
| Self-service onboarding | Yes | Yes |
| Free developer credit | No | €2 free trial credit |
| Docs quality | med | high |
| Documentation | Open ↗ | Open ↗ |
| SDKs | — | Node.js, Python, PHP, Java, C#, Ruby, Kotlin |
| Sandbox / test env | Yes | Yes |
| API types | REST | REST |
What's the differenceOn SDKs, Vonage adds Node.js, Python, PHP, Java, C#, Ruby, Kotlin.
Data & Compliance
Data residency options and enterprise compliance certifications.
| Field | 46elks | Vonage |
|---|---|---|
| EU data residency | Yes | Yes |
| US data residency | No | Yes |
| Choose region | No | Yes |
| GDPR | Yes | Yes |
| ISO 27001 | No | Yes |
| SOC 2 | No | Yes |
| HIPAA | No | Yes |
What's the differenceVonage offers US data residency, while 46elks does not; Vonage offers Choose region, while 46elks does not; Vonage offers ISO 27001, while 46elks does not; Vonage offers SOC 2, while 46elks does not; Vonage offers HIPAA, while 46elks does not.
Data Retention
How long message content and metadata are stored, and whether that is configurable.
| Field | 46elks | Vonage |
|---|---|---|
| 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). | Vonage retains message and call records to provide services and meet legal obligations; message content retention is limited and, for some APIs, configurable, with data-processing terms available for enterprise customers. |
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). Vonage: Vonage retains message and call records to provide services and meet legal obligations; message content retention is limited and, for some APIs, configurable, with data-processing terms available for enterprise customers.
Pricing & Credits
Pricing model and the cost of a first message.
| Field | 46elks | Vonage |
|---|---|---|
| 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 message/minute with volume discounts |
| SMS starting price | €0.047 per SMS part to Sweden (ex VAT); prices vary by destination country | Approx. $0.0072 per US SMS segment (plus carrier fees) |
| Free developer credit | No | €2 free trial credit |
What's the difference46elks and Vonage are closely matched on pricing & credits — no material differences in the tracked fields.
Reach & Reliability
Global coverage and delivery dependability.
| Field | 46elks | Vonage |
|---|---|---|
| Countries covered | 215 | 200 |
| Direct operator connections | No | Yes |
| Published uptime SLA | No published uptime SLA (business-hours support SLA only; extended SLA available on request) | 99.95% |
What's the difference46elks leads on Countries covered (215 vs 200 for Vonage); Vonage offers Direct operator connections, while 46elks does not.
Company & Trust
Independent reviews and company profile.
| Field | 46elks | Vonage |
|---|---|---|
| G2 rating | 0.0 | 4.3 |
| G2 reviews | 0 | 200 |
| Ownership | private | public |
| Employees | 10-50 | 2,000-3,000 |
What's the differenceVonage leads on G2 rating (4.3 vs 0 for 46elks); Vonage leads on G2 reviews (200 vs 0 for 46elks).
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