Comparison
Overview
Company snapshot and where each provider is based.
| Field | SMS.to | Telesign |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Omnichannel business messaging platform and API from Cyprus-based Intergo Telecom for sending SMS, Viber, WhatsApp, RCS and Telegram messages worldwide. | Digital identity and programmable communications platform offering SMS, RCS, voice, WhatsApp, Viber and email APIs alongside phone verification and fraud-prevention services. |
| Founded | 2016 | 2005 |
| Ownership | private | private |
| Employees | 51-200 | 500-1,000 |
| HQ city | Paphos | Marina del Rey |
| HQ country | Cyprus (EU) | USA |
What's the differenceTelesign edges ahead on the overall messaging.dev Score (70 vs 49). SMS.to is private and headquartered in Paphos, Cyprus (EU); Telesign is private and based in Marina del Rey, USA.
Channels
Which messaging channels each provider can send and receive on.
| Field | SMS.to | Telesign |
|---|---|---|
| SMS | Yes | Yes |
| MMS | No | No |
| RCS | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes | |
| Viber | Yes | Yes |
| Facebook Messenger | No | No |
| Telegram | Yes | No |
| Apple Messages for Business | No | No |
| Voice | No | Yes |
| No | Yes |
What's the differenceThey share 4 channels. SMS.to additionally offers Telegram, while Telesign additionally offers Voice, Email.
Developer Experience
How quickly a developer can sign up and send a first message.
| Field | SMS.to | Telesign |
|---|---|---|
| Self-service onboarding | Yes | Yes |
| Free developer credit | Free trial credits on sign-up | Yes |
| Docs quality | med | high |
| Documentation | Open ↗ | Open ↗ |
| SDKs | PHP | C#, Java, Node.js, PHP, Python, Ruby |
| Sandbox / test env | No | No |
| API types | REST, SMPP | REST |
What's the differenceOn SDKs, Telesign adds C#, Java, Node.js, Python, Ruby; on API types, SMS.to adds SMPP.
Data & Compliance
Data residency options and enterprise compliance certifications.
| Field | SMS.to | Telesign |
|---|---|---|
| EU data residency | Yes | Yes |
| US data residency | Yes | Yes |
| Choose region | Yes | No |
| GDPR | Yes | Yes |
| ISO 27001 | Yes | Yes |
| SOC 2 | No | Yes |
| HIPAA | No | Yes |
What's the differenceSMS.to offers Choose region, while Telesign does not; Telesign offers SOC 2, while SMS.to does not; Telesign offers HIPAA, while SMS.to does not.
Data Retention
How long message content and metadata are stored, and whether that is configurable.
| Field | SMS.to | Telesign |
|---|---|---|
| Retention policy | Customer data is retained only while the account remains open; on an account deletion request all data is deleted within 30 days. Customers can choose to have data processed only within the EU, in which case it is not transferred outside the EU; per-message content retention periods are not publicly documented in detail. | Customer transaction data is retained for 90 days for operational troubleshooting and billing purposes, with full backups maintained across two separate data centers also kept for 90 days. |
What's the differenceSMS.to: Customer data is retained only while the account remains open; on an account deletion request all data is deleted within 30 days. Customers can choose to have data processed only within the EU, in which case it is not transferred outside the EU; per-message content retention periods are not publicly documented in detail. Telesign: Customer transaction data is retained for 90 days for operational troubleshooting and billing purposes, with full backups maintained across two separate data centers also kept for 90 days.
Pricing & Credits
Pricing model and the cost of a first message.
| Field | SMS.to | Telesign |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Prepaid pay-as-you-go credit with no contracts or commitments; per-SMS rates vary by destination and volume discounts are negotiated with sales. | Pay-as-you-go per-message/per-transaction pricing with volume-based enterprise contracts; public per-message rates are not transparently listed. |
| SMS starting price | From $0.023 per SMS (advertised base rate; per-country rates via downloadable price list) | Not published |
| Free developer credit | Free trial credits on sign-up | Yes |
What's the differenceSMS.to and Telesign are closely matched on pricing & credits — no material differences in the tracked fields.
Reach & Reliability
Global coverage and delivery dependability.
| Field | SMS.to | Telesign |
|---|---|---|
| Countries covered | 0 | 230 |
| Direct operator connections | Yes | Yes |
| Published uptime SLA | No published SLA (public status page at status.sms.to) | No published SLA |
What's the differenceTelesign leads on Countries covered (230 vs 0 for SMS.to).
Company & Trust
Independent reviews and company profile.
| Field | SMS.to | Telesign |
|---|---|---|
| G2 rating | 4.4 | 4.3 |
| G2 reviews | 4 | 20 |
| Ownership | private | private |
| Employees | 51-200 | 500-1,000 |
What's the differenceSMS.to leads on G2 rating (4.4 vs 4.3 for Telesign); Telesign leads on G2 reviews (20 vs 4 for SMS.to).
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