Comparison
Overview
Company snapshot and where each provider is based.
| Field | 46elks | Telesign |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Digital identity and programmable communications platform offering SMS, RCS, voice, WhatsApp, Viber and email APIs alongside phone verification and fraud-prevention services. |
| Founded | 2011 | 2005 |
| Ownership | private | private |
| Employees | 10-50 | 500-1,000 |
| HQ city | Uppsala | Marina del Rey |
| HQ country | Sweden (EU) | USA |
What's the differenceTelesign edges ahead on the overall messaging.dev Score (70 vs 33). 46elks is private and headquartered in Uppsala, Sweden (EU); Telesign is private and based in Marina del Rey, USA.
Channels
Which messaging channels each provider can send and receive on.
| Field | 46elks | Telesign |
|---|---|---|
| SMS | Yes | Yes |
| MMS | Yes | No |
| RCS | No | Yes |
| No | Yes | |
| Viber | No | Yes |
| Facebook Messenger | No | No |
| Telegram | No | No |
| Apple Messages for Business | No | No |
| Voice | Yes | Yes |
| No | Yes |
What's the differenceThey share 2 channels. 46elks additionally offers MMS, while Telesign additionally offers RCS, WhatsApp, Viber, Email.
Developer Experience
How quickly a developer can sign up and send a first message.
| Field | 46elks | Telesign |
|---|---|---|
| Self-service onboarding | Yes | Yes |
| Free developer credit | No | Yes |
| Docs quality | med | high |
| Documentation | Open ↗ | Open ↗ |
| SDKs | — | C#, Java, Node.js, PHP, Python, Ruby |
| Sandbox / test env | Yes | No |
| API types | REST | REST |
What's the differenceOn SDKs, Telesign adds C#, Java, Node.js, PHP, Python, Ruby; 46elks offers Sandbox / test env, while Telesign does not.
Data & Compliance
Data residency options and enterprise compliance certifications.
| Field | 46elks | Telesign |
|---|---|---|
| EU data residency | Yes | Yes |
| US data residency | No | Yes |
| Choose region | No | No |
| GDPR | Yes | Yes |
| ISO 27001 | No | Yes |
| SOC 2 | No | Yes |
| HIPAA | No | Yes |
What's the differenceTelesign offers US data residency, while 46elks does not; Telesign offers ISO 27001, while 46elks does not; Telesign offers SOC 2, while 46elks does not; Telesign offers HIPAA, while 46elks does not.
Data Retention
How long message content and metadata are stored, and whether that is configurable.
| Field | 46elks | Telesign |
|---|---|---|
| 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). | 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 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). 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 | 46elks | Telesign |
|---|---|---|
| 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/per-transaction pricing with volume-based enterprise contracts; public per-message rates are not transparently listed. |
| SMS starting price | €0.047 per SMS part to Sweden (ex VAT); prices vary by destination country | Not published |
| Free developer credit | No | Yes |
What's the difference46elks and Telesign are closely matched on pricing & credits — no material differences in the tracked fields.
Reach & Reliability
Global coverage and delivery dependability.
| Field | 46elks | Telesign |
|---|---|---|
| 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 differenceTelesign leads on Countries covered (230 vs 215 for 46elks); Telesign offers Direct operator connections, while 46elks does not.
Company & Trust
Independent reviews and company profile.
| Field | 46elks | Telesign |
|---|---|---|
| G2 rating | 0.0 | 4.3 |
| G2 reviews | 0 | 20 |
| Ownership | private | private |
| Employees | 10-50 | 500-1,000 |
What's the differenceTelesign leads on G2 rating (4.3 vs 0 for 46elks); Telesign leads on G2 reviews (20 vs 0 for 46elks).
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