Comparison
Overview
Company snapshot and where each provider is based.
| Field | Apifon | Clickatell |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Greek business-messaging platform for SMS, Viber, WhatsApp, RCS, Messenger and email campaigns, with a web platform plus REST and SMPP APIs. | Cloud messaging and chat-commerce platform offering SMS, WhatsApp, RCS and Apple Messages for Business APIs for businesses. |
| Founded | 2014 | 2000 |
| Ownership | private | private |
| Employees | 51-200 | 250-500 |
| HQ city | Thessaloniki | Redwood City |
| HQ country | Greece (EU) | USA |
What's the differenceClickatell edges ahead on the overall messaging.dev Score (61 vs 52). Apifon is private and headquartered in Thessaloniki, Greece (EU); Clickatell is private and based in Redwood City, USA.
Channels
Which messaging channels each provider can send and receive on.
| Field | Apifon | Clickatell |
|---|---|---|
| SMS | Yes | Yes |
| MMS | No | No |
| RCS | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes | |
| Viber | Yes | No |
| Facebook Messenger | Yes | No |
| Telegram | No | No |
| Apple Messages for Business | No | Yes |
| Voice | No | No |
| Yes | No |
What's the differenceThey share 3 channels. Apifon additionally offers Viber, Facebook Messenger, Email, while Clickatell additionally offers Apple Messages for Business.
Developer Experience
How quickly a developer can sign up and send a first message.
| Field | Apifon | Clickatell |
|---|---|---|
| Self-service onboarding | Yes | Yes |
| Free developer credit | Free trial bonus on verification | No |
| Docs quality | high | high |
| Documentation | Open ↗ | Open ↗ |
| SDKs | Java, PHP, C#, Python, Node.js | Python, PHP, Java, Node.js, C# |
| Sandbox / test env | No | Yes |
| API types | REST, SMPP | REST, SMPP |
What's the differenceClickatell offers Sandbox / test env, while Apifon does not.
Data & Compliance
Data residency options and enterprise compliance certifications.
| Field | Apifon | Clickatell |
|---|---|---|
| EU data residency | Yes | Yes |
| US data residency | No | No |
| Choose region | No | No |
| GDPR | Yes | Yes |
| ISO 27001 | Yes | Yes |
| SOC 2 | No | Yes |
| HIPAA | No | No |
What's the differenceClickatell offers SOC 2, while Apifon does not.
Data Retention
How long message content and metadata are stored, and whether that is configurable.
| Field | Apifon | Clickatell |
|---|---|---|
| Retention policy | Message logs (telephone numbers, message body, sender ID, timestamps) are retained for a default period of 24 months; other personal data is kept for as long as a contractual relationship exists. All personal data is stated to be hosted on servers located within the European Union. | Not publicly documented in detail. Clickatell states it moved its data infrastructure to Amazon Web Services (AWS) in Ireland (EU) in 2018 and directs GDPR/data-protection queries to dataprotection@clickatell.com; specific message content or metadata retention periods are not published. |
What's the differenceApifon: Message logs (telephone numbers, message body, sender ID, timestamps) are retained for a default period of 24 months; other personal data is kept for as long as a contractual relationship exists. All personal data is stated to be hosted on servers located within the European Union. Clickatell: Not publicly documented in detail. Clickatell states it moved its data infrastructure to Amazon Web Services (AWS) in Ireland (EU) in 2018 and directs GDPR/data-protection queries to dataprotection@clickatell.com; specific message content or metadata retention periods are not published.
Pricing & Credits
Pricing model and the cost of a first message.
| Field | Apifon | Clickatell |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Prepaid pay-as-you-go: customers top up a euro balance by card, PayPal, or bank transfer and messages are charged against it; per-message rates are quoted per account, not published. | Self-service prepaid pay-as-you-go credits, with quote-based enterprise plans (Connect, Interact, Transact) requiring sales contact. |
| SMS starting price | Not published | $0.008 per SMS to the USA (published rate) |
| Free developer credit | Free trial bonus on verification | No |
What's the differenceApifon and Clickatell are closely matched on pricing & credits — no material differences in the tracked fields.
Reach & Reliability
Global coverage and delivery dependability.
| Field | Apifon | Clickatell |
|---|---|---|
| Countries covered | 200 | 190 |
| Direct operator connections | No | Yes |
| Published uptime SLA | No published SLA | 99.90%–99.98% uptime (SLA, varies by plan) |
What's the differenceApifon leads on Countries covered (200 vs 190 for Clickatell); Clickatell offers Direct operator connections, while Apifon does not.
Company & Trust
Independent reviews and company profile.
| Field | Apifon | Clickatell |
|---|---|---|
| G2 rating | 4.8 | 4.3 |
| G2 reviews | 3 | 2 |
| Ownership | private | private |
| Employees | 51-200 | 250-500 |
What's the differenceApifon leads on G2 rating (4.8 vs 4.3 for Clickatell); Apifon leads on G2 reviews (3 vs 2 for Clickatell).
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