Comparison
Overview
Company snapshot and where each provider is based.
| Field | Apifon | Smstools |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Belgian business-messaging platform by Xtreme Internet Solutions offering an SMS gateway API, bulk SMS marketing software, WhatsApp Business API, voice messages and email-to-SMS with EU-only hosting. |
| Founded | 2014 | 2004 |
| Ownership | private | private |
| Employees | 51-200 | 1-10 |
| HQ city | Thessaloniki | Dilsen-Stokkem |
| HQ country | Greece (EU) | Belgium (EU) |
What's the differenceSmstools edges ahead on the overall messaging.dev Score (56 vs 52). Apifon is private and headquartered in Thessaloniki, Greece (EU); Smstools is private and based in Dilsen-Stokkem, Belgium (EU).
Channels
Which messaging channels each provider can send and receive on.
| Field | Apifon | Smstools |
|---|---|---|
| SMS | Yes | Yes |
| MMS | No | No |
| RCS | Yes | No |
| Yes | Yes | |
| Viber | Yes | No |
| Facebook Messenger | Yes | No |
| Telegram | No | No |
| Apple Messages for Business | No | No |
| Voice | No | Yes |
| Yes | No |
What's the differenceThey share 2 channels. Apifon additionally offers RCS, Viber, Facebook Messenger, Email, while Smstools additionally offers Voice.
Developer Experience
How quickly a developer can sign up and send a first message.
| Field | Apifon | Smstools |
|---|---|---|
| Self-service onboarding | Yes | Yes |
| Free developer credit | Free trial bonus on verification | Free test credit on sign-up |
| Docs quality | high | high |
| Documentation | Open ↗ | Open ↗ |
| SDKs | Java, PHP, C#, Python, Node.js | PHP, Node.js, Python, Ruby, PowerShell |
| Sandbox / test env | No | Yes |
| API types | REST, SMPP | REST, SMTP |
What's the differenceOn SDKs, Apifon adds Java, C#; Smstools adds Ruby, PowerShell; Smstools offers Sandbox / test env, while Apifon does not; on API types, Apifon adds SMPP; Smstools adds SMTP.
Data & Compliance
Data residency options and enterprise compliance certifications.
| Field | Apifon | Smstools |
|---|---|---|
| EU data residency | Yes | Yes |
| US data residency | No | No |
| Choose region | No | No |
| GDPR | Yes | Yes |
| ISO 27001 | Yes | No |
| SOC 2 | No | No |
| HIPAA | No | No |
What's the differenceApifon offers ISO 27001, while Smstools does not.
Data Retention
How long message content and metadata are stored, and whether that is configurable.
| Field | Apifon | Smstools |
|---|---|---|
| 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. Smstools states all data is stored on servers located in Europe under GDPR-compliant processes, with AES-256 encryption at rest and TLS 1.3 in transit, and a Data Processing Agreement is available on request, but no specific message content/metadata retention periods are 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. Smstools: Not publicly documented in detail. Smstools states all data is stored on servers located in Europe under GDPR-compliant processes, with AES-256 encryption at rest and TLS 1.3 in transit, and a Data Processing Agreement is available on request, but no specific message content/metadata retention periods are published.
Pricing & Credits
Pricing model and the cost of a first message.
| Field | Apifon | Smstools |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Pay-as-you-go per message with volume discounts; no subscription, setup fee or monthly minimum, with a personalised rate sheet issued on registration. |
| SMS starting price | Not published | From €0.025 per SMS to the USA (rates vary by destination country and volume) |
| Free developer credit | Free trial bonus on verification | Free test credit on sign-up |
What's the differenceApifon and Smstools are closely matched on pricing & credits — no material differences in the tracked fields.
Reach & Reliability
Global coverage and delivery dependability.
| Field | Apifon | Smstools |
|---|---|---|
| Countries covered | 200 | 200 |
| Direct operator connections | No | Yes |
| Published uptime SLA | No published SLA | 99.99% (uptime SLA) |
What's the differenceSmstools offers Direct operator connections, while Apifon does not.
Company & Trust
Independent reviews and company profile.
| Field | Apifon | Smstools |
|---|---|---|
| G2 rating | 4.8 | 0.0 |
| G2 reviews | 3 | 0 |
| Ownership | private | private |
| Employees | 51-200 | 1-10 |
What's the differenceApifon leads on G2 rating (4.8 vs 0 for Smstools); Apifon leads on G2 reviews (3 vs 0 for Smstools).
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