Comparison
Overview
Company snapshot and where each provider is based.
| Field | BulkSMS | SMS.to |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Business messaging platform for sending bulk SMS and RCS to mobile networks worldwide via web app, API, and SMPP. | Omnichannel business messaging platform and API from Cyprus-based Intergo Telecom for sending SMS, Viber, WhatsApp, RCS and Telegram messages worldwide. |
| Founded | 2000 | 2016 |
| Ownership | private | private |
| Employees | 11-50 | 51-200 |
| HQ city | Cape Town | Paphos |
| HQ country | South Africa | Cyprus (EU) |
What's the differenceSMS.to edges ahead on the overall messaging.dev Score (49 vs 43). BulkSMS is private and headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa; SMS.to is private and based in Paphos, Cyprus (EU).
Channels
Which messaging channels each provider can send and receive on.
| Field | BulkSMS | SMS.to |
|---|---|---|
| SMS | Yes | Yes |
| MMS | No | No |
| RCS | Yes | Yes |
| No | Yes | |
| Viber | No | Yes |
| Facebook Messenger | No | No |
| Telegram | No | Yes |
| Apple Messages for Business | No | No |
| Voice | No | No |
| No | No |
What's the differenceThey share 2 channels. SMS.to additionally offers WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram.
Developer Experience
How quickly a developer can sign up and send a first message.
| Field | BulkSMS | SMS.to |
|---|---|---|
| Self-service onboarding | Yes | Yes |
| Free developer credit | 5 free test SMS on signup | Free trial credits on sign-up |
| Docs quality | med | med |
| Documentation | Open ↗ | Open ↗ |
| SDKs | — | PHP |
| Sandbox / test env | No | No |
| API types | REST, HTTP, SMPP, SMTP | REST, SMPP |
What's the differenceOn SDKs, SMS.to adds PHP; on API types, BulkSMS adds HTTP, SMTP.
Data & Compliance
Data residency options and enterprise compliance certifications.
| Field | BulkSMS | SMS.to |
|---|---|---|
| EU data residency | Yes | Yes |
| US data residency | No | Yes |
| Choose region | No | Yes |
| GDPR | Yes | Yes |
| ISO 27001 | No | Yes |
| SOC 2 | No | No |
| HIPAA | No | No |
What's the differenceSMS.to offers US data residency, while BulkSMS does not; SMS.to offers Choose region, while BulkSMS does not; SMS.to offers ISO 27001, while BulkSMS does not.
Data Retention
How long message content and metadata are stored, and whether that is configurable.
| Field | BulkSMS | SMS.to |
|---|---|---|
| Retention policy | Message data (content and metadata) is retained for 2 years and then automatically deleted from the system. Account/client data is kept for the duration of service use plus about 7 years after termination. EU-related client data is stored in AWS datacentres in Ireland with encryption at rest. | 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. |
What's the differenceBulkSMS: Message data (content and metadata) is retained for 2 years and then automatically deleted from the system. Account/client data is kept for the duration of service use plus about 7 years after termination. EU-related client data is stored in AWS datacentres in Ireland with encryption at rest. SMS.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.
Pricing & Credits
Pricing model and the cost of a first message.
| Field | BulkSMS | SMS.to |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Pay-as-you-go prepaid credits: you buy credits and pay per outbound SMS, with per-message rates varying by destination network and country; no monthly, setup, or contract fees. | Prepaid pay-as-you-go credit with no contracts or commitments; per-SMS rates vary by destination and volume discounts are negotiated with sales. |
| SMS starting price | Not published (rates shown per destination network via an interactive slider/quote, not a single headline price) | From $0.023 per SMS (advertised base rate; per-country rates via downloadable price list) |
| Free developer credit | 5 free test SMS on signup | Free trial credits on sign-up |
What's the differenceBulkSMS and SMS.to are closely matched on pricing & credits — no material differences in the tracked fields.
Reach & Reliability
Global coverage and delivery dependability.
| Field | BulkSMS | SMS.to |
|---|---|---|
| Countries covered | 213 | 0 |
| Direct operator connections | No | Yes |
| Published uptime SLA | No published SLA | No published SLA (public status page at status.sms.to) |
What's the differenceBulkSMS leads on Countries covered (213 vs 0 for SMS.to); SMS.to offers Direct operator connections, while BulkSMS does not.
Company & Trust
Independent reviews and company profile.
| Field | BulkSMS | SMS.to |
|---|---|---|
| G2 rating | 4.6 | 4.4 |
| G2 reviews | 266 | 4 |
| Ownership | private | private |
| Employees | 11-50 | 51-200 |
What's the differenceBulkSMS leads on G2 rating (4.6 vs 4.4 for SMS.to); BulkSMS leads on G2 reviews (266 vs 4 for SMS.to).
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