Comparison
Overview
Company snapshot and where each provider is based.
| Field | BulkSMS | SMSAPI |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Business messaging platform for sending bulk SMS and RCS to mobile networks worldwide via web app, API, and SMPP. | A Polish business-messaging platform (a brand of LINK Mobility Poland, part of LINK Mobility Group) offering bulk SMS, MMS, VMS voice, RCS and WhatsApp Business messaging via REST API and a web interface. |
| Founded | 2000 | 2007 |
| Ownership | private | public |
| Employees | 11-50 | 51-200 |
| HQ city | Cape Town | Gliwice |
| HQ country | South Africa | Poland (EU) |
What's the differenceSMSAPI edges ahead on the overall messaging.dev Score (44 vs 43). BulkSMS is private and headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa; SMSAPI is public and based in Gliwice, Poland (EU).
Channels
Which messaging channels each provider can send and receive on.
| Field | BulkSMS | SMSAPI |
|---|---|---|
| SMS | Yes | Yes |
| MMS | No | Yes |
| RCS | Yes | Yes |
| No | Yes | |
| Viber | No | No |
| Facebook Messenger | No | No |
| Telegram | No | No |
| Apple Messages for Business | No | No |
| Voice | No | Yes |
| No | No |
What's the differenceThey share 2 channels. SMSAPI additionally offers MMS, WhatsApp, Voice.
Developer Experience
How quickly a developer can sign up and send a first message.
| Field | BulkSMS | SMSAPI |
|---|---|---|
| Self-service onboarding | Yes | Yes |
| Free developer credit | 5 free test SMS on signup | Free test SMS on signup |
| Docs quality | med | high |
| Documentation | Open ↗ | Open ↗ |
| SDKs | — | PHP, Python, JavaScript, Java, C#, Go, Bash |
| Sandbox / test env | No | Yes |
| API types | REST, HTTP, SMPP, SMTP | REST, SMTP |
What's the differenceOn SDKs, SMSAPI adds PHP, Python, JavaScript, Java, C#, Go, Bash; SMSAPI offers Sandbox / test env, while BulkSMS does not; on API types, BulkSMS adds HTTP, SMPP.
Data & Compliance
Data residency options and enterprise compliance certifications.
| Field | BulkSMS | SMSAPI |
|---|---|---|
| EU data residency | Yes | Yes |
| US data residency | No | No |
| Choose region | No | No |
| GDPR | Yes | Yes |
| ISO 27001 | No | Yes |
| SOC 2 | No | No |
| HIPAA | No | No |
What's the differenceSMSAPI offers ISO 27001, while BulkSMS does not.
Data Retention
How long message content and metadata are stored, and whether that is configurable.
| Field | BulkSMS | SMSAPI |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Messages are stored in accordance with applicable law and disclosed only when required by a lawful request; phone numbers are used solely for SMS campaign purposes. No specific retention period is publicly documented. All data is held within the EEA on two redundant data centers in Poland (ATMAN and T-Mobile, over 150 km apart). |
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. SMSAPI: Messages are stored in accordance with applicable law and disclosed only when required by a lawful request; phone numbers are used solely for SMS campaign purposes. No specific retention period is publicly documented. All data is held within the EEA on two redundant data centers in Poland (ATMAN and T-Mobile, over 150 km apart).
Pricing & Credits
Pricing model and the cost of a first message.
| Field | BulkSMS | SMSAPI |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Pay-as-you-go prepaid credit — pay only for sent messages with no setup fee or contract; minimum top-up around €30. |
| SMS starting price | Not published (rates shown per destination network via an interactive slider/quote, not a single headline price) | From ~€0.04 per SMS (international, varies by destination country) |
| Free developer credit | 5 free test SMS on signup | Free test SMS on signup |
What's the differenceBulkSMS and SMSAPI are closely matched on pricing & credits — no material differences in the tracked fields.
Reach & Reliability
Global coverage and delivery dependability.
| Field | BulkSMS | SMSAPI |
|---|---|---|
| Countries covered | 213 | 0 |
| Direct operator connections | No | No |
| Published uptime SLA | No published SLA | No published SLA |
What's the differenceBulkSMS leads on Countries covered (213 vs 0 for SMSAPI).
Company & Trust
Independent reviews and company profile.
| Field | BulkSMS | SMSAPI |
|---|---|---|
| G2 rating | 4.6 | 0.0 |
| G2 reviews | 266 | 0 |
| Ownership | private | public |
| Employees | 11-50 | 51-200 |
What's the differenceBulkSMS leads on G2 rating (4.6 vs 0 for SMSAPI); BulkSMS leads on G2 reviews (266 vs 0 for SMSAPI).
Still deciding? Read the quickstart guides: