Comparison
Overview
Company snapshot and where each provider is based.
| Field | Clickatell | SMS.to |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Cloud messaging and chat-commerce platform offering SMS, WhatsApp, RCS and Apple Messages for Business APIs for businesses. | 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 | 250-500 | 51-200 |
| HQ city | Redwood City | Paphos |
| HQ country | USA | Cyprus (EU) |
What's the differenceClickatell edges ahead on the overall messaging.dev Score (61 vs 49). Clickatell is private and headquartered in Redwood City, USA; SMS.to is private and based in Paphos, Cyprus (EU).
Channels
Which messaging channels each provider can send and receive on.
| Field | Clickatell | SMS.to |
|---|---|---|
| SMS | Yes | Yes |
| MMS | No | No |
| RCS | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes | |
| Viber | No | Yes |
| Facebook Messenger | No | No |
| Telegram | No | Yes |
| Apple Messages for Business | Yes | No |
| Voice | No | No |
| No | No |
What's the differenceThey share 3 channels. Clickatell additionally offers Apple Messages for Business, while SMS.to additionally offers Viber, Telegram.
Developer Experience
How quickly a developer can sign up and send a first message.
| Field | Clickatell | SMS.to |
|---|---|---|
| Self-service onboarding | Yes | Yes |
| Free developer credit | No | Free trial credits on sign-up |
| Docs quality | high | med |
| Documentation | Open ↗ | Open ↗ |
| SDKs | Python, PHP, Java, Node.js, C# | PHP |
| Sandbox / test env | Yes | No |
| API types | REST, SMPP | REST, SMPP |
What's the differenceOn SDKs, Clickatell adds Python, Java, Node.js, C#; Clickatell offers Sandbox / test env, while SMS.to does not.
Data & Compliance
Data residency options and enterprise compliance certifications.
| Field | Clickatell | SMS.to |
|---|---|---|
| EU data residency | Yes | Yes |
| US data residency | No | Yes |
| Choose region | No | Yes |
| GDPR | Yes | Yes |
| ISO 27001 | Yes | Yes |
| SOC 2 | Yes | No |
| HIPAA | No | No |
What's the differenceSMS.to offers US data residency, while Clickatell does not; SMS.to offers Choose region, while Clickatell does not; Clickatell offers SOC 2, while SMS.to does not.
Data Retention
How long message content and metadata are stored, and whether that is configurable.
| Field | Clickatell | SMS.to |
|---|---|---|
| Retention policy | 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. | 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 differenceClickatell: 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. 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 | Clickatell | SMS.to |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Self-service prepaid pay-as-you-go credits, with quote-based enterprise plans (Connect, Interact, Transact) requiring sales contact. | 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 | $0.008 per SMS to the USA (published rate) | From $0.023 per SMS (advertised base rate; per-country rates via downloadable price list) |
| Free developer credit | No | Free trial credits on sign-up |
What's the differenceClickatell and SMS.to are closely matched on pricing & credits — no material differences in the tracked fields.
Reach & Reliability
Global coverage and delivery dependability.
| Field | Clickatell | SMS.to |
|---|---|---|
| Countries covered | 190 | 0 |
| Direct operator connections | Yes | Yes |
| Published uptime SLA | 99.90%–99.98% uptime (SLA, varies by plan) | No published SLA (public status page at status.sms.to) |
What's the differenceClickatell leads on Countries covered (190 vs 0 for SMS.to).
Company & Trust
Independent reviews and company profile.
| Field | Clickatell | SMS.to |
|---|---|---|
| G2 rating | 4.3 | 4.4 |
| G2 reviews | 2 | 4 |
| Ownership | private | private |
| Employees | 250-500 | 51-200 |
What's the differenceSMS.to leads on G2 rating (4.4 vs 4.3 for Clickatell); SMS.to leads on G2 reviews (4 vs 2 for Clickatell).
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