Comparison
Overview
Company snapshot and where each provider is based.
| Field | Clickatell | smsmode |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Cloud messaging and chat-commerce platform offering SMS, WhatsApp, RCS and Apple Messages for Business APIs for businesses. | French A2P mobile messaging platform (published by Calade Technologies) providing SMS, RCS, WhatsApp and text-to-speech APIs with data hosted in France. |
| Founded | 2000 | 2004 |
| Ownership | private | private |
| Employees | 250-500 | 11-50 |
| HQ city | Redwood City | Marseille |
| HQ country | USA | France (EU) |
What's the differenceClickatell edges ahead on the overall messaging.dev Score (61 vs 53). Clickatell is private and headquartered in Redwood City, USA; smsmode is private and based in Marseille, France (EU).
Channels
Which messaging channels each provider can send and receive on.
| Field | Clickatell | smsmode |
|---|---|---|
| SMS | Yes | Yes |
| MMS | No | No |
| RCS | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes | |
| Viber | No | No |
| Facebook Messenger | No | No |
| Telegram | No | No |
| Apple Messages for Business | Yes | No |
| Voice | No | Yes |
| No | No |
What's the differenceThey share 3 channels. Clickatell additionally offers Apple Messages for Business, while smsmode additionally offers Voice.
Developer Experience
How quickly a developer can sign up and send a first message.
| Field | Clickatell | smsmode |
|---|---|---|
| Self-service onboarding | Yes | Yes |
| Free developer credit | No | 20 free test SMS credits |
| Docs quality | high | high |
| Documentation | Open ↗ | Open ↗ |
| SDKs | Python, PHP, Java, Node.js, C# | TypeScript/Node.js |
| Sandbox / test env | Yes | No |
| API types | REST, SMPP | REST, SMPP, SMTP, SFTP |
What's the differenceOn SDKs, Clickatell adds Python, PHP, Java, Node.js, C#; smsmode adds TypeScript/Node.js; Clickatell offers Sandbox / test env, while smsmode does not; on API types, smsmode adds SMTP, SFTP.
Data & Compliance
Data residency options and enterprise compliance certifications.
| Field | Clickatell | smsmode |
|---|---|---|
| EU data residency | Yes | Yes |
| US data residency | No | No |
| Choose region | No | No |
| GDPR | Yes | Yes |
| ISO 27001 | Yes | Yes |
| SOC 2 | Yes | No |
| HIPAA | No | No |
What's the differenceClickatell offers SOC 2, while smsmode does not.
Data Retention
How long message content and metadata are stored, and whether that is configurable.
| Field | Clickatell | smsmode |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Data transiting the platform is stored encrypted on servers in France (two ISO 27001-certified data centers: Interxion MRS1 in Marseille and Scaleway DC4 in Paris) and is automatically deleted after 6 months; the retention period can be shortened on request, including deletion of message content immediately after sending. smsmode states data is never transferred outside the EU, and an optional HDS-certified hosting tier is available for health data. |
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. smsmode: Data transiting the platform is stored encrypted on servers in France (two ISO 27001-certified data centers: Interxion MRS1 in Marseille and Scaleway DC4 in Paris) and is automatically deleted after 6 months; the retention period can be shortened on request, including deletion of message content immediately after sending. smsmode states data is never transferred outside the EU, and an optional HDS-certified hosting tier is available for health data.
Pricing & Credits
Pricing model and the cost of a first message.
| Field | Clickatell | smsmode |
|---|---|---|
| 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 credits with sliding-scale volume rates (SMS packs from 1,000 to 100,000), plus optional monthly subscription plans (€9-€499/month) billed on consumption. |
| SMS starting price | $0.008 per SMS to the USA (published rate) | France rates from €0.0610 excl. VAT per SMS on the 1,000-SMS pack down to €0.0450 on the largest prepaid pack (€0.0421 on the Premium subscription); rates vary by destination. |
| Free developer credit | No | 20 free test SMS credits |
What's the differenceClickatell and smsmode are closely matched on pricing & credits — no material differences in the tracked fields.
Reach & Reliability
Global coverage and delivery dependability.
| Field | Clickatell | smsmode |
|---|---|---|
| Countries covered | 190 | 166 |
| Direct operator connections | Yes | Yes |
| Published uptime SLA | 99.90%–99.98% uptime (SLA, varies by plan) | 99.9% monthly platform availability (SLA); 99.95% claimed for SMPP routing |
What's the differenceClickatell leads on Countries covered (190 vs 166 for smsmode).
Company & Trust
Independent reviews and company profile.
| Field | Clickatell | smsmode |
|---|---|---|
| G2 rating | 4.3 | 0.0 |
| G2 reviews | 2 | 0 |
| Ownership | private | private |
| Employees | 250-500 | 11-50 |
What's the differenceClickatell leads on G2 rating (4.3 vs 0 for smsmode); Clickatell leads on G2 reviews (2 vs 0 for smsmode).
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