Telnyx vs. Twilio: A comprehensive comparison

Selecting the right Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) provider isn't just a strategic move; it's a make-or-break decision that directly influences your business's success. A wrong choice could mean disjointed communication, irritated customers, eroding revenue, and a tarnished brand reputation.

If you’re short on time, check out our Telnyx vs. Twilio comparison page for high-level stats and pricing comparisons. But if you want the details, we've compiled this guide to help you understand the differences between Telnyx and Twilio so you can make the most informed decision for your business.

Telnyx vs. Twilio overview

While both Telnyx and Twilio offer Elastic SIP Trunking, Programmable Voice, and Messaging APIs, there are some key differences between the two providers. Below, we’ve outlined the main factors to consider before choosing the right communications provider for your business.

Telnyx excels with a superior network, competitive pricing, round-the-clock free support, and seamless number porting. Meanwhile, Twilio falls short in key areas such as network ownership, higher prices, less reliable coverage, and pay-to-access support.

Talk to our experts if you're ready to get started with Telnyx. Or keep reading for an in-depth breakdown of Telnyx and Twilio products, features, and pricing.

Telnyx vs. Twilio: Voice API

A voice API enables an application to programmatically make, receive, and manage calls without having to interface directly with the PSTN. Businesses can also use a voice API to route voice calls with global reach to phones, browsers, SIP domains, and mobile applications.

While Telnyx and Twilio both offer voice APIs, the abovementioned differences can impact connections and call quality. When comparing voice APIs, you should also consider the impact on developer and end-user experience.

Elastic SIP Trunking explained

In this section, we'll explore what you need to know when comparing two elastic SIP Trunking providers, such as Telnyx and Twilio. The four factors you’ll want to consider are whether the provider offers a private network, whether or not they are a carrier, what type of configuration and monitoring interfaces they offer, and how they port numbers.

Private network

There are two types of networks: public and private. A private IP network, custom-built for communication purposes, represents a huge shift in telephony. Private networks offer benefits you won’t find using a public network.

Here are three reasons you should choose a private network:

1. Superior quality for real-time communication: A private IP network is constructed specifically to handle real-time communications. Unlike the public internet, which wasn't primarily designed for such tasks, private networks are optimized to minimize packet loss and latency issues. Private networks allow users to enjoy high-quality, crystal-clear calls without any interruptions.

2. Enhanced security measures: The public internet is vulnerable to various security threats due to its open nature. Conversely, a private network poses a significant barrier to potential cyber attackers, making it much harder to compromise the communications happening on it. Some private network providers offer the option for customers to encrypt their SIP signaling and media streaming, protecting their data further.

3. Robust reliability and uptime: The public internet does not guarantee uptime, which can lead to service interruptions. On the other hand, private multi-cloud networks incorporate built-in redundancy, which results in a high level of service reliability not found on the public internet.

The core value of a private IP network lies in its ability to provide high-quality call experiences, exceptional security, and dependable reliability. These attributes make it an attractive and necessary feature for any customer who values communication integrity and consistency.

Carrier status

Carrier status plays a crucial role in your company's ability to expand voice connectivity around the globe. With a licensed carrier, you can scale your operations more fluidly, avoiding potential roadblocks that could occur due to dependencies on relationships with local carriers. Working with a provider who is also a carrier means your business can grow without the connectivity-related complications that could arise from relying on numerous third-party local carriers.

Configuration and monitoring

User-friendly interfaces for configuration and monitoring are essential for any communication service provider. The ability to automate these processes can significantly improve the efficiency of your operations. With API functionality, you manage configuration and monitoring more effectively, as well as automate various communication processes.

Automating processes—such as number porting, capacity scaling, and reporting and monitoring—enables you to manage your communication processes more efficiently, offering greater control and flexibility to your operations.

Number porting

The standard process for number porting often involves a cycle of multiple emails, leading to wasted time and frequently rejected port requests. Thus, a service provider that offers a solution to streamline this process is of immense value. Consider an option that transforms number porting into a smooth, time-efficient task, in contrast to more traditional, time-consuming methods.

A seamless porting process saves time and effort and eliminates unnecessary delays and resource wastage. By choosing a service provider with a streamlined number porting process, you're essentially investing in improved business efficiency and a smoother operational experience.

Which provider offers the best SIP Trunking solution?

When choosing a SIP trunking provider, it’s important to consider the four factors outlined above. Although both Telnyx and Twilio offer some of the same functionalities, there are some important differences to consider.

Twilio relies on the public internet. Telnyx uses a private network, which provides better call quality, security, and reliability. Telnyx is a licensed carrier in multiple countries, whereas Twilio depends on relationships with local carriers, which may result in additional challenges when scaling.

Both providers offer intuitive user interfaces for configuration and monitoring. However, Telnyx provides additional functionality through its API, enabling you to automate communication processes—including number porting, capacity scaling, reporting, and monitoring—more easily.

Telnyx's FastPort® technology streamlines the number porting process, saving you time and effort. Twilio's manual porting process is more time-consuming and frustrating.

Contact our experts to learn how our private network, carrier status, API automation functionality, and FastPort® API can give you faster, more reliable calls for a fraction of Twilio’s prices.

Programmable voice explained

Advanced programmable voice features can improve your customers' experiences and streamline your business operations. This section discusses programmable voice features such as global audio conferencing, media streaming, speech-to-text transcription, text-to-speech, smart IVR, and answering machine detection.

Global audio conferencing

Leveraging an advanced voice API allows you to embed high-quality audio conferencing features into your applications, facilitating seamless global communication. The option to host a conference with hundreds of participants not only broadens the scope of conversation and enhances your team's collaborative capabilities.

The power to customize the conference parameters, including setting hosts, adjusting the duration, and managing participant muting and holding options, offers robust control over your team's collaborative experiences. In essence, harnessing an advanced voice API can empower your applications with robust global audio conferencing integration, enabling superior control and customization to ensure efficient team collaboration.

Media streaming

Media streaming, also known as media forking, allows an application to manage calls while simultaneously sending duplicate call media to multiple recipients. When handled via an effective voice API, this advanced feature can analyze and return call media in real time without compromising call quality or connection stability.

Media streaming can open doors to incorporating additional cutting-edge features such as sentiment analysis, AI-based conversation, fraud detection, call transcriptions, and voice biometrics. As such, a sophisticated media streaming feature can guarantee call quality while delivering real-time analysis, thus facilitating the integration of advanced attributes like AI and voice biometrics.

Speech-to-text transcription

In an era driven by data and analytics, converting speech to text is critical for advanced call analytics applications, such as sales and marketing analytics, sentiment analysis, and customer intelligence. A single API command can easily activate this feature, resulting in secure transcriptions backed by confidence scores.

These transcriptions are delivered via a webhook, making integrating them into your applications straightforward. Leveraging speech-to-text transcription can dramatically enhance call analytics by providing secure, rapid transcriptions delivered directly to your application.

Text-to-speech

Text-to-speech (TTS) technology synthesizes spoken voice output from text input, serving as an essential tool for accessibility and a preferred interaction mode for many users on the move. A good TTS solution supports multiple languages and accents, making it an inclusive tool for interacting with your interactive voice response (IVR) system. Thus, implementing a reliable TTS solution offers an inclusive and convenient way for users to interact with your IVR system across various languages.

Smart IVR

Utilizing a programmable voice API to create a multi-level interactive voice response (IVR) system leads to smarter, more efficient call routing. Smart IVR can enhance customer experience and increase efficiency by automating simple customer service tasks.

Incorporating AI technologies, intelligent call routing, omnichannel experiences, text-to-speech capabilities, and call recording makes this system even more potent. Developing a smart IVR system via a programmable voice API can significantly enhance customer service.

Answering machine detection

Answering Machine Detection (AMD) technology can determine whether a call is answered by a human or a machine in real time. This feature enables user experience customization based on the call recipient, making it crucial for outbound call scenarios such as lead follow-ups, customer updates, or voice surveys.

The AMD feature on a top-tier voice API boasts an industry-leading accuracy rate, ensuring precise and responsive customer interaction. Therefore, an efficient Answering Machine Detection (AMD) feature promises industry-leading accuracy, resulting in a more precise and tailored communication experience.

Who offers a better programmable voice solution?

While both Telnyx and Twilio offer feature-rich voice APIs for programmable voice, Telnyx provides more flexibility and control for developers by allowing granular customization.

With robust global conferencing, quality-driven media streaming, secure and swift voice-to-text transcription, and multi-lingual text-to-speech solutions, Telnyx ensures an optimal call control experience.

Furthermore, the Telnyx programmable Voice API simplifies the creation of an intelligent IVR system for improved customer service. With an industry-leading accuracy of over 97% in Answering Machine Detection, Telnyx surpasses Twilio's 95%, providing an overall superior call control solution.

Schedule a Twilio vs Telnyx breakdown call with our experts to learn how these features can enhance your communications.

Telnyx vs. Twilio: Messaging

SMS APIs empower developers to build robust messaging capabilities into their applications without extensive telecom knowledge. These APIs are highly configurable, easily consumable, scalable, and cost-effective, enabling developers to focus on creating engaging two-way communication experiences.

Both Telnyx and Twilio offer messaging APIs to meet these needs. Let's examine the differences between their solutions.

Now that we've reviewed of the Telnyx and Twilio messaging APIs, let's explore specific messaging features that are essential for many businesses in today's communication landscape.

Messaging features explained

With the many people wanting to communicate conveniently with businesses via text, companies must leverage reliable, efficient, and secure messaging solutions. In this section, we'll dive deeper into some key messaging features that can enhance your business communications.

Hosted SMS

Did you know that nearly 93% of people would like to have a text conversation with a business? And that nearly one-third of consumers (32%) have tried to text a business and never received a text back. That's where hosted SMS comes in. Hosted SMS allows businesses to SMS-enable their existing phone numbers without changing providers or altering their existing voice setup. Unlike an SMS API, which requires you to build your own messaging infrastructure, hosted SMS provides a ready-to-use platform for seamless text messaging.

MMS support

In addition to SMS, businesses can also leverage the power of multimedia messaging with MMS support. MMS allows you to send images, videos, and audio files within your messages, enhancing customer engagement by providing rich interactive content. This feature is handy for promotional campaigns, appointment reminders, or customer support, where visual aids can improve the overall experience.

Number Pool

Number Pool is a feature designed to enhance message deliverability. When sending texts, numbers will be automatically selected from a pool associated with your messaging profile, maintaining balance across numbers to ensure higher delivery rates across all carriers.

Geomatch

When customers are dealing with a local business, they expect to see a local number. Geomatch will automatically send messages from a number that matches the local area code of the recipient from within your pool of numbers. Local numbers allow you to establish trust more quickly and better engage users with a more tailored, local experience.

Metrics and reporting

Real-time metrics serve as an essential tool for gauging business performance. The ability to access granular delivery reports, monitor the status of your numbers, and comprehend customer interaction with your messages through click-through-rate tracking are fundamental components of effective messaging campaigns.

These detailed insights not only allow businesses to fine-tune their strategies in real time but also provide them with a comprehensive understanding of their campaign effectiveness. A detailed understanding of your campaign performance derived from the analytics guides more informed decisions, enabling businesses to target their audience better, craft more compelling messages, and ultimately, achieve higher engagement rates.

Who offers a better messaging solution?

Regarding messaging solutions, both Telnyx and Twilio provide features for enhanced deliverability and insightful delivery metrics. However, Telnyx stands out with several key benefits:

As a licensed carrier, Telnyx owns its own infrastructure, which means you'll get more control and reliability. The automated number porting process provided by Telnyx removes the complexities, saving you precious time.

Moreover, with Telnyx, you can anticipate substantial savings. With the potential to cut your messaging expenses by up to 70%, Telnyx delivers a more practical solution without compromising on features or quality.

Get a custom pricing quote to compare Twilio vs. Telnyx for messaging, learn to port your numbers, and save money on your communications.

Telnyx vs. Twilio: Support

It’s impossible to overestimate the importance of good support when it comes to your communications provider. That’s why Telnyx is proud to rank highest in support compared to other cloud communication platforms, according to G2 user reviews.

Here’s a quick comparison of our service offering that explains why we consistently rank higher than Twilio in terms of both support and user results.

Your communications are mission-critical to your business; you never know when you'll need support for an issue. Working with a provider who will be there for you when you need it most is essential.

Telnyx ranks highest in support among cloud communication platforms, offering free 24/7 support from expert in-house engineers. In contrast, Twilio requires customers to spend at least $1,500 per month to access support.

Talk to our team about our support offerings to learn more.

Telnyx vs. Twilio: Pricing

Price factors into every business decision. So, let's compare Telnyx vs. Twilio prices across programmable voice, elastic SIP trunking, and messaging. Comparing Telnyx and Twilio's pricing can help you determine which provider offers the best value for your needs.

Programmable voice pricing

Programmable voice allows you to build voice applications that can make, receive, and control phone calls. Here’s how our prices compare:

Talk to our team of experts to learn how you can save up to 50% per call by switching to Telnyx.

Elastic SIP trunking pricing

Elastic SIP trunking is a service that enables businesses to manage their phone system in a more flexible, scalable, and cost-effective way. Here’s how Telnyx and Twilio's prices compare.

Talk to our team of experts to learn how you can save up to 6% per call by switching to Telnyx.

SMS and MMS pricing

Messaging services are essential for businesses to communicate with their customers effectively. SMS is a widely used communication method for sending text messages. MMS allows the sending of multimedia content such as images, videos, and audio files within a text message.

Here’s how our messaging prices compare to Twilio’s:

SMS pricing

Key takeaway: Save up to 49% per message by switching to Telnyx.

MMS pricing

Key takeaway: Save up to 91% per message by switching to Telnyx.

When switching from another provider, Telnyx customers typically save 30–70% on SMS and MMS. For larger customers, Telnyx offers competitive contract pricing, making it easy to scale your communications.

Talk to our team of experts to learn how you can save up to 91% per message by switching to Telnyx.

Telnyx: a best-in-class connectivity solution

There are many factors to consider when choosing between Telnyx and Twilio as the best communications partner for your business. We’ve done our best to provide you with a straightforward comparison of features and cost, but you don’t just have to take our word for it. We encourage you to use resources like G2, Courier, or Medium to gather more information and make the best decision for your business.

Remember, the right communications provider can significantly impact your business's success. Choose wisely and invest in a provider that will support your growth and help you achieve your goals.

Talk to one of our experts to learn how Telnyx—the better Twilio alternative—can support your business communications.

Pricing is based on information from twilio.com/pricing and telnyx.com/pricing. Voice pricing assumes flat-rate billing method is selected in the Telnyx Mission Control Portal. Messaging pricing does not include carrier fees, which are not governed by Telnyx or Twilio. All information is correct as of 05/23/2023. Telnyx is not associated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Twilio.