Overview

Bandwidth supports two-way SMS, MMS, inbound webhooks, and messaging options including 10DLC, short codes, toll-free numbers, alphanumeric IDs, and global mobile numbers. The company says these options reach more than 120 countries. That breadth gives teams flexibility to match a route to a campaign, but it also means costs depend on the route and message type rather than one simple outbound rate.

Registration Center can autofill customer and campaign data for Short Code and 10DLC registration. Traffic monitoring highlights unregistered traffic and messages blocked by carriers or Bandwidth, with email or webhook alerts. These tools help operations teams spot registration and delivery problems, but they still need processes to investigate and act on them.

Key features

New accounts have a default outbound limit of one message per second for testing; A2P traffic can reach the account limit. That testing cap is modest for teams validating high-volume workloads, so the account limit matters when planning production throughput.

When a webhook endpoint fails to return an HTTP 2xx response, Bandwidth retries delivery multiple times over the following 24 hours, then stops. Integrations should therefore handle retries safely and account for events that remain undelivered after that window. The API documentation includes integration guides for ServiceNow, Zendesk, and Salesforce, and SDK languages include Node.js, Python, Java, C#, PHP, and Ruby.

Bandwidth says it does not store message text and retains metadata for message queries after successful webhook delivery. It encrypts data in transit and at rest using protocols including TLS, SIPS, and SRTP. The company lists SOC 2 Type II compliance and says it meets HIPAA security requirements for eligible services. Messaging customers receive Signature support, with optional Premium packages offering on-call, ongoing assistance.

Pricing

Pricing is pay-as-you-go per message, with pricing on request for the broader service. The published U.S. outbound rates are:

Route	SMS outbound	MMS outbound
10DLC	0.00 USD per once	0.02 USD per once
Short code	0.01 USD per once	0.02 USD per once
Toll-free	0.01 USD per once	0.02 USD per once

The 10DLC SMS rate is the lowest listed U.S. option, while short-code and toll-free SMS cost more per message; MMS costs more than SMS on each route. These rates make route selection material to campaign budgets. There is no free plan, but a free trial is available. The service is a better fit for organizations prepared to pay for usage than for teams seeking an ongoing free allowance.

Platforms

The product is available through API and web access. SDK platforms also include iOS, Android, and browser environments, alongside Node, Python, Java, PHP, Ruby, and C#. Messaging is part of a broader communications offering that also supports voice, emergency calling, WebRTC, and RCS; RCS registration support is described as coming soon.

Who it's for

Bandwidth is aimed at companies that have outgrown a one-size-fits-all provider and need global reach or high throughput. It is most compelling for engineering and operations teams that can integrate an API, manage route and registration choices, and work within account-level rate limits. Smaller teams wanting a ready-made messaging product or a free plan may find the usage-based model less suitable.

Pros and cons

Pros: Multiple U.S. and international messaging routes give teams options for sender type and campaign needs.
Pros: Traffic monitoring, alerts, and registration autofill support operational oversight across key channels.
Pros: Webhook retries, SDKs, and named CRM and service-desk integration guides give developers several integration paths.
Cons: The default testing limit of one message per second may slow realistic throughput testing until account limits are established.
Cons: MMS and some SMS routes carry higher listed U.S. per-message rates than 10DLC SMS, making route mix a budget concern.
Cons: No free plan means there is no continuing zero-cost tier for light or experimental use.

Alternatives

For a free RCS option with a stated 100-session monthly allowance, consider RCS-Box. SimplyRCS offers a free pay-as-you-go plan with a full builder and API, so it may suit teams looking for an RCS-focused starting point. Gupshup has a free plan and a stated 0.001 USD per-message standard fee, with WhatsApp fees billed at actuals.

Orbit by Devotel offers pay-as-you-go credits and a free entry plan. Google RCS for Business uses carrier rate-card billing that varies by destination and agent billing category, while Sinch RCS for Business uses custom pricing with possible carrier fees and setup costs. For a published monthly entry price, smsmode RCS API starts at 9.00 EUR per month for 500 messages or more. 360dialog starts at 59.00 USD per month and includes 24/7 human support, a direct Meta escalation path, and automation-platform integrations.

Compare providers across Communications Platforms as a Service and Transactional SMS Software. For RCS-specific options, see RCS Messaging Platforms and RCS Business Messaging Software; teams focused on voice infrastructure can also browse SIP Trunking Providers.

Verdict

Choose Bandwidth Messaging API if your company needs configurable SMS and MMS routes, operational monitoring, and API integration at scale. Its route variety and delivery oversight are the main reasons to choose it; look elsewhere if you need a continuing free tier or cannot plan around account limits and per-route message costs.

	Bandwidth Messaging API	Textbelt
Free plan	No	Yes
Free trial	Yes	No
Paid from	—	Free
Open source	No	No
Platforms	api, Web	—
Free plan	No	Yes
Pay-as-you-go	Yes	—
SMS API	Yes	—
Delivery status	Yes	—
Webhooks	Yes	—
Two-way messaging	Yes	—

Bandwidth Messaging API vs Textbelt

Bandwidth Messaging API

Textbelt