Top 5 Twilio WhatsApp API Alternatives

When businesses look into the WhatsApp Business API, Twilio is usually one of the first names they encounter. What most of them don’t know, however, is that Twilio isn’t exactly a plug-and-play solution.

Out of the box, Twilio only gives you the ability to send and receive WhatsApp messages using its APIs. It does not include ready-to-use tools for bulk messaging, contact management, team collaboration, or campaign tracking.

Twilio also adds a considerable markup to WhatsApp’s official messaging rates, which can quickly drive up costs for growing businesses.

In this article, we’ll explore five Twilio alternatives for the WhatsApp API that address these drawbacks, starting with an overview of Twilio itself to provide a complete picture.

Twilio Overview: Key Features and Pros and Cons

Twilio is a cloud communications platform that provides APIs for SMS, voice, email, and chat, enabling businesses to connect with customers across multiple channels, including WhatsApp.

Used by over 300,000 businesses worldwide, Twilio provides users with programmatic access to WhatsApp through its APIs.

What this means is that Twilio primarily allows you to send and receive WhatsApp messages using its APIs. But it does not offer built-in features to send bulk broadcasts, manage customer contacts, collaborate on chats, or track campaign ROI. 

To access these capabilities, you either need to build them in-house or use a third-party solution, which can feel unnecessarily complex and costly for businesses that simply need a ready-to-use WhatsApp API platform.

Pricing is another drawback. Twilio charges an additional $0.005 per inbound and outbound message, on top of Meta’s official WhatsApp charges (learn more about them here). It also adds a $0.015 per-message fee for features like click tracking and message scheduling, after the first 1,000 messages.

Here’s a quick look at Twilio’s core features, pros and cons, and pricing:

Key Features

• Omnichannel APIs (for WhatsApp, SMS, voice, and other channels)
• Conversational messaging via Conversations API
• Alerts, notifications, and marketing messages via Messaging API
• Twilio Flex (for building contact center capabilities)
• Twilio Segment (for consolidating customer data from various sources)

Pros

• Supports messaging on multiple channels
• Extensive documentation for developers
• Highly customizable
• Scalable infrastructure for high-volume messaging

Cons

• Charges $0.005 (or ₹0.44) per inbound and outbound message, including those exchanged during Free-Entry points (which are free under WhatsApp’s pricing policy)
• Imposes a failed message processing fee of $0.001 per message for messages that terminate in a failed status
• No out-of-the-box utility; everything must be built/configured from scratch
• User reviews indicate a lengthy onboarding process
• Customer support can be slow and difficult to reach

Pricing

Twilio follows a pay-as-you-go model, where the final cost per message is calculated as:

Twilio per-message fee ($0.005) + WhatsApp’s official rate (varies by template type)

Note that these per-message charges also apply to messages exchanged during Free-Entry points, which are otherwise free.

As mentioned earlier, Twilio also adds a $0.015 per-message fee for click tracking and message scheduling, after the first 1,000 messages.

For many SMBs, these added costs are difficult to justify, especially when they’re trying to scale their campaigns and reach more customers on WhatsApp.

Top 5 Twilio Alternatives for WhatsApp API

Here’s a table comparing the top 5 Twilio alternatives:

Platform	Key Features	Markup on WhatsApp’s messaging charges	Best For	User Rating (G2, TrustPilot, Capterra)
WANotifier	Bulk broadcasts, no-code chatbots, drip campaigns, WhatsApp Flows, shared inbox, built-in CRM, WordPress plugin & REST API	0% markup (pay only Meta’s official rates)	SMBs and startups looking for a cost-efficient, WhatsApp-focused solution with ready-to-use tools	Rated Excellent with 4.6 out of 5 stars
360Dialog	Direct WhatsApp API access, broad integrations, 360Pilot analytics, Partner Platform, Performance Messaging service	No markup (but requires monthly license: €25/$25 or €49/$49 per WABA)	SaaS platforms, agencies, and enterprises  that need a customizable WhatsApp setup and can absorb the costs of a third-party solution/in-house development resources	Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Sinch	Conversation API (omnichannel), Sinch Engage with automation & analytics, integrations, and enterprise-grade compliance	No markup (subscription plans starting from $59/month; higher tiers available)	Enterprises and mid-market businesses looking for an omnichannel messaging solution with ready-to-use tools	Rated 3.8 out of 5 stars
Bird (formerly MessageBird)	Developer APIs, built-in WhatsApp tools (quick replies, chatbots, Click-to-WhatsApp ads, catalogs), shared inbox, analytics dashboards	Markup + $0.005 Bird fee per message	D2C and e-commerce brands that need an omnichannel engagement solution and can absorb the higher costs	Rated 3.9 out of 5 stars
Wati	WhatsApp broadcasts, Click-to-WhatsApp ads, catalogs, no-code chatbot builder, AI support agent, shared inbox, integrations with Zoho, HubSpot, Shopify, etc.	Yes	D2C and e-commerce brands that want a plug-and-play WhatsApp marketing solution and can manage higher costs	Rated 3.8 out of 5 stars

1) WANotifier 

If you’re looking for a cost-efficient alternative to Twilio that works right out of the box, WANotifier is one of the best options. 

Trusted by brands like BITS Pilani, Virtus Motors, and ISKCON, WANotifier is an official Meta Tech Partner that offers an all-in-one WhatsApp marketing solution, complete with an easy-to-use interface, a mobile app for on-the-go communication, and a comprehensive set of ready-to-use tools.

With WANotifier, you can send bulk broadcasts, set up auto-replies and chatbots, create drip sequences and WhatsApp Flows, collaborate on chats, monitor campaign ROI and conversions, and do much more, all without writing a single line of code!

You can also segment and manage contacts using its built-in CRM and capture more leads from your website, lead gen forms, and third-party tools using its WordPress plugin and REST API.

WANotifier’s biggest advantage over Twilio is its transparent pricing.

Unlike Twilio, which charges an extra per-message fee, WANotifier applies 0% markup on WhatsApp’s official rates, meaning you only pay Meta’s actual charges. It also offers a free forever plan with 500 contacts and 1,000 broadcasts, giving small businesses a risk-free way to start using WhatsApp for marketing.

Here’s everything you can do with WANotifier:

• Send instant or scheduled WhatsApp broadcasts to thousands of contacts at once
• Trigger transactional messages from your website or app based on actions like purchases, form submissions, or callback requests
• Capture leads automatically from Facebook and Instagram ads (learn more about it here)
• Set up no-code chatbots and automations to handle FAQs and customer requests
• Run drip campaigns to onboard new users, nurture leads, and re-engage inactive customers
• Use WhatsApp Flows to collect user data and guide interactions directly within chat
• Integrate WhatsApp with your CRM, e-commerce platform, or other business tools
• Track message delivery, open rates, chatbot sessions, Flow responses, and ad-driven conversions
• Collaborate across teams with a shared inbox (add team members, assign chats, and view full conversation history)

Pros

• 0% markup on WhatsApp’s official messaging rates
• Free forever plan with up to 500 contacts and 1,000 broadcasts
• Ready-to-use tools for broadcasts, chatbots, and campaign tracking (absolutely no coding required!)
• Simple interface that anyone can use
• Mobile app to manage conversations on the go
• Live chat and email support for all users
• WhatsApp API onboarding assistance for all plans

Cons

• Access to advanced features like chatbots, multi-agent inbox, and product catalog templates is only available on paid plans
• Free plan users cannot reply to customer messages directly from the inbox

Pricing

WANotifier offers five flexible subscription plans, with four paid tiers available on both monthly and annual billing:

• Free Forever plan (with support for up to 500 contacts)
• Standard:  $69 or ₹2,999/month (5,000 contacts)
• Growth: $149 or ₹5,999/month (25,000 contacts)
• Business: $299 or ₹12,499/month (100K contacts)
• Pro: $599 or ₹24,999/month (250K contacts)

Want a custom quote? Reach out to learn more about our Enterprise plans.

2) 360Dialog

360dialog is a cost-friendly alternative to Twilio that connects businesses directly to WhatsApp’s infrastructure and lets them send messages at WhatsApp’s official rates (and a monthly license fee per phone number).

Note that, like Twilio, 360Dialog only offers API access, which makes it appealing to businesses that want a customizable WhatsApp setup.

However, for smaller teams with leaner budgets, 360dialog may not be the best fit. That’s because, like Twilio, it does not include built-in tools for broadcasts, contact management, or campaign tracking, and requires either an in-house development team or a third-party solution to unlock the capabilities of the API.

Key Features

• Direct access to WhatsApp API
• Wide range of integrations
• WhatsApp analytics via 360Pilot (currently in early access)
• Partner Platform that allows SaaS providers to onboard clients at scale
• Performance Messaging service for brands that prefer expert-managed WhatsApp campaigns

Pros

• No markup on WhatsApp’s official messaging charges
• Stable, fast, and reliable access to WhatsApp API
• Clear documentation for developers
• Easy integration options (cloud and on-premise APIs)

Cons

• No built-in tools; everything must be built or configured from scratch
• Pricing can feel high for SMBs and startups, especially with development or integration costs
• Backend and UI can feel fragmented and confusing
• Occasional delays during onboarding
• Strict billing policies; accounts may be suspended or deleted after missed payments
• User reviews indicate slow and vague customer support responses

Pricing

360dialog charges a monthly license fee per WhatsApp number, with two tiers available:

• Regular: €25 / $25 per month (default for all new numbers)
• Premium: €49 / $49 per month (includes enhanced SLAs and priority support)

Here’s what’s included in the license fee:

• Direct WhatsApp Business API access
• Message throughput of up to 80 messages per second
• 24/7 customer support

While this is lower and more predictable than Twilio’s costs, SMBs may still find it expensive once they factor in the development or third-party tools required to make the API usable out of the box.

3) Sinch

Sinch is another cloud communications platform that offers both developer-friendly APIs and an out-of-the-box engagement platform.

The Sinch Conversation API gives businesses an omnichannel messaging solution, complete with feature-rich templates, interactive buttons, and list messages, making it easier to create experiences like product catalogs across supported channels (including WhatsApp).

With Sinch Engage (formerly MessageMedia), the platform goes a step further by providing a plug-and-play messaging solution with advanced automation tools, in-depth analytics, and integrations with platforms like HubSpot, Salesforce, Netsuite, Shopify, Zapier, and Workato.

Still, as an omnichannel platform, Sinch can be too complicated and expensive for teams that simply want a WhatsApp-focused solution.

Key Features

• Conversational API for omnichannel messaging (WhatsApp, SMS, RCS, and more)
• Sinch Engage (with automation, analytics, and third-party integrations)
• Rich messaging features (like templates, interactive buttons, lists, and product catalogs)
• Enterprise-grade security and compliance

Pros

• No markup on WhatsApp’s official messaging costs
• Supports omnichannel messaging
• Offers a ready-to-use messaging platform with automation, analytics, and third-party integrations

Cons

• Can feel overly complex for businesses that want a WhatsApp-focused solution
• The starting price for Sinch Engage is relatively high at $59/month
• User reviews frequently mention poor or unresponsive customer support
• Onboarding and SLA adherence can be inconsistent

Pricing

As mentioned earlier, Sinch doesn’t add a markup to WhatsApp’s official messaging costs. However, if you’re using only the API, you’ll need to factor in the cost of development or third-party tools to get a realistic estimate.

Sinch Engage is offered on a subscription basis with a 14-day free trial. Here’s a look at its subscription prices:

• Basics: $59/month
• Conversations: $119/month
• Pro: $299/month
• Pro Plus: $540/month
• Advanced: $959/month

4) Bird (formerly MessageBird)

Bird (formerly MessageBird) is another omnichannel communications platform that offers developer APIs for WhatsApp, SMS, email, and voice.

Bird’s distinct advantage over Twilio is that, in addition to APIs, it also provides built-in tools such as quick replies, WhatsApp chatbots, Click-to-WhatsApp ads, product catalogs, a shared team inbox, and pre-built dashboards to track sales, conversions, and subscriber metrics by campaign and content type.

However, Bird is still an omnichannel platform, meaning it can feel excessive for businesses looking for a WhatsApp-only solution. It also adds a $0.005 per-message fee on top of WhatsApp’s official rates, making it impractical for growing businesses looking to scale their outreach on the app.

Key Features

• Developer APIs for WhatsApp, SMS, email, and voice
• Built-in WhatsApp tools (quick replies, chatbots, Click-to-WhatsApp ads, product catalogs)
• Shared team inbox
• Pre-built dashboards to track sales, conversions, and subscriber metrics

Pros

• Supports omnichannel messaging
• Offers ready-to-use tools for WhatsApp
• Simplifies WhatsApp inbox management with an intuitive UI
• Integrates seamlessly with popular tools

Cons

• Charges a $0.005 per-message fee on top of WhatsApp’s official rates
• More of an omnichannel messaging solution; overkill for businesses focused on WhatsApp
• Frequent bugs and technical issues across SMS, email, and API features
• Onboarding and setup can be confusing for non-technical users
• User reviews highlight that customer support can be slow and unresponsive

Pricing

Bird offers three pricing options to suit different business needs:

• Pay-as-you-go plan: A usage-based plan where the final cost per message is calculated as: Meta passthrough cost (WhatsApp’s official rate + Bird’s markup) + $0.005 Bird fee per message

Note: The Meta passthrough cost already includes Bird’s markup. For example, a marketing message in India costs ₹0.94, compared to WhatsApp’s official rate of ₹0.78.

• Monthly Targeted Contacts Plan: Starting from $45/month for up to 3,000 contacts and 30,000 messages
• Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing available on request, with advanced features and higher volumes

While Bird provides out-of-the-box WhatsApp features, the extra per-message fee and markups make it significantly more expensive than other alternatives in this list.

5) Wati

WATI is a plug-and-play WhatsApp marketing and automation platform designed for businesses that want to get started quickly without the need for developers or third-party integrations.

WATI offers powerful features for sending bulk messages, creating automated replies and chatbots, monitoring campaign performance,  and collaborating with your team through a shared inbox. It also integrates easily with popular tools like Zoho, HubSpot, Shopify, WooCommerce, Klaviyo, and Zapier, making it easier to connect WhatsApp to your existing tech stack. 

Unfortunately, like Twilio and some other API providers on this list, WATI charges a considerable markup on WhatsApp’s official messaging costs. It also requires users to pre-purchase messaging credits, which can complicate budgeting and make scaling campaigns more expensive.

Key Features

• WhatsApp broadcasts
• Click-to-WhatsApp ads
• WhatsApp catalogs
• No-code chatbot builder
• AI support agent for handling FAQs and routing complex queries to live agents
• Shared team inbox

Pros

• Purpose-built for WhatsApp
• Powerful automation features with a no-code chatbot builder
• Seamless integrations with popular CRM, e-commerce, and marketing tools
• Email support is available on all plans

Cons

• Adds a markup on WhatsApp’s official  API costs (₹0.94 per marketing message vs. the official rate of ₹0.78 in India)
• Requires users to pay for messaging credits in advance
• Higher-tier plans include only 5 users; adding more costs $39 (or ₹1,299) or $89 (or ₹3,999) per user (depending on the plan)
• Chatbot usage limited to 5,000 sessions per month, even on the highest plan
• Onboarding support not included in Growth or Pro plans (available only as a paid add-on)

Pricing

As mentioned above, WATI charges an additional fee on top of WhatsApp’s official messaging rates for all outgoing template messages. The subscription prices listed below do not include these charges:

• Growth: $69 or  ₹2499/month 
• Pro: $149 or ₹5999/month 
• Business: $349 or ₹16999/month 

For users who only want to send bulk messages, Wati offers a Pay-per-message or Pay-as-you-go plan priced at ₹999/month, which comes with 500 messages valid for 3 months.

Ready to Switch to a Better Twilio Alternative for WhatsApp API?

Twilio is a powerful and highly customizable WhatsApp API solution, but it’s best suited for enterprises that already manage messaging across multiple channels or require an omnichannel setup. For businesses with limited resources and tighter budgets, it’s not the most practical choice.

The alternatives covered in this article, WANotifier, 360dialog, Sinch, Bird, and WATI, all help address Twilio’s cost and feature-related challenges to some extent. However, most of them either lean heavily toward omnichannel (making them overwhelming for WhatsApp-only use cases) or add a significant markup on WhatsApp’s official messaging costs.

That’s where WANotifier stands out. 

It’s the only WhatsApp-focused solution on this list that charges 0% markup on messaging costs, while also providing ready-to-use marketing and automation tools right out of the box. It also offers a generous free forever plan with 500 contacts and 1,000 broadcasts, making it the most accessible way for growing businesses to get started with WhatsApp.

👉 Sign up today and reach your customers on WhatsApp with 0% markup and best-in-class customer support