The closest Twilio replacement for teams that mainly send SMS and make calls: similar APIs, lower list rates and numbers at less than half Twilio's monthly price, but a narrower product range.
What it is
Plivo is a cloud communications platform with SMS, MMS, voice, SIP trunking, WhatsApp and phone verification APIs, plus newer voice AI agents. Its API shapes follow Twilio's closely (send a message, place a call, answer with an XML response), which keeps a migration mostly to rewriting calls rather than redesigning the app. US list prices: SMS $0.0077 to send or receive on long codes and short codes and $0.0079 on toll-free, MMS $0.018 on long codes, plus carrier surcharges; outbound calls $0.0115 a minute and inbound $0.0055; local numbers $0.50 and toll-free $1.00 a month. Answering machine detection, call recording and conferencing are listed at no extra charge, and transcription is $0.0095 a minute. Short codes cost $500 a month plus a $1,500 setup fee. New accounts get $10 in free credit. Checked on plivo.com November 13, 2026.
Best for
- Apps that send SMS and make calls in the US and want lower rates than Twilio
- Teams moving off Twilio with minimal code changes
- Products that rent many phone numbers
What we like
- US SMS from $0.0077 and outbound calls from $0.0115 a minute, below Twilio's list rates
- Local numbers $0.50 a month against Twilio's $1.15
- Call recording, conferencing and answering machine detection at no extra per-minute charge
What to watch
- Narrower range than Twilio: no email or video APIs and fewer prebuilt contact-center tools
- Carrier surcharges come on top of every US SMS and MMS rate, so the headline price is not the full cost
- Short codes are expensive: $500 a month plus a $1,500 one-time fee
- Smaller community, so fewer third-party tutorials and integrations than Twilio
Where Plivo ranks
Alternatives and head-to-heads
Work at Plivo? Claim the listing and put this badge on your site.Claim Plivo