MessageMedia vs Telnyx
Compare MessageMedia and Telnyx based on observed SMS API performance, features, and pricing
Live performance comparison
Real-world performance data from messages sent through Knock
| Provider | Message volume | Growth | Status page updates (30d) | Status page updates (90d) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <1M | 6th of 7 ↓ | 0 | 0 |
| <1M | 3rd of 7 → | 0 | 0 |
From January 23rd to April 23rd, Knock routed <1M messages through MessageMedia and <1M through Telnyx. MessageMedia reported 0 status page updates over the last 90 days, while Telnyx reported 0.
Response time
Response time measures how long each provider takes to accept an SMS API request from Knock, including connection overhead and any automatic retries. Lower values mean faster message hand-off.
| Provider | Median (p50) | p90 | p95 | p99 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 224ms | 605ms | 640ms | 736ms |
| 273ms | 449ms | 513ms | 672ms |
The chart above shows each provider's daily median response time (p50) from January 23rd to April 23rd. The top-line number is an average of these daily values: MessageMedia averaged 224ms compared to 273ms for Telnyx. MessageMedia's highest daily p50 was 588ms; Telnyx's was 313ms. MessageMedia is 49ms faster at the median, which can add up at high volumes.
The 90th percentile (p90) captures the slowest 10% of requests, revealing how each provider handles moderate stress. Averaged across all days, MessageMedia has a p90 of 605ms compared to 449ms for Telnyx. The highest daily p90 was 666ms for MessageMedia and 19505ms for Telnyx. Telnyx handles these slower requests 156ms faster, suggesting more consistent performance across the board.
The 99th percentile (p99) represents the long tail — the slowest 1% of requests. Averaged across all days, MessageMedia reached 736ms at p99 while Telnyx reached 672ms. The highest daily p99 was 922ms for MessageMedia and 19738ms for Telnyx, indicating the worst-case response time during spikes or provider-side congestion. Telnyx shows a tighter tail, which may matter for time-sensitive SMS notifications like one-time passwords or real-time alerts where even rare delays can impact user experience.
Error rate
Error rate tracks the ratio of 5xx responses and timeouts to total SMS API requests. Knock automatically retries failed requests, so transient provider errors rarely affect end-user delivery.
| Provider | Avg. daily error rate | Highest daily rate | Peak error date | Zero-error days | Days above 0.01% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.00% | 0.00% | Jan 23 | 91 | 0 |
| 0.34% | 24.57% | Feb 20 | 58 | 32 |
Averaged across the date range, MessageMedia shows a 0.00% daily error rate compared to 0.34% for Telnyx. The highest single-day error rate was 0.00% for MessageMedia and 24.57% for Telnyx. MessageMedia demonstrates a lower error rate, indicating slightly more consistent availability during this period. Knock automatically retries failed requests to both providers, minimizing the impact of transient errors on end-user delivery.
About these metrics: Data represents messages sent through Knock during the specified period. Response time measures time from Knock to provider acceptance. Error rate includes only provider 5xx responses and timeouts.
Recent MessageMedia incidents
Recent status page incidents for MessageMedia
No incidents reported in the last 90 days
Recent Telnyx incidents
Recent status page incidents for Telnyx
No incidents reported in the last 90 days
Pricing comparison
| Provider | Plan | Per message | Monthly cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| MessageMedia | Custom | — | Custom |
| Telnyx | Pay-as-you-go | $0.004 | $400 |
MessageMedia
Custom pricing based on volume and destination. Contact sales for a quote. No publicly listed per-message rates.
Telnyx
No free tier. Outbound SMS to US numbers costs $0.004 per message. Inbound messages are $0.004 each. Phone numbers start at $1.00/month for local numbers. Carrier surcharges are passed through at cost with no markup.
US carrier surcharges
All US A2P SMS sent via 10DLC incurs mandatory carrier fees on top of the provider base rate. Most providers pass these through at cost.
| Carrier | Outbound SMS | Inbound SMS |
|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile | $0.0045 | $0.0025 |
| AT&T | $0.003 | $0.003 |
| Verizon | $0.004 | $0.00 |
| US Cellular | $0.005 | $0.00 |
Pros and cons
MessageMedia
Telnyx
Pros
- Backed by Sinch's global carrier network for reliable delivery
- Strong presence in Australia, New Zealand, and Asia-Pacific markets
- Pre-built integrations with popular business tools and CRMs
- Supports both API-driven and web portal-based messaging workflows
Pros
- Among the lowest per-message rates for US domestic SMS
- Private IP network provides lower latency than providers using the public internet
- Transparent, pay-as-you-go pricing with no monthly minimums
- Strong developer experience with well-documented APIs and SDKs
Cons
- Pricing is not publicly listed and requires contacting sales
- Developer documentation is less comprehensive than Twilio or Telnyx
- Brand identity can be confusing due to Sinch acquisition and rebranding
Cons
- Smaller community and ecosystem compared to Twilio
- No free trial credits for new accounts
- Feature set is narrower than full-suite platforms like Twilio
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between MessageMedia and Telnyx?
MessageMedia is a Sinch-owned business SMS platform with strong Asia-Pacific coverage and enterprise integrations. Telnyx is a developer-first communications platform with competitive pricing and a private IP network for reliable SMS delivery. MessageMedia is best suited for enterprise business messaging, while Telnyx is geared toward cost-effective developer sms.
Which is cheaper, MessageMedia or Telnyx?
Custom pricing based on volume and destination. Contact sales for a quote. No publicly listed per-message rates. No free tier. Outbound SMS to US numbers costs $0.004 per message. Inbound messages are $0.004 each. Phone numbers start at $1.00/month for local numbers. Carrier surcharges are passed through at cost with no markup. The best value depends on your sending volume and destination countries.
Which is faster, MessageMedia or Telnyx?
Based on real-world data from Knock, MessageMedia has a median SMS API response time (p50) of 224ms compared to 273ms for Telnyx.
Which is more reliable, MessageMedia or Telnyx?
From January 23rd to April 23rd, MessageMedia showed an error rate of 0.00% while Telnyx showed 0.34%. Both rates are within acceptable thresholds for production SMS delivery, and Knock automatically retries failed requests to minimize the impact of transient errors.
Which is more popular, MessageMedia or Telnyx?
On the Knock platform, MessageMedia handled <1M messages from January 23rd to April 23rd compared to <1M for Telnyx. MessageMedia is currently seeing declining volume, while Telnyx volume has remained stable.
Can I use both MessageMedia and Telnyx together?
Yes. Knock enables you to integrate multiple SMS providers into a single notification workflow. You can use MessageMedia and Telnyx side by side, route traffic between them, or migrate from one to the other without changing your application code.
What are the main pros and cons of MessageMedia vs Telnyx?
MessageMedia strengths include backed by sinch's global carrier network for reliable delivery and strong presence in australia, new zealand, and asia-pacific markets. Telnyx strengths include among the lowest per-message rates for us domestic sms and private ip network provides lower latency than providers using the public internet. On the other hand, MessageMedia drawbacks include pricing is not publicly listed and requires contacting sales, while Telnyx drawbacks include smaller community and ecosystem compared to twilio.
Use either provider with Knock
Knock enables you to integrate MessageMedia, Telnyx, or any combination of SMS providers into a single notification workflow. Manage templates, orchestrate cross-channel delivery, and switch providers without changing your code.