MessageBird — now branded Bird — is an omnichannel communications API covering SMS, WhatsApp, email, and voice. It's a European-rooted Twilio rival, strong on global SMS reach and WhatsApp Business. Pricing is per message, varying by channel and destination country. Here's the pricing, the test credit, and how to start.
| Channel | Price (typical) |
|---|---|
| Outbound SMS (US) | ~$0.0070 / msg |
| WhatsApp conversation | ~$0.005–0.09 / conv |
| Virtual number | from ~$1 / mo |
| Email (Bird/SparkPost) | from ~$0.0001 / email |
| Test credit free | on signup |
Bird gives free test credit on signup so you can fire test SMS and WhatsApp messages before committing. There's no permanent free tier for production traffic — it's pay-as-you-go per message. Bird's edge is global SMS coverage and WhatsApp Business; if most of your audience is on WhatsApp (common outside North America), the per-conversation model can beat per-SMS pricing. Estimate your monthly spend with the messaging cost calculator.
1. Sign up at bird.com (formerly messagebird.com) and verify your account.
2. Open Developers → API access in the dashboard.
3. Create a test key first, then a live key for production.
4. Send it in the Authorization: AccessKey header.
Send one SMS (classic MessageBird REST):
For US-heavy SMS, Plivo often has the lowest headline per-message rate, with Twilio and Vonage close behind and richer ecosystems. Bird's strongest case is international reach and WhatsApp — if your users are global, its routing and channel mix can win. For pure transactional notifications, email via SendGrid or Resend costs a fraction of SMS. Choose Bird when you need one API across SMS, WhatsApp and email with strong non-US coverage.
Yes — MessageBird rebranded to Bird. It's the same messaging platform and APIs; both names still appear in docs and dashboards.
Sign up at bird.com, go to Developers → API access, and create a test or live access key. Send it in the Authorization header as AccessKey YOUR_KEY.
WhatsApp is charged per 24-hour conversation, not per message, with rates set by Meta and varying by category (marketing, utility, authentication, service) and country. Bird passes these through plus its platform fee.
Twilio has the deepest product range and US presence; Bird is stronger on international SMS and WhatsApp with a European base. If your traffic is global and WhatsApp-heavy, compare Bird; if you're US-centric and want the widest integrations, Twilio.
Not affiliated with MessageBird / Bird. Prices are reference estimates — always verify on the official pricing page.