Twilio alternative for SMS to Germany and Austria
Twilio charges $0.112 per SMS to Germany, billed in US dollars. When an EU gateway at €0.084 with euro invoices fits better, and where Twilio stays ahead.
Short answer: if you only need SMS to Germany, Austria and the rest of Europe, an EU gateway is usually cheaper and simpler. Twilio lists $0.112 per segment to Germany; TopSMS charges €0.084, in euros, with a European contract partner. If you need voice, WhatsApp, phone numbers and two-way messaging in one platform, Twilio remains the stronger choice.
How do the prices compare?
| Twilio | TopSMS | |
|---|---|---|
| SMS to Germany | $0.112 per segment (list price, October 2026) | €0.084 per segment |
| Failed messages | $0.001 fee | rejected by the network: credited back |
| Currency | US dollars | euros, card or SEPA Direct Debit |
| Monthly fee | none for the API | none |
| Test | $15 trial credit | €0.50 free credit, test keys that send nothing |
| Company name as sender | yes, not on trial accounts | yes, active once saved in the dashboard |
For 1,000 SMS a month to Germany you pay €84.00 with TopSMS and $112 with Twilio, plus currency conversion on a euro account.
Where is Twilio better?
- Channels: voice, WhatsApp and verification in one account.
- Two-way SMS: phone numbers for receiving replies. A company name as sender cannot receive replies, at TopSMS or anywhere else.
- SDKs and community: official libraries for every major language and countless tutorials.
When is TopSMS the better fit?
- You send notifications, verification codes or reminders to Germany and Austria and want a lower price per message.
- You want euro invoices and a contract partner in the EU, with a data processing agreement included (DPA).
- You use WooCommerce, Shopware or JTL-Shop and want a ready plugin (integrations).
How hard is it to switch?
One HTTP request per SMS: POST /api/sms/send with to, text and from. Delivery reports come by signed webhook, retries are safe with an Idempotency-Key, and an OpenAPI file is available. Most integrations are moved in an afternoon; see SMS API in 5 minutes and the documentation.
All prices on the pricing page. Create a free account and test with €0.50 free credit.