Softwr

Telecommunications · head to head

Aircall vs Twilio

Aircall logo

Aircall

Telecommunications

Cloud phone system for modern business

From
$30/month
Rated
-
Twilio logo

Twilio

Telecommunications

Cloud communications platform for SMS, voice, and video

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Twilio has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Aircall a minimum of 3 users on the published plans, rising to 25 on the Custom tier; Twilio pricing becomes unpredictable with carrier fees and additional charges for compliance, recordings, and phone number rentals
  • They diverge on capability: Aircall covers Cloud phone, Twilio covers SMS messaging.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Aircall and Twilio actually diverge.

Attributes where Aircall and Twilio differ
AttributeAircallTwilio
Starting price$30/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, DesktopWeb, APIs, Python, JavaScript, Ruby, Java, PHP, C#
Founded20142008

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Telecommunications).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Aircall

  • Cloud phone
  • IVR
  • Call routing
  • Power dialer
  • Analytics
  • Call recording
  • Integrations
  • Zendesk

Only in Twilio

  • SMS messaging
  • Voice calls
  • Video conferencing
  • Programmable communication
  • Slack
  • Zapier
  • Mobile support
  • API support

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Aircall

  • Cloud phone system for sales and support teamsnot Twilio
  • Call routing, IVR and shared numbersnot Twilio
  • Logging calls against CRM records through integrationsnot Twilio
  • Power dialling outbound lists on the Professional tiernot Twilio
  • SMS and MMS alongside voicenot Twilio

Twilio

  • Customer engagementnot Aircall
  • Lead generationnot Aircall
  • Customer supportnot Aircall
  • Sales automationnot Aircall

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Aircall

  • A minimum of 3 users on the published plans, rising to 25 on the Custom tier
  • Essentials is limited to 3 teams; unlimited teams need Professional
  • Salesforce CTI, the power dialer and advanced analytics all require Professional
  • SSO, API support and an SLA are Custom tier only
  • AI voice and messaging agents are separate add-ons billed per minute or per conversation on top of the seat price

Twilio

  • Pricing becomes unpredictable with carrier fees and additional charges for compliance, recordings, and phone number rentals
  • Phone number rentals are required for every number used, with carrier fees varying by region and billed separately
  • Dashboard is not optimized for mobile use and logs are difficult to access

Pricing, plan by plan

Aircall

$30/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Aircall review.

Twilio

Free
  • Pay-as-You-Go$undefined/mo
    • Usage-based pricing
    • No monthly minimum
    • SMS, voice, video, messaging

Which should you pick?

Choose Aircall if

  • You need cloud phone.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want ivr.

Choose Twilio if

  • You need sms messaging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, APIs, Python, JavaScript, Ruby, Java, PHP, C#.
  • You also want voice calls.

Questions people ask

Is Aircall or Twilio better?
Neither clearly leads. Aircall starts at $30/month and Twilio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aircall or Twilio?
Twilio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $30/month for Aircall and Free for Twilio.
Does Aircall or Twilio run on more platforms?
Aircall runs on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop. Twilio runs on Web, APIs, Python, JavaScript, Ruby, Java, PHP, C#.
Can I use Twilio for free?
Yes. Twilio has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Aircall starts at $30/month.
What is Aircall best used for?
Aircall is most often used for cloud phone system for sales and support teams, call routing, ivr and shared numbers, logging calls against crm records through integrations, power dialling outbound lists on the professional tier. Of those, cloud phone system for sales and support teams and call routing, ivr and shared numbers are not what Twilio is typically brought in for.
What can Aircall do that Twilio cannot?
Aircall covers Cloud phone, IVR, Call routing, Power dialer. Twilio covers SMS messaging, Voice calls, Video conferencing, Programmable communication. Both handle Salesforce, HubSpot, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Aircall: What is the minimum cost to start with Aircall?

Aircall requires a 3-license minimum on annual billing, making the real entry price $90 per month ($30 per user times 3 users) for the Essentials plan, not the advertised $30 per user.

Source
Twilio: What is Twilio's pricing model?

Twilio uses pay-as-you-go usage-based pricing with no monthly minimums or contracts. SMS costs $0.0083 per US message, voice calls cost $0.014 per minute, phone numbers cost $1.15 per month.

Source
Aircall: Does Aircall include AI call features in base plans?

No, AI Voice Agents and AI Assist Pro are separate add-ons billed on top of base plans. The Essentials and Professional plans include call recording and analytics but not AI features.

Source
Twilio: Does Twilio offer a free tier?

Yes, Twilio offers a free trial indefinitely with no credit card required for limited usage, plus a 7-14 day free trial period on paid plans.

Source
Aircall: How many countries can I create phone numbers in?

Aircall supports creating local phone numbers in 100 or more countries, enabling businesses to appear local to customers regardless of location.

Source
Twilio: What communication channels does Twilio support?

Twilio supports SMS, WhatsApp, RCS, MMS for messaging; Voice API and SIP Trunking for voice; Email via Twilio SendGrid; Video API; and Chat via Conversations API.

Source
Aircall: What is Aircall's uptime guarantee?

Aircall guarantees 99.95 percent uptime with seven global data centers and system redundancy on every level.

Source

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